ive read that with the woodsman's it is advised that you file a tanto tip onto them. can anyone tell me how to file one onto a broadhead?

Makes me wonder. Why wouldn't the manufacturer make the "modification" if it is needed? Peace!

I think a true "tango tip" can only be done on a 2 blade.The name comes from a Tanto knife blade.  See the Tuffhead ad above right on this page. Best example on a 3 blade that I can think of would be Kustom Kings Trailmaker. Just shorten the tip a  bit, less prone to curl or break hitting hard stuff.

I've never used a point with a tanto point. Do they really give better penetration? Are they any better than the chisel point used on the Bear heads that I used to use?

Snyper, hold the point away from you with two blades up.  Using a 6" or so file, raise it to about 30 degrees and file straight away a couple of light strokes.  Rotate to the next blades and repeat, then again on the last two blades.  Keep going around until you have the amount of steeper tip you want.  I find that it doesn't take much.  I curled a couple WW with the needle point but not any with the filed tips.  Find a pic of a VPA, WW Elite of Trailmaker and you will see what you are trying for.

Sam, I would say a little better than the chisel.  The tanto does come to a point, which should help with penetration, just steeper than normal.  It doesn't take much and I have yet to curl a tanto point.

I need to do a "how to" video on this.  It is really simple, quick and effective.

 

I did these videos a few years back. I think #3 shows what the "tanto" tip looks like on a Woodsman.

It's really as simple as raising the rear of the broadhead as you draw the head back toward you on a stone or file.

You don't have to take very much off to make the tip a lot stronger.
  Wensel sharpening

According to Ashby, the tanto is stronger and has less tendency to skid on bone with an angled shot.

First time you hit a rock and have to file off the point... THAT is where the tanto tip came from. I shoot mine with a nice sharp point as long as i can.... btw... they don't "Skid on bone" unless they are dull.

thank you all for the replies and the videos were helpful. i think ill give it a shot. and fletcher is that a zwickey in your pic?..i ask because i used to use the eskimos..still have the heads just  trying to tune my new arrows for that 'heavy' point...but im am going to try the tanto tip on my eskimos to see if i can increase the toughness factor. thanks again for all the help.

QuoteOriginally posted by Kirkll:
First time you hit a rock and have to file off the point... THAT is where the tanto tip came from. I shoot mine with a nice sharp point as long as i can.... btw... they don't "Skid on bone" unless they are dull.

Just stating something that Ashby felt was a fact.  Did not mean to ruffle any feathers!

The thread was started asking about woodsman broad heads. I've been hunting with those for quite a few years.  I think the biggest reason many prefer a tanto tip on those is that the very point on the woodsman are a very thin fine point & can easily get bent and cause flight issues or a wobble when spin testing. After sharpening them a couple times i typically do a tanto tip on mine too.

I'm not even going to touch the subject of what "Ashby felt was a fact"  I don't think he was fond of woodsman broadheads anyway.

QuoteOriginally posted by Kirkll:
First time you hit a rock and have to file off the point... THAT is where the tanto tip came from. I shoot mine with a nice sharp point as long as i can.... btw... they don't "Skid on bone" unless they are dull.

But sometimes they do go crunch   And this maybe be a big reason Ashby didn't like them

I remember my dad coming home from a meeting at Bear Archery and telling me that Fred pulled him aside and asked what he thought of rounding the tip of the broad head off.  They had a bone doctor there who explained that more damage can be done with a blunt or round pointed instrument than an instrument that comes to a sharp point.

I guess that question was asked because of arrows striking bones and what if any extra penetration could be realized by a rounded versus pointed broad head.

Since my dad told me that, when I use metal points, I round all the points off.

It would be interesting to look a Fred Bears points after that meeting and seeing he also rounded his hunting heads off.

Why buy a broadhead if you have to "fix" it to make it huntable? Isn't that the manufacturer's job? Peace!

QuoteOriginally posted by L82HUNT:
 

QuoteOriginally posted by Kirkll:
First time you hit a rock and have to file off the point... THAT is where the tanto tip came from. I shoot mine with a nice sharp point as long as i can.... btw... they don't "Skid on bone" unless they are dull.

But sometimes they do go crunch   And this maybe be a big reason Ashby didn't like them
   [/b]

They don't do that shooting into bone brutha.  That one obviously hit a piece of steel or stone.  The woodsman broadhead has a 3:1 shape to it which is the best you'll find for a 3 blade splitting a rib bone. But... The two blades rule in that dept.... but i prefer 9" of razor edge going through the vitals compared to the 5 inches a two blade offers..... LOTS of blood...    

The Magnus II (left) in this image has a pronounced tanto.  The Stos (right) has a tiny one.  The RibTek (middle) has a slight shovel tip.  All work well.

 

To do the tanto use a much steeper file angle from the base of the head across towards the tip.  You're just increasing the edge angle sharply (n'yuk, n'yuk) at the tip and preventing a tip fold or break-off.