Double Bevel, Single Bevel, Truth, Hype And Anything Else

[LookMomNoSights]

Like many folks I'm sure,  I get excited about broadheads.   After all,  aside from placing the shot appropriately, the broadhead makes it happen ..... and how well it does so can depend on many factors.  It's been many years now I feel since the single bevel became really hot on the scene,  with now tons of outfits producing them.  I would like to know your true honest take on this subject ....  especially if you have experience with taking game with BOTH single bevel and the good ole double bevel heads.  Did you start with double and transition to single for the long haul?  Did you start with single but then try a 3 or 4 blade and that's your poison now? Did you start with say a good ole Zwickey Delta that worked for you,  but then tried a single bevel that also worked,  but then went back to the Zwickey for some reason?  Maybe a sharpening method as a factor?
Really curious to see just how much preference comes into play with this, or even sheer coincidence being the deciding factor. Example being,  you started hunting with the stick bow just a few years ago and you went straight to single bevel and have taken game with them and because of that,  you only use single bevels because they did the job and brought you good luck.  Does a single bevel REALY outperform the same 2 blade in traditional double bevel?  Many of the new single bevels are being made with thick steel too,  compared to the same layout as an older double bevel thinner steel but just ground to a single bevel format.  What's your take on this matter,  all things considered and we are assuming the shot has hit it's mark (placement)   

[trad_bowhunter1965]

 

[LookMomNoSights]

I realize there is a lot going on in my first post or may even be confusing as to what I'm trying to get at.  Put more simply I guess,  with regard to performance on game animals, is single bevel really an advancement or step up when put in the vitals?  All other things being equal ..... same animal, same size, distance, shooting conditions .....  just one head compared to the other with hole cut and blood trail .....

[woodchucker]

Never tried any of the single bevel heads. I started bow hunting with wood arrows, and old Bear Razor heads.
Even used them with my compound for a few years. When I got back into this "traditional" bowhunting thing, I used wood arrows and Zwickey Eskimos. Why? Because they fly EXACTLY like my 125gr field points.
I have always carried a Judo point arrow in my quiver for the last 20 years. A Judo point weighs 135grs and a few years ago I switched to 135gr 2 blade Zwickey Deltas and guess what??
They fly EXACTLY like my Judos.... 

[elkken]

Dead is dead ! I have used many broadheads over my 60 plus years of bowhunting and if they are sharp and hit in the vitals they pretty much all work. I think flight is more important that configuration, so it's important to shoot a broadhead that works for your set up .... ALWAYS shoot and practice with your broadheads before hunting with them.

I have killed critters with two blades, three blades, two blades with bleeders, single bevel, double bevel ... on and on. Some blades I stopped using because I'm sharpening challenged and single bevel was in that mix ! My best elk I shot with an old Bear razor head with bleeders, complete pass through at 25 yards. My only moose a small bull with a two blade zwicky delta at ten yards, complete pass through and i never found the arrow as it sailed off into a canyon. My only real broadhead disaster was a three blade cheap ass Satelite that plained out of my bow and hit the biggest elk i have ever shot at... right in the shoulder at ten yards.    My lesson learned about shooting your broadheads BEFORE hunting.

Currently I'm shooting two blade 150 grn stingers with bleeders out of a Caribow LB @ 49# . My last critter killed was an antelope at 15 yards and was a complete pass through with my arrow going another 27 yards uphill.

Keep'm sharp and be sure they fly straight. So many choices and so little time 

[Ceb]

Never tried a single bevel, though I've read a bit about them. I've shot zwickey delta 2 blades for probably 50yrs now. I've found no reason to change.

[Stringwacker]

I'm also a broadhead junkie...I've 'played around' with so many heads and seriously I probably have between 200 to 300 broadheads of various styles and blade configurations. That said, I have never used or even own a single bevel head. I have a great friend who thinks there isn't a better head on the planet than the single bevel two blade design. He watches the Fairy fellow quite bit on you tube. He has had some success with them and likes the twisted holes they provide. That said, he struggles with getting them sharp.

I'm blessed to live in a state that has incredibly long seasons, higher deer limits than you can reach, and a pretty good deer density. When you combine that with 50 years of bowhunting, you have likely killed over 200 pigs and deer... plus whatever else you have hunted in your lifetime. I've never had strayed too far from the two blade Zwickey Eskimo during that time...and when I do, its usually with a Magnus Stinger or Bear Razorhead. Same broadhead design, just different manufacturers. The performance of these heads when RAZOR sharp far exceeds my expectations. There is no need for me to go the single bevel route.

[mjh]

I've used Zwickey Eskimo, Delta, and Single Bevel.   Sometimes more than one type will be in my hunting quiver at the same time. I find they all work for me.  Deer and turkey don't seem to notice the difference.  I do find sharpening the single bevel a little more easy for me.

[toddster]

Am sure that there will be a lot of knowledge sharing with this post.  In my opinion, a sharp broadhead, shot from a 55# bow through the vitals, will harvest any North American.  This is my belief, and was stated I believe from Saxton Pope and either Hill/Bear.  No matter what broadhead you choose, never compromise arrow flight, getting the arrow where you aim, with straight penetration is first.  When I say this, I am not talking about field points, how it flies with the broadhead you choose, got to shoot them.  Once I have the arrow with broadhead of choice flying perfect, where I shoot, next I get them sharp.  There are great many theory and belief's, which work.  For me, I get my broadheads sharp enough to slice through "decent" size rubber bands (closes thing in my mind to arteries, note below.  To me the choice of Double/Single bevel broadhead, has more to do with what the animal does as the arrow is in flight (step, turn, jump), which can effect what is in the path.  There are plenty others here who have harvested more animals than me with broadheads.  I, have proven to myself, that more animals have dropped within sight with the above with either a wide (1 1/2") double bevel or single bevel, than any other factor beside flight/sharpness.  I personally do believe in the tried and true 10/12 grains of arrow weight to poundage of bow used.  Other words, the heaviest arrow with perfect flight to where I shoot is always better.  The first time I heard about heavy arrows, was from Monty Browning talk about it, then read Dr. Ashby study, do I believe it, yep.  Now, I proved it to myself with my own "test" and proved out, then that fall made huge difference in harvest.  The one struggle I had was after shooting a medium arrow for long time, had the flight engrained in.  So, I had to dedicate training myself for the flight arc (hence called archery).  This is just my opinion, all that I do/use has to do with effectively and ethically harvesting the animal quickly, all the above doesn't matter without two foremost factors- 1. perfect flight, 2. Ethics, taking a shot not confident in, nothing will fix that but time invested on range/stumping.

Note:  Here is huge money maker idea for someone.  In todays age, why is it that there is not a device/test that can mimic the pushing sharpness of a broadhead on real vitals?  Surely, Veterinarians, Doctors, engineers can create a substance or calculate a medium for cutting real arteries/veins on animals. 

[Friend]

Double bevels, from 1 1/8" up to 2" wide have worked excellent for me on numerous critters.

Three blades have performed excellent...hunting with 1 ¼" VPA this season

Single bevels have performed yet, consistently leave me poor blood trails....

If you make a shoulder hit, you will be in trouble with any of the BH's unless your arrow has a single bevel BH and your arrow wt is in the six hundred fifty grain range or above...took four deer last season w/a six hundred fifty five gn arrow last season...all but one, were weak blood trails yet, all deer were recovered... have used a similar set up during two other previous seasons with very similar results...

Have observed a single bevel as only a disadvantage when not shooting a 650 gn range arrow or above and not encountering heavy bone... a single bevel BH is not my choice for the game I pursue.

[Arctic Hunter]

I've shot through the flat part of the shoulder blade on deer with a 56-57# recurve using double bevels and single bevels with 565-600gr arrow. Broke the offside humerus in half on a huge bodied buck with a 200gr cutthroat. I was on the single bevel bandwagon for a while because of Ashby and the hype around them. 

I quit using them because of the lack of blood. They do penetrate well, but that really hasn't been an issue for me. Probably stick with 3 blade (or at least wider two blade) double bevels from here on out. 

[Walt Francis]

Dead is dead ! I have used many broadheads over my 60 plus years of bowhunting and if they are sharp and hit in the vitals they pretty much all work. I think flight is more important that configuration, so it's important to shoot a broadhead that works for your set up .... ALWAYS shoot and practice with your broadheads before hunting with them.

I have killed critters with two blades, three blades, two blades with bleeders, single bevel, double bevel ... on and on. Some blades I stopped using because I'm sharpening challenged and single bevel was in that mix ! My best elk I shot with an old Bear razor head with bleeders, complete pass through at 25 yards. My only moose a small bull with a two blade zwicky delta at ten yards, complete pass through and i never found the arrow as it sailed off into a canyon. My only real broadhead disaster was a three blade cheap ass Satelite that plained out of my bow and hit the biggest elk i have ever shot at... right in the shoulder at ten yards.    My lesson learned about shooting your broadheads BEFORE hunting.

Currently I'm shooting two blade 150 grn stingers with bleeders out of a Caribow LB @ 49# . My last critter killed was an antelope at 15 yards and was a complete pass through with my arrow going another 27 yards uphill.

Keep'm sharp and be sure they fly straight. So many choices and so little time 

 

[LookMomNoSights]

I have shot critters with single bevel, double bevel and 3 blade.  I'll leave the 3 blade outa this (they are just dandy,  3 blade woodsman and VPA, a favorite) and focus on the 2 blades ..... Delta,  Ace and Grizzly single bevel.   Yes,  dead is dead, once you get there.   All 3 of these heads worked just fine.   I shot 2 hogs in FL on a hunt with some friends, with the Grizzlys.  Pass throughs both.  Accurate heads. But blood trails nothing extra to speak of.  Sharpening was kind of a pain to be honest,  and I'm usually decent at putting an edge on something.   Ended up using the KME sharpening system to get them where I wanted them.  After those 2 hogs,  I never took them back into the woods.  Never really even thought about them to be honest, they are dust collecting in a box somewhere. 
Ace standard head,  nothing crazy about the head at a glance but it worked fantastic ..... good blood trails, very accurate  and you can get them super sharp without any special contraptions ..... just a file and a smidge of patience.  Delta,  same deal. I want to say the ACE was a bit easier to sharpen than the Delta (setting the bevel angle on the tri lam tip),  but the delta has a wider cut which I feel is better.  I don't see why I would ever look toward a single bevel head again, as I don't think it has anything to offer above and beyond the standard double bevels I have used. 

[acolobowhunter]

Like many here, I shot Zwikee Eskimo's for neatly 40 years.  Also tried a few of the lesser known heads experminting.  I bought some Cut Throut single bevel to try in Africa.  I shot them for a couple months before the trip and was impressed with them.  I also tossed in my old Zwikee heads, just in case.  While in Africa (Namibia) I shot 6 animals with the Cut Throat's and everyone was a complete pass through and excellent blood trails.  Would the Zwikee done as well?  I'm sure it would, but it was an excellent chance to try out the single broadheads.  I did take a shot at a guinee bird, and hit a solid rock with the Cut Throat, upon inspection, there was no damage, not even a nick on the tip.  In that situation, I know there would have been so damage and possiblity a bent tip on the Zwikee.
As mentioned, both heads have performed well for me.  If I had to make a choice, I might lean towards the single bevel Cutthroat for performance.  The other factor, being cost - I would stick with the Zwikee.

[chefrvitale]

I switched to single bevel permanently. My experience might be helpful or might be irrelevant considering my draw weight and arrow.
I hunt with a 70# hybrid longbow and my arrows are about 620gr.
The first animal I took was a mature doe. I shot through both shoulders,breaking the near should in half. The second animal was a large 9point buck. Perfect shot double lung and heart.... however, the deer did not react. He walked a few paces and dropped, kicked for a second. When I examined vitals I could not believe the damage. It looked like they had been slashed with a large knife, even the exit wound was abnormal for the size of the head. Additionally I was a chef for most of my adult life and no patience for a dull blade, I find the single bevel sharpens to a much better edge.

[LookMomNoSights]

I switched to single bevel permanently. My experience might be helpful or might be irrelevant considering my draw weight and arrow.
I hunt with a 70# hybrid longbow and my arrows are about 620gr.
The first animal I took was a mature doe. I shot through both shoulders,breaking the near should in half. The second animal was a large 9point buck. Perfect shot double lung and heart.... however, the deer did not react. He walked a few paces and dropped, kicked for a second. When I examined vitals I could not believe the damage. It looked like they had been slashed with a large knife, even the exit wound was abnormal for the size of the head. Additionally I was a chef for most of my adult life and no patience for a dull blade, I find the single bevel sharpens to a much better edge.

This is great info and perspective , Thanks!!! 

[woodchucker]

As I said before, I have never used a single bevel head.
But,from a sharpening standpoint, I would think that a single bevel head would be much easier to sharpen??
There have been many single bevel edged tools throughout history. An adz,a scye, a sickle, and lawn mower blades, to name a few...
Basically, sharpen the edge, knock the burr off, and your good to go!!?

[Terry Lightle]

Cannot say,old regular Zwickey Delta has worked good for me for lots of years