How sharp do my BH need to be?

MulieMike · July 25, 2013, 01:35:00 AM

I am new to traditional hunting and just got my 125 grain WW elite BHs in the mail today. They feel "pretty" sharp out of the package. My question is out of a scale from 1-10 what do you guys score the WWs on the "sharp scale" when they first come out of the package?....1 being dull and 10 being ready for the hunt.

Thanks,
Mike

m midd · July 25, 2013, 04:21:00 AM

Not sure about yours but mine need some honing and stropping. In my opinion most broadheads need to be sharpened out of the package. There are a few that really are sharp when new. I like my heads to shave hair with no drag and very little effort.

Huntingnut · July 25, 2013, 05:00:00 AM

They are about a 5 out of the package, in my opinion. I would not hunt with them out of the package. The Elites are really simple to get shaving sharp.

Easykeeper · July 25, 2013, 07:06:00 AM

The Woodsman Elite at least has true edges out of the package but they should get a little time on the stones before hunting in my opinion. The original Wensel Woodsman was a great head too but you needed to put some time in with a file to get the edges true, then sharpen on stones.

Blaino · July 25, 2013, 08:44:00 AM

I have NEVER had a broadhead that was "hunt ready" right out of the package! Plus, you need to mount them on some arrows and shoot them to make sure they fly right.... so you'll have to sharpen them anyways.

Doc Nock · July 25, 2013, 09:32:00 AM

On a scale of 1-10...figure 12!

To mis-quote Sharpster from KME, "Nobody's broad heads can ever be sharp enough!"

DaveT1963 · July 25, 2013, 09:49:00 AM

Magnus stingers are ready to hunt out of the package. At least the ones I have purchased were shaving sharp out of the box.

NBK · July 25, 2013, 09:59:00 AM

Agreed on the stingers.
I could never get them as sharp as they were initially.

July 25, 2013, 10:18:00 AM

My German Kinetics are ready to hunt out of the package. I have never seen a sharper BH out of the package. They should be that sharp, though, for what they cost! That being said, most have to be touched up and a few are not even close out of the box.

Like Doc Nock said above, When you sharpen, you should get them as sharp as possible!

Bisch

VictoryHunter · July 25, 2013, 10:27:00 AM

WW are not hunting ready. They are however very easy to get sharp with a file and jewelstik. Light strokes are the key and they need to be razor sharp.

Hopewell Tom · July 25, 2013, 10:32:00 AM

I believe the term is "scary sharp". Like Doc says 12 out of 10, or some version thereof...

K.S.TRAPPER · July 25, 2013, 12:24:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by Blaino:
I have NEVER had a broadhead that was "hunt ready" right out of the package! Plus, you need to mount them on some arrows and shoot them to make sure they fly right.... so you'll have to sharpen them anyways.

Exactly what I was going to say

Tracy

Easykeeper · July 25, 2013, 12:29:00 PM

Another way to look at is even if a broadhead is scary sharp right out of the package, you are going to shoot it first before your go hunting just to make sure the arrow/broadhead combination flies true...so you have to sharpen them anyway.

Out of the package sharpness is really irrelevant, what counts is how easy it is to get it back to "scary" sharp after you test shoot it. Good straight and true edges out of the package makes this easier and is one flaw of the original Wensel Woodsmans in my opinion. That flaw has been corrected with the Woodsman Elite...but you still have to sharpen them.

Just saw Blaino beat me too it...lol...

Bjorn · July 25, 2013, 01:00:00 PM

The Aboyer Brown Bears from A&H are the only hunt ready BH in my experience-that is not to say there aren't others, just relating what I have found. My test is shaving dry arm hair.

MulieMike · July 25, 2013, 06:35:00 PM

Thanks for the replies everyone. I figured that it would be ideal for them to be sharper, I just needed idea of where they are now compared to where the need to be for opening day. Thanks again!

old_goat2 · July 25, 2013, 08:35:00 PM

Sharpen them as much as you possibly can, then sharpen them more. Buy the Trad Gang DVD, it has some good bits on sharpening methods for different styles of heads.

Sam McMichael · July 25, 2013, 08:58:00 PM

If they will shave hair easily they are useable. Still, if you can get them even sharper, then do so, because it really is true that there is no such thing as too sharp. I can't get them much better than cutting hair, and I've been playing this game since about 1970.

ishoot4thrills · July 26, 2013, 06:22:00 AM

QuoteOriginally posted by DaveT1963:
Magnus stingers are ready to hunt out of the package. At least the ones I have purchased were shaving sharp out of the box.

X2!

STUMP THUMPER · July 26, 2013, 10:00:00 AM

I was told years ago a broadhead is sharp enough if it will cut a rubber band held between thumb and finger. It imitates an artery.
I shoot stingers, sharp out of the package.( still have to check sharpness0
I also shoot 2 blade Eskimos, they need to be sharpened, I use file and then stone. Haven't failed me yet.
Bottom line is, as sharp as you can get them.

Dave Worden · July 26, 2013, 03:27:00 PM

They can never be too sharp but they can certainly be too dull. Make them too sharp!