Now that Grizzly is humming along at a manageable pace. Since I have the dies I am considering reintroducing the Wolverine. The last version had a curved profile and I'm just not 100% sure if I want to stick with that or take it back to its former strait profile. Opinions??
Here is a picture of its last production form.
(http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e305/zipperbows/wolverine.jpg) (http://s42.photobucket.com/user/zipperbows/media/wolverine.jpg.html)
I liked the straight profile better, but have not shot the convex profile. Did you get the rights to the Hawks talon as well?
I'm not familiar with that one Lucas. Any pictures?
Yes, Please Bill, consider the original!
I have a first run sample that Harry passed out in Cloverdale to vendors and bought some from 3 rivers when they came out. Shot my first longbow buck with one. Guess that helps make em special to me! :bigsmyl:
Bill,
That original looks awesome. I like a straight profile though for easier sharpening. I have never shot a convex. All I hunt with is your grizzlies so I am sure they will be a great head.
Gabe
When I used 2 blade heads, the Wolverine 145 gr? was my favorite. I still have some I believe.
I dunno. The single steel thickness at the point seemed to contribute to the point area bending fairly easily. At least they did for me. Maybe with a heavier steel, or beefed up some way. I like the straight edge profile better than the convex.
Thinking purely from a business perspective it looks a heck of a lot like an Eclipse and a Tusker. I'm not sure I'd want to compete with them, especially at that price point. I'm sure your quality would be exceptional but the other guys are really good to in that $25-35 range. If you can keep the start up cost low with the dies your have maybe.
I'm all for diversity in the market, but don't forget to take care of you and Tracy. Spending more time hunting wouldn't be to bad. Or hell you could break down and build me that quiver hood!
I am also are more familiar with the straight line version of the Wolverine. The convex version shown was very similar to the Journeyman head.
I liked everything about the straight version of this head but the single steel at the tip. My vote would be for the straight version with a beefier tip. Thanks for asking and good luck.
Agreed Jerry. The straight line version would break off at the tip if you hit heavy bone. I had it happen on two occasions and stopped using them as a result.
Looks good to me. You would have to compete with the eclipse and price point will be a factor you have to meet. A good 145 gr head should be popular IMO.
In my experience the convex head (eclipse) is not particularly hard to sharpen and can be made into a pretty stout configuration for its weight.
I shot a couple of elk with the Journeyman head years ago that were real dead. LOL
I like the vintage look and with single bevel it could be a real nice head.
Mike
I agree either configuration is good, personally prefer the straight but both work well. Your real problem is the single layer tip.
In all honesty..
If I were thinking of a head of that shape and build I'd compare it with a tusker and may very well make my choice based on price....assuming the weight was about the same.
I would love a nice thick tip single bevel Ace competitor!
Is there any benefit to a convex head? I know concave have some benefits, and I could list some for straight too. But I dont know if I have ever heard of any for convex? (though I love the old school look)
QuoteOriginally posted by Biathlonman:
Thinking purely from a business perspective it looks a heck of a lot like an Eclipse and a Tusker. I'm not sure I'd want to compete with them, especially at that price point. I'm sure your quality would be exceptional but the other guys are really good to in that $25-35 range.
Have you priced Eclipse lately? they are not in the $25-35 range.
I don't think the head in the opening pic would have a problem curling the tip with the ferrul overlays that close to the tip. They could be extended to the tip without to much trouble I think.
I would be in for a journeyman style head if it is 160g+ and cuts 1-1/4" - 1-3/8" hole.
Had/have some of Harry's originals 145 grain straight profile and never had a problem with them. Sharpened up easily, held the edge and flew great.
I remember sitting with Harry Elburg a couple or three springs ago and talking about his bows and broadheads...
He mentioned that had he kept the broadhead business he was planning to strengthen the tip on the Wolverine...
I have some of the originals from Harry's shop... never shot anything, but always thought that tip might be an issue contacting bone...
Jonathan
I like the straight profile.
I like the straight profile.
Beef up the tip and leave it as it is. Having different weights to choose from is helpful.
I'd skip on re-introducing the Wolverine. How about a double bevel Grizzly?
Thanks for the feed back guys!
I have wanted to build a double bevel Grizzly since the day we first acquired the Grizzly broadheads business. I still plan to but that means new dies have to be built and that is not cheep.
There is the option of going back to the original strait blade Wolverine. I like the profile of it very much but the tip is quite a bit longer than this version of the Wolverine is. I would want to extend the farrel piece to reinforce the old version. Which means die work. Again not cheep.
I have dies and steel on hand to build the Wolverine head as is. The tip on this convex version is much shorter and still fairly stron. That is one of the reasons I was considering the reintroduction. I still may yet. After all it will not cost me a small fortune to bring this head back like a double bevel Grizzly would.
Again, Thanks for your input.
Bill
Wow! Thanks for the info! And I thought all you would have to do to make a double bevel Grizzly would be to grind a bevel on the off side. I understand now. Come to think of it, only the Ace Standard and STOS (at least the only ones that I am aware of) come in 125, 145 and 160 grains (glue on). I'm sure if you do decide to bring back the Wolverine, it WILL BE done right! Let us know what you decide to do.....
As you mention, there are real costs in tooling up to make the broadheads. There are a lot of good quality 2-blade broadheads on the market at all sorts of price ranges. Is the market there to support another 2-blade broadhead? To what extent would this take away market share from the 2-blade grizzlys that you already sell?
Don't want to hijack your thread, but would still love to see a 150gr. elite.......
Harry E. gave me some of the original type Wolverines back in the late '80's or early '90's. I always liked them and still have a few. I like the straight edge over the convex. Killed several deer with them and thought they were pretty tough.
Got some from a collector about 5 years ago.
That was the last time using "vintage" broadheads.
Having said that, Bill has done a great job with the new grizzlies so if he chooses to re-introduce the Wolverine, I would hope the quality would be similar to the grizzly.
justin