I'll try to add some clarity.

Yes I washed it off (it was damn bloody). The arrow was in amongst the entrails and I was able to remove it easily (no pulling through anything, it was pretty much just laying in there). The blades to me see to have the same tension as a new head that has had the O-ring removed. I can't say for sure whether or not they were retracted and worked their way back to closed position, but my opinion is that they did not do that.

I think the "blade cutting into the arrow" is due to the fact that it contacted the shoulder bone on entry and the one blade that did retract was forced down that far. The picture shows it exactly as it was when retrieved from the deer's cavity.

Yes I was able to recover the deer. I'm not even claiming it "failed" per se. Just wondering if only one blade opening is the issue. I gotta believe there would have been more kill damage if there were 3 (not just one) blades cutting internally.