Question: Sharp Broadheads vs. dull broadheads
 

i want to start out saying that i use stealforce broadheads and anyone who has used them know they are extremely sharp.

I am wondering if there would be a difference in blood loss of a deer that was shot with a dull fixed-blade broadhead vs a sharp fixed-blade broadhead all else being constant (# of blades, shot angle, bow poundage, penetration, etc.).

Does anyone have an idea?

RE: Question: Sharp Broadheads vs. dull broadheads
 

I don't see how the sharpness of the blade could dramatically alter blood loss, assuming both pass through. The entry and exit hole should be the same size.

The point of being sharp is to ensure that pass through and penetration on iffy shots.

RE: Question: Sharp Broadheads vs. dull broadheads
 

why would you even want to use a unsharpened blade is my ??? i have seen dull blades bounce off of a deer an even if you got it to penetrate chances are it would just push anything it came in contact with away from it an slide through without making a good cutting path,,, case in point i was videoing a hunt for a friend he had a nice 8 come out to his stand deer was 15 yrds away, he released his arrow and hit the deer perfect , i watched in amazement as the buck stopped 40 yrds turned his head and looked back and then just walked off.. we got down after a half hour an walked to the spot he was standing, and not 1 drop of blood the arrow had been pulled out an was mid way between this spot and his stand,, the deer was shot 3 days later by another hunter,, my friends arrow had pierced his ribcage but did no internal damage at all well my 2cents worth

RE: Question: Sharp Broadheads vs. dull broadheads
 

a cleanly cut wound is going to bleed more profusely than a cut made by a dull edge. The dull edge leaves somehwat of a serated edge on the wound, allowing clots to form more quickly.

RE: Question: Sharp Broadheads vs. dull broadheads
 

Another thing is with a sharp broadhead will cut through veins and arteries whereas with a dull broadhead the vein may slide around the broadhead instead of being cut by it . Try it on rubberbands to see the difference between the two.

RE: Question: Sharp Broadheads vs. dull broadheads
 

Archer 2, you are right on the money, well said! ;)

RE: Question: Sharp Broadheads vs. dull broadheads
 

I would NEVER use a dull broadhead on an animal. The main purpose of the head is to cut and create blood loss. Thats how an arrow kills. Using a dull head will not leave a clean wound channel. Your blood trails would be less. Penetration would be less. Sharp heads are not just for iffy shots. Come on. The animals deserve better than this. If you cant afford new broadheads then sharpen them, but don't just figure that these will do. I don't care if I am shooting a yearling whitetail or an 800 lb. bull elk. I always make sure that my broadheads are sharp. After all if it didn't matter then why do the manufacturers spend the extra money to put an edge on them. This is just plain fact. .

RE: Question: Sharp Broadheads vs. dull broadheads
 

Definatly use sharp over dull. Have you ever been cut by a dull knife, and also by a sharp knife. The dull knife doesnt bleed as much, and actually, the sharp knife doesnt hurt as much. Plus, if you only wound the animal, the wound is much more likely to heal cleanly with a hole made from a shard head rather than from a dull one.

RE: Question: Sharp Broadheads vs. dull broadheads
 

Mossy oak is correct too. You take what archer and he told you and you have the gist of it. Nothing beats a sharp broadhead.... period.

RE: Question: Sharp Broadheads vs. dull broadheads
 

I have a question to add to the initial one. I know the importance of a sharp head and always make sure that they are as sharp as possible for all of the reason stated above.

But how much will a rib or two or a shoulder blade dull a head on the way in? Will it dull it enough to make a vein slide around a blade. I would imagine that it could.

Anyone have any opinions or first hand knowledge?

RE: Question: Sharp Broadheads vs. dull broadheads
 

Good question, bigbulls. I know several times when I've pulled my arrows out of the ground after pass-thrus, I've noticed dulled, dinged, or sometimes dented blades. Most of the times, I don't think the ground's doing it, so it must be happening while busting through ribs or the like. I know they're sharp going in, but at what point during the pass-through is the blade losing its sharpness? Must not matter too much; I've been fortunate enough to recover all of them so far.

RE: Question: Sharp Broadheads vs. dull broadheads
 

Yes it would dull it some(passing through a rib).... but for us to try and come up with a "Degree of dullness" is impossible. Worry more about putting the arrow through a rib than how much it will dull the head. If it's sharp to begin with and you hit the rib the critter is as good as dead. That's all you need to know.

RE: Question: Sharp Broadheads vs. dull broadheads
 

Agreed, but I doubt there would be a substantial difference in blood trail.

RE: Question: Sharp Broadheads vs. dull broadheads
 

Excellent discussion! I too, AGREE with the principles and responsibilities of using sharp broadheads. However bear with me as I play devils advocate here.

Define sharp.

I don't think it is any secret that what one may deem as acceptable another might totally refuse. For example compare a Montec G5 to a Steel Force or a Rocky Mountain. By comparison they are not in the same universe when it comes to sharpness. Even when "touched up" after being in my quiver a while I can't shave hair with the G5. However after taking a number of animals with all three of these heads, to be totally honest I see no difference in the blood trails.

Even a "dull" broadhead is not going to "push" or "slide" the lungs out of the way on a center punched animal. One of the dullest heads I ever used was a BoneBuster. If your familiar with these heads than you know that they don't even have a point that is pointed [&:][:o]:D. I spent a long time trying to get it sharp but never could achieve that "razors edge". Although I don't think taking two animals with a head makes me an authority, I can tell you that I couldn't tell any difference in the blood trail in comparison to other "sharp" heads. Here is the real kicker. On both sides of this head are two "bleeder blades" I call them blades but they are more like wings. They are only 1/4 inch deep and you can't really sharpen them. Upon examination of the animals I could see in detail where these unsharpened wings had cut their way through the animal and its vitals. Penetration was also a non factor.

I think a guy is fooling himself if he believes sharpness is not effected by hitting ribs or other bones on the way in. I have recovered heads that punched through both sides of the animal but never penetrated the earth that are jagged and notched. It doesn't happen with every shot but it certainly does occur. I do think this particular part of the issue however has more to do with the construction of the head than it is with sharpness.

I know a guy that shoots traditional equipment that made his own arrows and broadheads out of rocks. He indeed killed a deer with them. While that wouldn't be my style it did open my eyes and caused me to think about the equipment I was using. Again let me say that I agree it is a good idea to use sharp broadheads, I just have a broader interpretation of what "sharp" is now.

RE: Question: Sharp Broadheads vs. dull broadheads
 

I'd just stick to keeping them razor sharp for the sake of maybe injuring an animal. Sometimes you may stick an arrow in the shoulder on accident. If you'd a had a sharp broadhead, you could at least have a chance at going through the shoulder enough to get to the vitals.;)

RE: Question: Sharp Broadheads vs. dull broadheads
 

I think this is really a no brainer.but on bigger deer or maby a big hog what about a kodiak bear i know i would want the sharpest broadhead i could find to do the job. for a more leathel kill. or maby if you get a bad hit for some reason.I would want as much advantage i could get to bring him down quickly as possable!

RE: Question: Sharp Broadheads vs. dull broadheads
 

maybe not a substantial difference, but it may give you those last 3 drops of blood thru the thickest cover to where you spot your deer. Im not saying a sharp blade is going to cause a 3ft spray of blood. There isnt really a way to prove weather it does or not but it may give you a little more blood towards the end of the blood trail than if a really dull blade wound had began to clot already. I think next year i may try those montecs, they look super solid and super sharp, and easy to keep sharp.

RE: Question: Sharp Broadheads vs. dull broadheads
 

;) jroot: don't even think of hunting with dull broadheads. We shoot these weapons to cause blood loss. A surgeon with a dull scapel in his hand is like you going to the field with dull b-heads. Folks going under the knife would want a 2nd. opinion. You have done that and you can tell by our replies that sharp is the only way to go afield.