Chainsaw file instead of flat file?

[Rob W.]

Wondering how many people use a chainsaw file for their broadhead sharpening? I picked up a couple the other day and It seems like I can put a sharper edge on faster with the round file. I did a search but didn't find much. Thanks, Rob

[TIM B]

I've never tried it but may work!  You would have less file surface area to the broadhead would be my only concern.
TIM B

[StanM]

Hi Rob, I do.  Got the idea from Nate Steen of Sunset Hill.  There are some real advantages to a chainsaw file, especially when sharpening a head with a nick in the blade.  I even did a short video of sharpening my single bevel three blade with one.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzO35l0jTYA

[longbowray]

My dad use a  round file like you would a shapreing stick on broadheads . I use one also for working out bad spot

[Orion]

I like them on concave bladed heads like Hills..

[Bill Carlsen]

What Orion said.

If you have the four sided flat file you can always reverse the file and drag the narrow side to get more pressure and do a quick job. Louis Armbruster used that method with Zwickey Eskimo broadheads with great effectiveness.  I tried at times and have to agree that it killed every deer I hit with them very dead.  The Zebra Super Grevy longbow had a little to do with it as well.

[Running Buck]

Chainsaw files work great. The hook files they sell in fishing shops work good too, especially with zwickey bleeder blades.

[TommyBoy]

Used them for years with excellent results. So did Fred Bear.

[park]

It reminds me of the Lansky knife sharpening system.

[Jeff Strubberg]

The fastest way to cut material is to use a round tool against flat material, and a flat tool against rounded material.  The tool makes contact across a very small section of the stock, putting more pressure against a smaller contact patch.  Dean Torges talks about this in his book on bowbuilding.

It's faster, but it's also more prone to putting dips and hollows in the bevel and complicating the sharpening process.  I can see it if you are working a nick out, but other than that I will stick to a flat file.