Bowhunters - How long are broadheads good for?
 

I've always wondered how long I should keep my broadheads. Do they get dull from not being used for a period of time? I've heard they may rust but not sure if that's true... Anyone have any advice?

I just bought some new spitfires this year....I kept my old ones for 4 years...I keep mine clean and sharp....I killed 2 deer with the same broadhead 2 years ago. They will last a while if you take car of them.

I think if you have them in your hand you can probably answer your question better than anybody on here can.

They don't get dull by themselves. They get dull by being pulled out and replaced in a quiver repeatedly, by being bumped by other broadheads, etc. If they aren't used, they won't go dull.

I put replacement blades in my Muzzy's every year. I carry 3 arrows in the quiver and after a season of being in the quiver, vibrating against the foam on the atv ride in and out, plus the first arrow being pulled out and replaced several times, they are definitely duller than when first put on the head. I keep meaning to look into a sharpener but haven't remembered to get one yet. Think about when your shaving...if you cut yourself with a dull razor you've been using for a while, it takes nothing to get it to stop bleeding. But cut yourself with a new sharp razor and it takes forever to get that sucker to stop. The more it cleanly cuts, the harder for it to clot.

My fixed 3-bladed NAP HellRazors are still good and I've had them 5 years or longer.Just keep them clean and sharpened and they should be good a long time.My mechanical broadheads get bad looking if I shoot a Deer with them so those only get used 1 time if they've passed thru an Animal.

mechanicals, rage 2 blade, I check the rubber o rings for tears/rips that can develop as rubber ages... and replace.

If you take good care of them they can easily last a couple of years. Keep them clean and dry when not in use and after being used clean them off, resharpen them, or occasionally replace the blades on a mechanical. A single mechanical broad head can be resharpened and take a couple animals before the blades need to be replaced. The heads themselves don't need to be replaced until the tip wears down, they rust, hit a rock and it breaks etc. Fixed blades can just be resharpened until you've sharpened it down too much, rust it, or break it.

If you are worried about rust put some vasiline on them.

Are you talking mechanicals or fixed? mech's will stay sharper longer due to being closed and not contacting the foam of the quiver like fixed. I reshoot my GrimReapers after just a touch up to resharpen them and I have several that are going on their 3-4th animal. As was said, if they are fixed, just a LIGHT coating of Vaseline will do the just fine. Take them out of the quiver if caught in a rain andlet dry will help as will the quiver also. That and trees and rocks have a tendancy to shorten the life as well!!!!!!!:hit:

I've bowhunted for nearly 3 decades now and STILL can't find a need for mechanicals so can't help you with those. But for regular fixed, they are mostly steel and aluminum so they should last a lifetime with the basics of care. Keep them sharp and away from moisture and other than that, there's not alot to them. After you sharpen them you can essentially make them "moisture proof" by sticking them into a large candle to cover them in wax. I know guys who likewise paint theres and I suppose that'd be just as effective. Stainless DOES rust btw, just not as easily or visible so keeping moisture off of them is equally important. I prefer carbon steel vs SS because it's easier to resharpen and put a sharper edge on them but it's tougher to find carbon heads that fly well if you are using a fast vert/xbow.

If your bows quiver has a piece of foam in it to hold the heads then make sure and remove it or try to at least dry it out after a hunt in the rain. That's where alot of guys get into trouble, they dry their broadheads but never think about a wet quiver so they stick them right back in there and that's no different than sticking your knife in a wet sheath!

Keep them sharp, or resharpen after killing a deer if they are not damaged, replace blades if needed. check o'rings or retainer clips on mechanicals. They will last indefinitely if you keep them in top shape.

I have some I have killed a few deer with.

I replace my blades after every animal I harvest or attempt to harvest (aka miss). I want to make sure I am making a clean harvest on the animal. If you use a potential dull broadhead you are taking the risk of having less penetration and also the broadhead will tear the hide and lungs more instead of a clean slice which can cause a bad or good blood trail. Decide sharp or dull? . Another example when you clean your animal do you use a sharp knife or a dull? I use a sharp knife. We as hunters owe it to the animal to take the animal as fast as possible with the cleanest and ethical way. We are taking their life and there is where we should respect that by make sure our equipment is squared away, we are squared away (shooting etc) and we wait for the right shot. I think a lot of hunters tend to not look at it like that and compromise on so much stuff. Don't compromise on something you put so much time and money in to.

I just replace the blades on my muzzys if they look dented or whatnot from an animal/target shooting. Im sure if you used the blades for repeated use in a target they would get dull but once or twice isnt going to dull them any.

Ive had my Muzzys for 5 years. But that may be because I never actually get to shoot anything with them...

Sharpening with arkansas stones
 

...makes me keep them longer. To me a dull broadhead doesn't exit. i'm cheap.
Arkansas stones keep the old broadheads and knives happy.

Spent my younger days getting stuff sharpened.

For ever if you don't us them grasshopper