Hi,  I am hoping someone out there can help me.  I just got my first pack of Grizzly Single Bevel heads---120 grains (green blades).  I had read all of the great advantages offered by single bevel heads and had also heard that they were a challenge to sharpen.  I have no trouble getting double bevel heads shaving sharp with a file.  Well after 2.5 hours spent trying to get one head shaving sharp last night, another half hour this morning, and another hour with a friend who is very good at sharpening anything we have a broadhead that is about 25 grains lighter in weight than original and quite a bit slimmer and is no where near shaving sharp.  I did shoot it into a foam deer target and was amazed at the penetration.  My friend thought that maybe these broadheads don't get "shaving sharp" and that the way I had them would be just fine for hunting.
Here's what I tried:
Used a file over the bevel keeping it true to 25 degree bevel.  Once there was a burr along the edge I removed it with the file flat on underside.
Next I tried a Loray sharpener (like Lansky) but the jig did not give me a steep enough angle to reach the edge.
Next I tried a very low speed belt sander which raised a very visable burr the length of the edge--I then removed the burr with a stone.
Finally I tried the KME jig that you run across a stone and found it to work really well at keeping a true angle---got a good burr and removed it per their instructions for single bevel.
I can run the edge over my finger with light pressure and not get cut, hold the head in my hand and not get cut, it will definitely not shave the hair on my arm.  It will cut a rubber band or through nylon twine and it does penetrate well.  Should I sharpen rest with KME to burr, remove the burr and feel they are ready to hunt?  I am about ready to give up on the single bevel deal.  BTW my I think my wife is about ready to have me committed when she realized that I've spent 5+ hours on one broadhead.
Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,  John

Call Ron at KME and he'll set you straight.  I can sharpen any two blade with the KME and have it plowing hair in a few minutes.  My guess is your being way to heavy on your strokes expecting a fine edge.  Light pressure gives the sharpest results.

Mike

I had the opportunity this week to watch Bill Dunn sharpen one of my Kodiak single bevel broadheads that I "thought" was sharp.

He used the KME knife sharpener.  Not the broadhead sharpener.

In less than 10 minutes it shaved like a champ.

He started with a medium stone, back and forth under just the weight of the stone (no pressure) developed a burr, then flip over and gently brush the burr off with the stone only going in one direction against the burr.

He repeated with the fine stone.  Bammm !! shaving.

I got some Grizzly single bevels in last years St Judes auction donated by Bill. They were sharpened by KME before I got them and they definitely shaved hair.

The KME sharpener is the way to go.  You will get a much more consistent angle on the bevel.  It's a semi expensive set-up but I don't think I will ever deviate from the grizzlies or this sharpening system. I found that if I hit the bevel side first, then lightly plumbed the other side, I quickly got sharp edges. Another trick was to experiment with the different "vises" of the roller to get a match in angle with the blade/broadhead.

Absolutely call Ron and get a KME. Follow his advise and no more than 5 minutes you will having them shaving sharp. There's no trick just a simple process. So simple in fact a kid can do it!

I had a similar problem years ago with 1/2 dozen I got. I brought them on a hunt where MANY people tried to sharpen them and were rather unsuccessful. Including a well known knife maker....I was told the answer was to put them in the oven for a bit and yadda yadda. Blah blah   Too much work to sharpen heads.  Like others have stated. I'm sure the KME can do the job. But I didn't have one at the time to try.

Single bevels aren't any harder to sharpen than anything else,just slightly different.I use the KME broadhead sharpener and wet or dry sandpaper.It isn't expensive and just takes a few minutes.
http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=000115

The Grizzlies of today are so much more refined than they used to be,sharpening is a snap,comparatively speaking.Put down the file.

With the new heads, I just use diamond stones after I clean up the paint and any brazing overflow around the edges.

These have been very very easy to sharpen for me.  Sounds like you might be using too much pressure. The grind on the new ones is really good and only needs a we bit of tough up.

I'm able to get a real nice edge on mine using the KME broadhead sharpener. Bill Dunn has made a lot of improvements to the Grizzly heads. The new grind makes it easy to get them wicked sharp in no time at all.    


Bill

Call Ron, i did and know i'm afraid to go to my shop. Because thats a grizzly might jump out and get me. Ron is great to talk with. Nice to find people like him.

Thank you all for  your help!!  After reading posts it was clear to me that they could be sharpened, that the KME was the right tool for the job, and that I was using too much pressure.  I pulled out a fresh head and went over it with coarse and medium stones using just the weight of broadhead and jig and was able to raise a burr.  I had been hoarding a three stone set of finer stones for years and broke them out and did the same and actually got a sharp edge.  I think it would be a good idea for me to purchase a wider longer stone or stones.  I will also try the wet/dry sandpaper---really neat tutorial JimB---quite and accomplishment to get a mirror finish!  Thanks again for everyone's help---this kept me from giving up and I really think the single bevel is the way to go.   John

As said,  Grizzlies are a bit different than a double bevel to sharpen.  But after a talk with Ron at KME I'm afraid to even look at them for fear of cutting my eyeballs.  The KME broadhead sharpener was the ticket for me.

I'm not familiar (yet) enough with Bill's packaging to read into your note whether these are NEW Bill Dunn heads or some of the older Griz?

Older were 30-35* bevel and only right bevel.  they're harder than the hinges of hades. I'm told Bill's are STILL quite hard, (hold edges great but if not beveled exactly right, they can be a chore)

Either Ron or Bill, since I believe Bill is now leading the charge on grinding the blades to correct bevel.

Having a burr is the key! but direction, frequency and pressure removing the burr is also critical.  Watch the KME video and if Ron's not back from the Blade Show yet... it might give you a clue to something you're doing!

Single bevels are easier to sharpen than standard blades hands down

The biggest reason most have trouble is they work too hard at it.  I can't explain how important it is to let the weight of the tool do the work don't PUSH

Also you have to flatten the flat side FIRST.

And trying to get a mirror finish on the whole bevel is a waste of time, IMO...  The bevel is already set so I just increase the angle of my KME knife sharpener ( the angle adjustment on these tools is variable ) to work closer to the actual edge.  

I've been sharpening things to a shaving edge for a long, long time but I'm here to tell ya, the KME KNIFE sharpener will make short work of the Grizzly broadheads.

I'm probably in the minority but I prefer the diamond hones that Ron offers and actually only use the coarse hone then go directly to leather.
Hair jumps !!!

Some very good tips on this post. Don't let the single bevel trip you up. Its actually quite simple.90% of the time when a guy is having trouble it is because he is using too much pressure. If you are still having trouble give me a call on monday and I'll walk you through it. 937-444-0904

I have 155 gr Grizzlys ... The 25 deg angle produces a plane that passes through the ferrell.
So unless I change the angle that the edge is ground at there is no way that a Lansky or KME
could sharpen the entire lenght of the blade. At 25 deg it would grind away the ferrell. So how are you guys accomplishing this ???

Accusharp sharpener cost 10 dollars 30 seconds per side.Cuts 6-8 rubber bands with just the weight of arrow.Lighty pull back to front.