Okay boys, what is the key to getting Snuffers scary sharp??????

I've got a 4" diamond stone that i lay 2 sides on and can have it shaving inside of 19 min.Trying to remember the name of it.Pricey but well worth it.I've also used the tru-angle files and jeather in the past.2 blades at a time with whatever you use

Whoops.....Meant to say inside 10 minutes

All the methods you'll get here work; "the secret" is to finish with a leather strop; took me many moons to learn that.

I hollow grind all my 3 blade heads and finish on cardboard.

They will plow hair off in minutes.

Mike

Snuffer tammer.

I use a ceramic V sharpener. Does 2 blades at once. And, I agree. Finish with a leather strop.

Check out the 3Rivers Archery "How to" section. I use the same method they use for the Wensel Woodsmen. Great success!

chris <><

I'll second Onions

QuoteOriginally posted by longbowben:
Snuffer tammer.

x2

Never found a Snuffer that the tamer could not get hair popping sharp. Been using it on snuffers since it came out.

QuoteOriginally posted by warrior:
Okay boys, what is the key to getting Snuffers scary sharp??????

Light pressure

I got it!! I ran my snuffer about 20 strokes on my 16" mill file and then about 15 strokes on a leather strop.  Shaving hair easily now.

Thanks to all who had input.

justin

Very cool!!! I love this place.        

I don't use a leather strop or cardboard, nor a ceramic, nor a diamond hone.

I hollow grind mine lightly on a belt sander with 80grit, then finish with a small bastard file. The key is med. to strong pressure at first and lighten up to just barely touching toward the end. I can have a brand new one shaving sharp in less than 5 min.
It took me awhile to learn the proper pressure and technique, but now it's not a problem.
On occasion I do run into one that seems like it has a super hard spot in the middle of one or two blades that the file just seems so slide over without cutting and I have to touch it on the sanding belt again and start over.
I think this is due to uneven tempering when the heads are hardened?

Alright, trying not to beat a dead horse but having some difficulty of my own that doesn't seem to have been covered.

I started out trying to sharpen my Snuffers with a hand-held KME stone.  Never could seem to get them sharp across the entirety of the blade.  I assumed that it was because I was inexperienced with sharpening and couldn't maintain a consistent pressure across the blade.  Today, I went and bought one of those 3 stone dooley wops with stones wide enough to ensure full contact with the edge at all times.  Grabbed my first Snuffer (one that I just could never get to fly right) and used it as my test subject.  Ran my magic marker down the edge, pressed firmly down on the coarse stone for one pass and hardly any marker came off.  60+ passes later and I'm still not getting full contact in the middle portions of the blades.

Do I need to just keep grinding them down on the coarse stone until I have even contact or is it just time for new heads?

Larry L. IMO,that a bad head and schould be for stumpin or small game. You will find some snuffers that aren't perfect. Most are great, and I love em. TERM

One good thing about using a file and leather strap is that they are easy to touch up in the field. I use one of them hand held diamond stones in the field...

Used the Tamer for years but I stand corrected.W/ a 12'' file and a diamond stone(I use the one from G2) and some practice!!Snuffers or any 3 blade head are VERY easy to get wicket sharp.
Put the head on a shaft and work the file from back to the point of the head,10 strokes per side,3/5 times per side.Then reduce to 3 strokes per side and to 1 stroke using just the wait of the file.
Overhang your diamond stone slightly over a tables edge(secure w/ a clamp) and very lightly work the head in the same manner and sequence as discribed above but using the edge of the stone to finish sharpening the head

I use a 16" flat file so that the whole blade touchs as for the leather strop I use either a vanala folder or shirtbox type cardboard with a little jewlers rouge.

Ryan R has a video on here someplace check that out

good luck

Cool,     found another tip. Even though there is four pages of threads on this subject in the search function.