Convex broadhead sharpening

old_goat2 · January 08, 2019, 11:18:30 PM

Two blade ones I use KME Knife model with the three sided Jewelstick diamond hone. Follow up on regular strop. The rounded profile on the jewelstick lends itself well to the convex blades

SPRAYM · January 10, 2019, 09:00:56 AM

X 2 on the KME knife sharpener and the Diamond Jewelstick. I use White gold as a stropping paste on a round leather dowell to finish. Easy/Quick/Consistent/Sharp.

DanielB89 · January 10, 2019, 11:47:58 AM

I know the guy who made this pretty well. He uses it on every blade he owns and doesn't have any complaints!

https://youtu.be/HyPCO4yOTtE

southernarcher · January 13, 2019, 06:48:11 PM

Beat way I've found to sharpen a convex edge is with sandpaper on top of a thick mouse pad, then strop.

JusAGuy · January 13, 2019, 11:09:27 PM

Quote from: DanielB89 on January 10, 2019, 11:47:58 AM
I know the guy who made this pretty well. He uses it on every blade he owns and doesn't have any complaints!

https://youtu.be/HyPCO4yOTtE

I know that guy as well (sort of... he also makes excellent bowstrings!). I bought a Rada on his recommendation and it works quite well on my Zwickey's (though i haven't taken anything with 'em yet).

I wish i was able to sharpen broadheads as well as i can my knives. From our 'plain-jane' kitchen knives (mostly 4116 Krupps stainless steel) to my custom O1 field-knife..... I can make any of them hair-popping sharp (or very close) - it's simply a matter of the time i want to put in to that particular knife.

Broadheads on the other hand have proven quite the challenge for me for whatever reason....

The Rada sharpener provides a reasonably acceptable compromise.

southernarcher · January 14, 2019, 09:59:35 AM

LoL my reply was geared towards sharpening a convex ground edge, not the head shape. Sorry.

Bladepeek · January 15, 2019, 09:33:30 AM

I don't want to get wrapped up in pros and cons of convex/concave/flat edges. Just understand that a RADA type sharpener will first remove the convex edge and make it concave. If you bought a convex edge because you like convex (and they are stronger) make a strop with fairly coarse black compound and strop them the same as you would a convex knife blade.

bigbadjon · January 15, 2019, 10:41:34 AM

I would think that the Rada hollow grind is so shallow that edge integrity is of little concern. My dad hollow grings knives so high and thin you can flex the edge with your fingers. A broadhead edge would have to be extremely rigid.

SPIKEHORN · January 16, 2019, 08:08:16 AM

I use the KME broadhead sharpener and finish on a paper wheel with very light pressure. Gets my eclipses shaving sharp.

Friend · January 16, 2019, 08:52:30 AM

Have harvested plenty of game with wide convex heads that had been sharpened with a rada....no issues what so ever.

Harvested a kitty a few nights back....nearly cut the ole boy in half...thought I was going to have to check in two bobcats.

PistolPete · January 16, 2019, 05:48:52 PM

Interesting pics and info here about the problems with RADA and similar (and all drag through) sharpeners: https://hubpages.com/food/Make-your-knife-edges-sharp-and-keep-them-sharp-by-removing-metal-contaminates-from-edges

I don't doubt that plenty of guys have used them and killed animals. There are better options, however. Any kind of stones/sandpaper followed by some sort of very fine grit strop/polish is best.

Overspined · January 22, 2019, 09:14:24 AM

I bought a rada when I couldn't sharpen Simmons heads, haven't used it since, or the heads. Despite hours of trial and error I couldn't make them truly sharp. I guess the rada is ok for an emergency touch up, but it changes the profile of the edge and then I have to do more work to reprofile the edge of a blade. I'm not a fan.