Broadheads becoming dull over time
Equipment
Contributors to this thread:
Recently I have become interested in buying( collecting) older mechanical broadheads, I usually try to make sure they have never been shot into anything bcs I have no experience sharpening blades but I have come across people saying that blades can become duller from just sitting around( something to do with the moisture in the air or something like that) is there any truth to this? The rocket steelhead is mainly the broadhead m worried about. I buy them and they don't feel very sharp to me but I have read 100s of positive reviews so i know they perform great but the ones I buy are atleast 10 years old so if it's true that blades become duller then the ones I have aren't up to the same standard and are even duller then when people bought them years ago when they were still being produced and people complained about blade sharpness back then so the ones I have could be really bad. I consider myself a beginner so take it easy on me.
To big of a a cutting diameter, I'm more concerned with penetration
Metal can oxidize. A few quick strokes over a leather strop with stropping compound will normally get them back to their original sharpness. Stropping is super easy and nearly impossible to mess up.
Punchcutter where the worst I tried them and also the Pucket Bloodtrailers were terrible!! Shawn
In reading this thread I had a couple thoughts. I don't shoot mechanical broadheads so I immediately went on my experience and reasoning. With my fixed blade broadheads I touch them up after every season. Even If I don't shoot them they are in and out of the quiver . I believe that dulls them. Sharp is a relative thing. One man's scary6 sharp is another man's dull. It is difficult to imagine one that is too sharp unless it is a fragile feather edge.
I'm going to say that the amount of "natural" dulling over time of stainless steel blades is almost nil. Carbon steel is another story, especially in humid climates.
Matt
A friend of mine puts his sharpened broadheads in a large jar of Vaseline during the off season to maintain their edge.
Sharpness varies all over the place from model to model of many heads. Even the same heads sometimes get a poor run. I had the paint fall off a Chevy truck and they have been painting cars since 1911.
Best bet is invest the time to learn sharpening. It's not hard, it's a great skill to have and something any outdoorsman can use for a lifetime.
When I shot fixed heads, I sharpened them after every shot. I remember years ago Pat had an article on using one of those cheap sharpeners that you draw a knife blade through. I tried it and it worked. I have used Jak hammers for years now and change the blades after every kill. I practice with the practice head so no sharpening needed since they don't open the blades.
Your right, I should just learn how to sharpen blades but isn't something like a STEELHEAD blade extremely hard to sharpen due to the fact that it's such a thin blade? I don't know why I just don't switch to something like the jakhammers or GR fatal steal but I just really like the STEELHEADS for some reason
I have no experience with mechanical heads but I've been sharpening broadheads for over 40 years.
Buy a set of crock sticks or ceramic sticks that fit into a block that gives you a set angle. I touch up my heads at least once a week if they have been in my quiver and I've been carrying my bow. Very few broadheads are really all that sharp off the shelf. Even with replaceable blades, I would touch them up with the sticks and check to see if they shave. The sticks will probably be set at a wider angle than what the blade was ground for so you don't need to use much pressure to improve the edge. A few strokes, alternating sides is all it takes if you are starting with something close to sharp.
If it's completely dull, you will need to reform the edge with a good file or a Work Sharp sanding sharpener. Be careful with the sander, it will take a lot off in a short time.
I use crock sticks to sharpen scalpel blades in my shop every day. They are easy to use and can give you a very fine edge.
What am I missing? You are collecting 10 year old rocket heads for what reason? As previously mentioned sharp edges will oxidize over time and from carrying in a quiver. Possible you are finding heads shot into foam targets which reduces the sharpness. Heads seem to be sharper than over 10 years ago.
Well they don't make rocket STEELHEADS anymore so any I buy are atleast 10 years old. I guess saying I'm collecting them was the wrong way to put it. When I find them I buy them up for the purpose of using.
I have a bunch of original rocket 125 3 and 4 blade this is a easy way to sharpen them. I use a diamond stone that comes with kme knife sharpener there not very big. Deploy the blades stand arrow on the floor nock down sitting in chair sharpen each blade with a few strokes moving the stone just downward on the blade they sharpen pretty quickly. Gravity keeps blades open I also have headlamp on so I can see better