Why do I consistently SUCK at sharpening 3 blade heads?
 

I can't figure out what I can be doing wrong? I try and try and try to sharpen my 3 blade Snuffer heads using what seem to be the preferred methods and I just can't get them shaving sharp?
They fly so nice from my recurve and I took my first buck with one almost 20 yrs ago so I'd like to use them, but only if I can get them truly sharp.

I use a good file that is recommended for starting the bevel and leveling everything on all sides, then I have tried good Arkansas wet stones, and I've also tried Automotive sandpaper from 200 grit working on up to 800 grit to polish.

The edges look nice and clean and shiny with no skips or file marks when I'm done and the blades "tack" on a fingernail but they simply will not shave hair!! I mean they're sort of sharp but not what I want.
I hear of guys being able to get scary hair popping edges on these things and I'm beginning to think it's some sort of black magic.

Is it a matter of the bevel being to steep that won't give that edge?
I see that 3 Rivers Archery has a "Snuffer" kit that has mounted files and a leather strop that will cut the bevel from 30 deg down to 20 I think?

Is that the trick? (and then I'll have to ask, how in the world do you strop the edges to finish?)

I love that satisfaction of sharpening stuff myself but ufortunately I seem to stink at it. :(

RE: Why do I consistently SUCK at sharpening 3 blade heads?
 

I've been shooting these heads myself for 15 years now. You don't have to always put them on a stone to take the rough edges off. I use white crock sticks, there the finest ones they make. I've had my heads shaving hair in 2 minutes using them, if the hair isn't flying off my arms when I'm done sharpening they won't go in my quiver! I can tell you this though that some of the snuffers i get are to rough cut and sometimes I can't get them sharp enough, they go to practice heads then! I promise you this will work for you!

RE: Why do I consistently SUCK at sharpening 3 blade heads?
 

I'm really good at sharpening stuff. Give me a file and a selection of stones and I swear I can get a shaving sharp edge on a bowling ball. But I have to admit that Snuffers have got me stumped too. I've done dang near everything I can think of. Only thing I haven't tried yet is taking my Dremel and grinding new bevels on each blade, individually. Maybe Schultzy can post a detailed, step by step manual. Please?

RE: Why do I consistently SUCK at sharpening 3 blade heads?
 

I've never figured it out either, my only explanation ?

All the guys I've seen that has "shaving sharp" snuffers and WW's etc have a VERy different concept of "shaving" than I have !

RE: Why do I consistently SUCK at sharpening 3 blade heads?
 

I have always prided myself as an excellent sharpener of anything. But I myself had a hard time getting snuffers, woodsmanand other 3 blade broadheads sharp. The edge is just too steep. 30degrees is hard to work with. the metal is not top quality like a fine hunting knife. Those things together can make it difficult. You might be to a point of them being sharp, but easy to mess it up if you keep honing.

RE: Why do I consistently SUCK at sharpening 3 blade heads?
 

This is what I was thinking about trying next......and you guys are making me feel a little better anyway. :D

(I wonder why 3 Rivers says NOT to use this on the Woodsman heads?)

http://www.3riversarchery.com/Product.asp?c=57&s=23&p=269&i=4238

RE: Why do I consistently SUCK at sharpening 3 blade heads?
 

I sure don't know for sure, but I bet it has to do with the metal type on the woodsman and the tip. But the tip of the snuffer is fairly simuluar. Maybe woodsman didn't sign up for changing thier angles? A better angle would help.

I think I will stick with magnus 2 blades with bleeders. Or change to the phatoms.

Sounds like those phatoms did a good job for you this year Matt.

RE: Why do I consistently SUCK at sharpening 3 blade heads?
 

I read earlier where Snuffers were difficult to sharpen. I bought some earlier and they were rough and dull. First I put magic marker on the edges as an indicator. I ran them point first over a black diamond bench "stone". Three passes for every side. Did this with successively less pressure and they were hair popping sharp even before going to 1200.

RE: Why do I consistently SUCK at sharpening 3 blade heads?
 

Exactly, and that is the reason I stay away from them.

There is a sharpening system out there I believe that does change the blade angle.

FWIW, the sharpest that I can get a head is with a single bevel. Like a Grizzly. But I have to work on it a while.

RE: Why do I consistently SUCK at sharpening 3 blade heads?
 

They sure did, but I was also playing around with some slightly lighter arrow set ups and those 220gr (I don't want to shoot them at 200 as a 2 blade) require me to throw an extra 50grs in the nock end to keep the spine correct and when it's all said and done they are really heavy. Just messing around with something in the 575gr range vs 625 and they really seem to the eye alot quicker and fly straight as darts.
What I might wind up doing is getting some 125gr 4 blade Phantoms and throw 40grs of weight behind the insert.

Regardless it really bugs the heck out of me to not be able to sharpen these and it does sound like it might be inherent to the heads huh? Some guys seem to have the nack though.
I think I'm going to add the Snuffer file thing from 3 Rivers (and maybe a good 2/4 blade sharpener as well) just to have and see if cutting that bevel down helps like I think it should. 18 degrees is like a fine hunting knife bevel.

RE: Why do I consistently SUCK at sharpening 3 blade heads?
 

Here is the Crock sticks I use to sharpen them with. You sharpen two edges at the same time. You don't need to change the blade angle, there very simple to sharpen using these white crock sticks!

RE: Why do I consistently SUCK at sharpening 3 blade heads?
 

Notice how the 2 edges are getting sharpened at the same time. There's no other way I can explain this, it really is easy with the right tools. It won't take me 5 minutes and the head will be very sharp throwing hair off my arm easily. Not all snuffer heads are that easy, some of them are to rough cut but i'd say 90% of the snuffers I sharpen come out looking great.

RE: Why do I consistently SUCK at sharpening 3 blade heads?
 

Try this method... It is from the G5 website and I use it with my Montecs and they get shaving sharp every time. I know that it is not a snuffer but, shouldnt the offset of the blades on all resharpenable fixed blade broadheads be the same? I dont use the little tool that G5 sells but I use two differnt stones. One is a little more course if they are nicked up and I finish on a fine finishing stone. It is super simple and gets them super sharp. The other thing is you know that you will get the same degree bevel on all six sides with out having to think about it.

RE: Why do I consistently SUCK at sharpening 3 blade heads?
 

I've been able to get the WWs rubber band popping sharp with a 12" file and a fine diamond stone, but I've always wanted to try the Alaska Bowhunter Supply redi-edge, and after two years of it being on my wish list I received one this Christmas:)

I had a head that I use to shoot into a dirt bank that was pretty dull. Not many passes and it sharpened right up. The RE changes the blade angle so it ends up less steep, and when our season closes I plan to hit all my heads with it and really fine tune them.

RE: Why do I consistently SUCK at sharpening 3 blade heads?
 

Well, my goose is cooked because I haven't seen that anyone isdoing anything I haven't already tried. I geta pretty good rough edge on themwith just a 10" mill file, but not good enough for my idea of what touse for hunting. Seems I loose everything the instant I start flat honing them with a stone or crock sticks.

Pushing thehead point first across the stone, dragging it backwards, or honing from side to side, the edge just goes away. Crock sticks, ceramic stones, Arkansa stones, carborundum stones, diamond hones, coarse, medium, fine and extra fine;various grits of sandpaper glued to a board....

Redi-edge??? Hmmm.... Notwhat a sharpening purist like me would normally consider but desperation might win out on this one.;)

RE: Why do I consistently SUCK at sharpening 3 blade heads?
 

EXACTLY!!! [:-]
I would file and the edge would be that ragged sort of sharp feeling but as soon as I started to really fine hone the edge PFfffffftt. Done.[:@]
I did the same exact thing, forward, backward, side to side you name it thinking maybe it's the direction?
Stones, paper etc. just a decently sharp edge I would cut a steak with. But certainly not shaving or what I feel is hunting sharp for such low velocities.

I'm just not getting how swiping over some crock sticks is making these hair popping, shaving sharp? Do you talk really nice to it while you are doing it? ;)

RE: Why do I consistently SUCK at sharpening 3 blade heads?
 

Are you guys using reeeeaaaallllly light pressure when you get to the sharpening stage?

That made a huge difference for me.

RE: Why do I consistently SUCK at sharpening 3 blade heads?
 

The crock sticks I use are white, there very fine finished sticks. Maybe your using the wrong color or there just not fine enough, using fine crocksticks is the key here! I don't beleive in sharpening my broadheads half ass, trust me i'm not BSing anyone here.;) I take allot of pride in sharpening my broadheads. I know how frustrating it is when you can't get broadheads sharpened exactly the way you want them, I hated sharpening the Satellite Titans, them stainless blades would kick my but, it took me forever to get them sharpened!

RE: Why do I consistently SUCK at sharpening 3 blade heads?
 

I haven't tried talking nice to them, but I haveuttered some rather coarse languagewhich knocked chunks of plaster out of the walls while trying to sharpen these things. [:-]

RE: Why do I consistently SUCK at sharpening 3 blade heads?
 

you know, it shouldn't be so hard to sharpen a head should it ?

build a 3 blade head that sharpens ultra easy and you'll make lots of money on it - gauranteed

RE: Why do I consistently SUCK at sharpening 3 blade heads?
 

I use G-5 Montecs with my crossbow, and Snuffers with my trad bows. A good diamond stone and the instructions that G-5 offers on their site is a good way to start. http://g5outdoors.com/#sec_video
I find a few strokes point-first down the diamond stone finishes the edge nicely.
BTW - the Snuffer is much easier to sharpen and takes a better edge than the Montec.