Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

There are many that will state that it is more affective/damaging to stab someone with a more dull bladed knife, versus a really sharp one, as it wili do more tearing and the wound will bleed more, versus close-up. Would this be similiar for broadheads? I am interested in the opinions from others. Thanks ahead of time.

RE: Are super sharp broad heads really better?
 

yes sharper is betteri want the head to cut as much as possible not to drag by tissue . The whole idea of bow hunting is to get maximum bleeding not like a gun that blasts through the tissue






[/align]

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

Some prefer them scalpel sharp, others prefer them file sharp (leave very tiny serrations, believed to retain sharpness better upon entering hide). Honestly, I don't know which is best since I never really tried them file sharp. But there are people who swear by file sharpened broadheads.

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

tearing will leave more muscle damage .... cutting will leave more vein and artery damage .. those things are pretty elastic! A razor sharp broadhead will cut the artery instead of the artery flexing against the head.

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

oh yeah ..... so to answer your question ..... YES!

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

If you cut yourself with a razor it just doesnt want to quit bleeding. That is what I want out of my broadheads.

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

For combat a dull jagged edge takes longer to heal and may induce infection. This was a common thing when sword and other edged weapons were the tools of combat. However the more trauma to the wound the faster the blood clots. My bow kills amost always leave a better blood trail then my gun hunts do.

In hunting we are not looking to wound or damage the prey. A sharper blade cuts more cleanly and will bleed more so the animal will bleed out faster. It will also cut more blood vessels, veins and arteries were as a dull blade might let an artery roll around the blade.

A sharper blade will also let the wound heal faster and cleaner. So if you were to miss a vital area there would be a better chance of the deer living until next year.

And sharper blades also penitrate better obviously.

I never have gotten the idea behind the Steel Force serated edge blades. It sort of defeats the purpose of using a cut on contact head.

In my opinion if you are willing to give up the penitration of a sharp head and use a dull, nicked or serrated blade you might as well step up to a larger cutting mechanical.

Paul

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

It is true that a dull head will cause a lot of damage, but the wound of such a broadhead is ripped as opossed to sliced, giving the blood platlets some thing to latch onto speeding up the time it takes for the woundtoclot up.

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

the sharper the blade the cleaner the cut of the arteries and vains which makes it much harder to clot. I do agree that a duller blade would make a larger hole but without as much bleeding due to clotting.

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

What they just said is correct.

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

a dull blade will make the wound clots which means bad blood trail

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

you want your broadheads "scary sharp"

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

I will not use a head after about 2 weeks of going in and out of the quiver, the foam will dull it after that long,or at least duller then I like.If it fell to the ground it will not be used for deer after that. I use razorblades sometimes dozens a day laying carpet, and I knowthey start getting duller the moment they touch something.


[/align]

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

Short, sweet and true. very nice Buell.

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

Yes, sharper is better. You want it to cut arteries and stuff. If it's dull, it might just slide through and cause minimal damage.

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

Simple enough arteries have thick muscular walls surrounding them making them very tough and elastic.(Trust me I tried using a dull scalpel in my gross anatomy class on a human aorta... didn't work very well) There is enough play in an artery that a dull blade would just push it to the side instead of cutting it. (Veins however are thin walled and easier to tear). With regards to clotting times, as long as you have neat edges to any cut there really shouldn't be any differences in clotting times. The "increased clotting" you are talking about in torn cuts is not due to increased platelet effectiveness but due to the fact that the major arteries were not damaged!
Obviously I vote the sharper the better

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

have to say I'm in a bit of disagreement with most the guys on here. I believe that if the edge of you're blade has a burr on it you're gonna do a heck of a lot more damage than you will with a razor sharp head. Reason being razor sharp head slices heal more quickly and efficiently than a tear. A tear will not heal as fast, because a slice will piece back together quickly and more efficiently, however a tear is harder to splice back together efficiently. I'll take the cut of a burred woodsman or snuffer than anything else.

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

Having been sliced more than once by both sharp and dull things, I'm with you on the theroy. There is one thing so sharp that it can cut you, with out you ever knowing it. It does scrare me. A broken toilet. No joke. You could find your finger on the floor and never know it was cut off untill you saw the blood. Just an FYI for those out there they may come across one. Sounds like you've been cut a few times yourself.

Personally I use a very sharp Thunderhead.

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

Simple test next time your are field dressing a deer. Find a major artery and try to rip it in half. You'll find it to be very tough! (Unless you have a true american deer with clogged arteries! :D)

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

Yes a sharp blade will cut veins and arteries better then a dull blade. And there have been a lot of comparisons made on this topic.

But here is something to think about. When a surgeon makes a single incision, what do they do with the scalpel? Re-use it? No.

Now your broadhead needs to be sharp when it actually contacts blood vessel correct? But does it have to go through others things that can dull the blade before it gets there. Yes, it does.

So which will be sharper after penetrating hide, possible bone, and muscle to get to the blood vessels? A blade with finely stroped mirrored razor edge finish that can pop hairs from your arm,or a filed sharpened bladewhich has tiny serrations (can't see with naked eye) that can also make hair pop from your arm? There are many (well maybe not here) that feel the filed sharpened blades will retain their sharpness better.

I may actually trythe file sharpened heads this year.

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

Thanks for the responses.

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

its absolute 100% true fact that anything sharp will out penetrate anything thats duller than that.

when I hit a deer, I want to get as much penetration as possible. I want SCALPEL sharp broadheads, nothing less, I don't want a burr on the edge, I want something that would make a surgeon say " damn, thats a sharp blade"

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

Yep, and in the time it takes for an animal to die from a well-placed pass through, you dont even worry about clotting or healing.

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

And if its not a well placed shot, I want every bit of penetration I can get, and that ultra razor scalpel sharp head thats still in the deer, every step that deer makes I want that head cutting and slicing more and more.

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

One of the best ways to proove that a sharp blade is better than a dull is to get some rubber bands and stretch them out just so they are a little tight (these will act like an artery), and now get a dull blade and just push it between them and see what happens, it won't cut them. A sharp blade will slice right through the bands without any problems.

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

I think the overall concensus here is Yes.

And for many of the excellent repsonses already given.

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

there is a theory that a sharp edge with a burr (an edge that hasn't been honed) will rip/tear as it slices, and those rips/tears do not clot as quickly as clean cuts made from honed edges

I don't buy it ....... but that is the theory on that.

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

A good read .... if you want to take the time ...


The Sharpness Factor
Text & Photography By Russell Thornberry
Many bowhunters don’t understand how the “sharpness factor” figures into bowhunting success. First, one must realize that game animals shot with arrows die from blood loss or hemorrhaging. Arrows, unlike bullets, have relatively little foot pounds of impact on big game animals.
My 80-pound compound bow delivers a 660-grain hunting arrow, leaving the string at 245 fps, with about 88 foot pounds of energy. Compare that with a .270 Winchester, 130-grain bullet leaving the muzzle at 3,100 fps and developing well over 2,500 foot pounds of energy. When you compare 88 foot pounds to 2,500-plus foot pounds, it’s easy to see why the impact of a hunting arrow means virtually nothing in terms of lethal impact on big game. A firearm relies on tissue damage and hydrostatic shock created by bullet impact to dispatch an animal. There just isn’t enough “oomph” in an arrow to do that.
In bowhunting, it’s all about the broadhead. It must slice cleanly with little or no bruising or tearing of the tissue. In very simplified terms, when a razor-sharp blade slices living tissue (muscle and/or organs) without bruising or tearing the tissue it has sliced, the brain fails to initiate the process which causes blood coagulation, resulting in extreme hemorrhaging.
The faster the hemorrhaging, the faster the oxygen supply (which is carried in the blood) is deprived from the brain, rendering the animal unconscious. Most animals taken with bow and arrow fall to the ground unconscious before death actually occurs. So, for bowhunters, the object is to create massive hemorrhaging with a razor-sharp broadhead. The sharper the broadhead, the quicker the animal will be dispatched.
Photo: The Stirling Sharpener, the author’s favorite device for establishing the angle of the blade (21 degrees per side, 42 degrees overall), is the first tool used in his three-step sharpening process.
Now, back to that original question: How sharp is sharp enough? Simply put — razor-shaving sharp! Anything less is irresponsible and unethical. A broadhead should shave hair cleanly and effortlessly. If your broadheads won’t do that, then sharpen them or throw them away.
This brings us to the crux of the matter: Most hunters don’t know how to put that true razor’s edge on a broadhead, or even a knife blade for that matter. They buy pre-sharpened broadheads and assume they are sharp enough. Regardless of what it says on the package, if the blade won’t melt hair cleanly off your arm, it isn’t sharp enough for hunting purposes.
Ragged Edge vs. Smooth Edge
There is an ongoing argument among bowhunters about the best way to sharpen a broadhead. Some argue that a ragged edge kills quicker or better than a smooth razor’s edge. This argument can only exist where there is ignorance of what causes the greatest degree of hemorrhaging in the first place. The ragged edge proponents are simply wrong. A ragged edge creates minute tearing of tissue as it cuts, something like the teeth of a saw. That tearing actually helps initiate coagulation. A smooth razor’s edge does not.
If you have ever nicked yourself while shaving with a safety razor, you can attest to the difficulty of stopping the bleeding. This free flow of blood occurs because coagulation is not initiated, due to the fact that the tissue was not bruised or torn.
Compound that same principle by the lethal blades of a broadhead passing through internal organs and you begin to understand the massive hemorrhaging created by such a wound. The bottom line is this: The sharper your broadhead, the faster it dispatches the game through which it passes.
Carbon Steel vs. Stainless
It has long been understood that carbon steel takes a better edge than stainless steel. However, most of the blades offered in today’s market place are stainless. Many of them are laser-sharpened. Bowhunters who take the sharpness factor seriously will choose accordingly. But regardless of your choice of steel, be sure your broadheads shave like a razor before you take them hunting.
Photo: The author utilizes the Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpener System in the second phase of his sharpening process. He uses a 12-inch length of arrow shaft with a wooden handle on one end for sharpening broadheads. It’s easier to handle during the sharpening process than his full 31-inch shafts.
Hunters are often mystified by the distance their game travels after being hit with a lethally placed arrow. The sharpness factor plays a big role here. I have seen white-tailed deer survive center lung shots, and in one case, even a center heart shot, because the broadheads used weren’t shaving sharp. You may think that I’m assuming that those heart- and lung-shot deer survived, but I’m not. In the case of the center lung-shot animal, it was killed by an automobile two years after it was shot through the lungs with a dull broadhead. The broadhead and 10 inches of the shaft were still in the buck, positioned right in the center of his lungs. His wound had healed completely, and he seemed to be in otherwise perfect health when the car hit and killed him. He was butterball fat, too. The heart-shot doe was shot later by a rifle hunter, also two years after an arrow passed through the center of her heart. She too was healthy and fat, showing no evidence of ills due to the 6-inch section of aluminum shaft still in the center of her heart. In both cases, dull broadheads failed to do their jobs. There was minimal hemorrhaging, and both animals survived. Shot placement is critical in bowhunting, but unless your broadhead is shaving sharp, a perfectly placed arrow may not get the job done.
In the best case, when an animal has been shot with a broadhead and it bolts, the more massive the hemorrhaging, the faster the animal is rendered unconscious and the faster death occurs. The shaving-sharp broadhead wins this race with time much more quickly than a lesser sharp broadhead. It determines how far your game will travel after the shot. More about this later.
It should go without saying, but never use practice broadheads for hunting unless you sharpen them first. Ethofoam broadhead targets are great, but they will take the razor’s edge off your broadhead on the very first shot.
Achieving The Razor’s Edge
Many hunters choose their broadheads based on their personal inability to sharpen them. If this describes you, I have some liberating news. Consistently getting that razor’s edge on your broadhead or knife blade is no longer reserved for those who have the knack. Anyone can do it every time.
Photo: TrueAngle Hones’ Model LS-24 incorporates leather pads inset in a wooden block and impregnated with a fine metal polish to put the final, smooth, razor’s edge on broadhead blades, rendering them hunting ready.
I confess to having been among the ranks of those ungifted sorts who struggle to get that consistent razor’s edge. The problem is with maintaining the exact angle from stroke to stroke of the blade over the file or whet stone. I am happy to report that I am now a guru of sharpness thanks to some clever products that constitute my tried-and-true sharpening kit.
I employ a three-stage process to achieve that mandatory razor’s edge. First I establish the angle of the edge. I have found numerous tools which enable me to do this, but my favorite is the Stirling Sharpener ($14.95 each; plus $1.00 S&H; manufactured by Tony Roberts, P.O. Box 358, Diamond, MO 64840; call 417-325-4256). This little gadget is dynamite for establishing a 21-degree angle (per side) edge by drawing the blade of the broadhead or knife through the intersection of two grade-9 carbide inserts. About 10 strokes on each blade of my broadhead establishes the proper angle and renders the blades capable of shaving hair. The Stirling Sharpener also provides a second set of carbide inserts specifically for sharpening scissors. At this point, the edges are extremely sharp and smoother than edges created by a file, but there are two more steps involved before the edge is finished to my satisfaction.
Next I employ a Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpener System (P.O. Box 800, Golden, CO 80402; call 303-279-8383). The unit sells for $46.95 and includes both medium and fine sticks. I stroke the edge of each broadhead blade over the coarse gray medium sticks 10 times per side, then do the same with the smoother, white ceramic sticks. Now the edge is near perfection.
Finally, I put the finished edge on the blades by pulling them across a set of leather pads impregnated with fine metal polish and set at proper angles in a wooden block. This little tool is called the Model LS-24 Leather Strop made by TrueAngle Broadhead Hones, Inc. (6658 South State Road, Wabash, IN 46992; call 219-563-8160), and sells for $4.95. The broadhead is pulled backward across the leather pads (never push the blades forward) while applying a downward pressure on the blades. A dozen strokes per blade completes the process and produces an edge far superior to any factory-sharpened edge I have found. The results I experience from this degree of sharpness are sometimes startling. The whole three-step process takes no more than five minutes per broadhead.
The sharper the broadhead, the more easily it passes through the animal, and the less pain or trauma the animal experiences before falling unconscious. For example, I shot a mule deer buck in Alberta years ago from a treestand overlooking a large alfalfa field. The buck walked out 10 yards in front of my stand and began feeding. I shot him through the lungs and my arrow passed effortlessly through him and stuck deep in the earth. The buck lifted his head momentarily and quit chewing, as if to consider the slight noise made by the snap of my string. Within a few seconds he seemed satisfied that all was well, dropped his head and took another mouthful of alfalfa, suddenly falling unconscious and dying without ever taking a step.
On another occasion I shot a huge Saskatchewan buck only 17 yards from my stand. The arrow passed through his lungs and exited, angling slightly forward, finally sticking in the ground just left of the buck’s head. He jumped back toward my tree at the sound of the arrow hitting the frozen earth and stood there listening intently, trying to figure out what caused the noise. Then suddenly, his legs buckled and he fell dead in his tracks right under my tree.
Similarly, I once shot a large mule deer buck in British Columbia. The arrow passed through his heart and stuck firmly in an Aspen tree on the far side of the buck. I watched the arrow pass through the buck in flight. When the arrow struck the tree, the buck looked casually over his shoulder at the tree, then walked over and sniffed the arrow. He was still sniffing it when his legs buckled and he fell in his tracks.
There are two important factors that came into play in the incidents I have just described. First, a razor-sharp, cut-on-contact broadhead (the type I use) passes through an animal with so little effort, creating so little pain or trauma that the animal often doesn’t even realize there is a problem. I have interviewed three bowhunters who have had a razor-sharp, cut-on-contact broadhead pass through some part of their bodies. In two cases the broadheads passed through arms and in one case a leg, and each of the three victims told me that they never felt any pain at the time. After the fact, each was shocked to realize what had happed. This explains why animals shot with these razor-sharp broadheads so often stand casually about until they drop. They simply don’t feel pain, therefore they don’t panic and run.
The second important factor is that the degree of hemorrhaging created by a true razor’s edge renders an animal unconscious so quickly that it doesn’t travel very far, even if it does run after the shot. I have been keeping records of how far my bow-shot game traveled after the shot. In the last 10 years the average has been about 30 yards, which means they seldom get out of sight before dropping. That average applies to all kinds of game, ranging from grizzly bears to Alaska/Yukon moose and many other species of big game, including a bunch of whitetails. A well-placed shot passing through an animal’s vitals often leaves the archer wondering if he missed because of the animal’s casual, unalarmed response to the shot. My experience has been that if a major bone is not hit, the animal will often drop within feet of where it was standing at the time of the shot, especially if the bow is quiet.
I hunt with many outfitters and guide services across the country and they are continually amazed to find my game so close to where it was shot. I attribute this fact to broadhead design and the sharpness factor.
Russell Thornberry

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

maybe I missed something here but there is a lot of talk about healing up etc. I think that is the wrong mindset. I hunt to kill not mame.

another thought, after the razor sharp blade goes thru the hide, sub q, muscle and into rib bones, chances are that blade isn't razor sharp any more. I think that the razor sharp blades curl the edge after going thru ribs. with this in mind I prefer the blade that when ran over my finger nail will catch as drug across it. it is not a razor sharp edge but a good edge that can be maintained b/c the outermost edge of the blade is not featheredso much that it curls after running across bone.

as far as surgeons using scalpels, yep they reuse them the whole case until they get dulled. generally one blade for the skin and one for the inside of the incision as to keep from spreading the organisms on the skin in the incision. not all surgeons use a different blade for both but many I know use this practice. I don't know any surgeons that whacks away on bones with blades either.

this is just food for thought and my 2 cents. I like sharp bh's but I don't think the razorsharp ones are best. With this in mind, I am not saying shaving sharp is not good either b/c my bh's will still shave your arm but not the hair popping sharp. The reason is the angle is a little more steeper and the blade is not feathered out as much. :)

p.s that spiderco sharpener that Tonypreacher talks about is one of the best I owned for sharpening knifes, etc. in there video that comes with it describes the different type of blade angles and the uses for each. I gained a lot of insight watching it.

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

To dispell the hole dulling your blade once you hit bone rumor... yes it will dull ever so slightly but when I was a kid we built a machine that would shoot a sharpened #2 pencil through a 2x4 and as long as it is done fast enough the pencil remained sharp! Also ribs are rather weak bones that provide little resistance to blades but a shoulder might dull it more. In our case the arrow would be moving so fast that the actual dulling or bending of the blades wouldn't appreciably occur!

RE: Are super sharp broadheads really better?
 

Some good replies and thoughts here. I prefer mine razor sharp, I want to cut big arteries, a semi dull blade will not do that. Like has been said, arteries are very compliant and you need a very sharp edge to cut them.

The brain has nothing to do with initiating the clotting cascade, that is incorrect in the article above. Rip it, cut it, dull or sharp, the coagualtion cascade is going to be initiated when bleeding occurs.Ragged edges will make a difference in clotting time, this is not significant whentalking about the difference between a kill or not.

To kill the animal with an arrow you need massive hemorrhage, this means cuttinglargediameterarteries, not veins.Large veins can hemorrhage extensively butare on the lowpressue side of the cardiovascular system, the pressure in themcan decrease enough for aclot to stay in place. Large diameter arteries have very high pressures in them.Much higher thanthat needed to dislodge ablood clot. Ifyoucut a large artery it is not going to clot, period. The only way to stoplarge diameter arterial hemorrhage is to clamp it, tie it or run out of blood. Youwon't cut these structures if your blades are not sharp.

The sharpness ofanyblade is directly related to the angle put on it. The closer theangles on each side of the blade are to each other the sharper the blade. That iswhy it is impossible to sharpen anything by hand as precise as with a laser. The laser will giveyou the same angle, ahand stone never does. That said, the finer the angle the sharper the blade the more delicate the edge. I don't think a burred edge or micro-serrations have anything to do with it. A true razor sharp blade has a very fine angle on it and is more delicate. One that isn't quite as sharp has less angle and is more durable. There is a middle road in there. A 21 degree angle with a laser is going to be much sharper than a 21 degree angle put on by hand and the durability should be the same between the two.

I think you get a false sense of security with a hand honed blade. They are not near as sharp to start with so you don't notice as big a difference after using them .