Really how important is blade sharpness?

[texag93]

Really how important is blade sharpness?

Very!

[WCB]

If you take a good IBEP Bowhunter Ed class you will get a demonstration on this very issue. Archery kills are done by exactly the thing mentioned by Michael. Hemorrhaging...
And a marginal shot can come about from a deer "jumping" the string, not necessarily a bad shot...

[THellURider]

While that may be technically right, everyone knows that hunts don't always go as planned, hit a limb with an arrow, hit the blind with your bow, anything like that can always throw your shot off, and in thos situations, the sharpest broadhead may be the difference between getting the deer of a lifetime or going home empty handed.

I would rather spend a couple of bucks and have the deer

Not that anyone here ever used a dull broadhead

I wouldn't argue that at all. I always argue for a larger caliber than is really necessary for a given game because you rarely get that perfect shot. It's the same thing.

I just was curious how important it was. If push came to shove, you can make it work given everything else works as it should but it's not ideal by any means.

[Mudslinger]

All valid points on blade sharpness, but there was an article written by a surgeon/bowhunter that, according to his theories, tests and conclusions, that an extremely sharp blade could actually allow blood vessels to "roll" along the very, super sharp edge of a blade such as a surgeon's scapel. He backed this up with a vidoe of a surgeon's scapel and a fresh blood vessel showing it rolling across the edge of the super sharp scapel. This was his reasoning for surgeon using super sharp scapel for surgery to prevent major blood loss and bleeding during surgery. He concluded that a jagged cut would not clot as fast and would therefore "bleed" more than a very sharp, precise cut made by a super sharp blade. He bowhunted with the old style Bear razorheads and would get them super sharp, but would take a file and run the file from the front of the BH towards the rear to put a little "serration" along the edge from front to back. His thoughts were that these serrations would grab and tear anything they touched or slid across resulting in a jagged tear or cut and more bleeding. I agree with the points made above, but the theory and tests I stated above do make you think a little about both sides. I like sharp BH's myself, but not to the point of sharpening them more right out of the box.

[Lost Buckaroo]

you could kill a deer by shoving a pencil thru its lungs but that is not the point the question is how soon do you want it to die and how far do you want it to travel in the process. have you ever tryed to cut meat with a dull knife? as for me I think you owe it too the game to kill it as fast and cleanly as possible so I say sharpen your broadheads Please.

[Africanbowhunter]

Shaving Sharp broadheads cut larger holes

I worked with Walter Reed Army medical cal Center and conducted their Archery & Broadhead experiments.

We found shooting a sharp and I mean sharp enough to dry shave hair on yoru arm into a block of ballistic gel it produce a flame shaped would larger that the width of the broadheads. The same dull Broadhead would not penetrate as deep and produced a parallel wound the width of the Broadhead.

SHARP BROADHEADS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN BOWHUNTING BAR NONE.


Some day I will unpack the Walter Reed Pix of Terminal Balalistics....It was before 2 wheel compound came out.

You might consider taking a Texas Bowhunter Education Course



This post is a classic.

When someone asks why we need Bowhunter education, show him this question

Happy trail to you...


Tink Nathan
Co Founder NBEP/IBEP

[THellURider]

you could kill a deer by shoving a pencil thru its lungs but that is not the point the question is how soon do you want it to die and how far do you want it to travel in the process. have you ever tryed to cut meat with a dull knife? as for me I think you owe it too the game to kill it as fast and cleanly as possible so I say sharpen your broadheads Please.

I ABSOLUTELY AGREE. We do owe it to the deer to kill them as quickly and humanely as possible. Of course, if we took that to the extreme we'd all rifle hunt.

Mudslinger,

It's interesting that you bring that up. It's well known that a cleanly cut artery is more likely to "roll up" into a muscle and thus stop bleeding as it is squeezed by the surrounding muscle. However, a non-clean cut artery will usually not.

I'd like to see a scientific study. If nothing else, it's a discussion to have with my father over Christmas.

[Reckless Cheri]

I shoot a low poundage bow so something extremely sharp will allow me to do more damage than a dull broadhead.

[Africanbowhunter]

Test see for yourself

Take a sharp double edge Stiletto or Switchblade knife and a pencil


You can push a pencil through yoru palm and be OK But if you Stick a switch blade knife through the same hand you will die perhaps.


Tink

[Shane]

Ok so it's a question of effectiveness?

Because you certainly can't push the lungs or heart out of the way, the arrow will push THROUGH them. Thus a hit to the vitals with a "dull" blade will still work.

But that said, a sharp BH will be more effective.


That's fair I guess. I was just kind of curious. We really need a technical forum. (and one for Scoring and Aging)

And maybe a remedial forum for all the egghead grad students that are long on theory and short on experience?

OK, that was just wrong. Forgive me, Lord. And bless the poor pigmies that are starving in Africa.

I'm sorry, THellURider. I just couldn't resist a smartass comment. No harm intended.

[THellURider]

Hey Tink,

I'm just trying to learn. New to bow hunting. Why you all don't have a "Beginner's Guide to Bowhunting and FAQ" tacked at the top is beyond me.

I'd love to see scientific data on the subject and not just rubber band demonstrations. If you ever get it out, please let me know. As the son of a doctor and an engineer myself I would enjoy coming to my own conclusion from scientific data.

[Mike D]

All valid points on blade sharpness, but there was an article written by a surgeon/bowhunter that, according to his theories, tests and conclusions, that an extremely sharp blade could actually allow blood vessels to "roll" along the very, super sharp edge of a blade such as a surgeon's scapel. He backed this up with a vidoe of a surgeon's scapel and a fresh blood vessel showing it rolling across the edge of the super sharp scapel. This was his reasoning for surgeon using super sharp scapel for surgery to prevent major blood loss and bleeding during surgery. He concluded that a jagged cut would not clot as fast and would therefore "bleed" more than a very sharp, precise cut made by a super sharp blade. He bowhunted with the old style Bear razorheads and would get them super sharp, but would take a file and run the file from the front of the BH towards the rear to put a little "serration" along the edge from front to back. His thoughts were that these serrations would grab and tear anything they touched or slid across resulting in a jagged tear or cut and more bleeding. I agree with the points made above, but the theory and tests I stated above do make you think a little about both sides. I like sharp BH's myself, but not to the point of sharpening them more right out of the box.

I'd like to see this study and video. Blood clots by the platelets sticking together therefore forming the clot. When a dull edge cuts it leaves a ragged cut and the platelets can easier grab and stick to that surface whereas a sharp edge cuts it leaves a clean edge and therefore less surface are for the platelets to stick to.

[GARY]

[QUOTE=THellURider;398173]Hey Tink,

I'm just trying to learn. New to bow hunting. Why you all don't have a "Beginner's Guide to Bowhunting and FAQ" tacked at the top is beyond me."


I didn't realize "we all" owed you a beginners guide (one of those popular "books for dummies".) I keep forgetting everyone else owes people stuff these days in a fashion that suits them.

Keep asking questions, of those wiser an experienced than yourselve is the best advice I can give. Works for me on this board,,,just be careful and mind your manners so you don't come across as an arse and you will learn as many of us have, allowing us to grow as bowhunters, while making friends for life. That OR buy one of thise bowhunting books for dummies!

[texag93]

I had a marginal shot on a buck last year. I was riding a bucking lock-on in 30mph winds. I hit the deer way far back(as in behind the diaphram). A very sharp 4 blade Muzzy went right through his liver. He went down in 75yds. A sharp BH made the difference in a short recovery and a lost deer.

[Africanbowhunter]

Contact Walter Reed Army Medical Center Washington DC


I am sure they Kept the Study

It was part of a Program where an Officer could study and be come an MD Physician.

Look up Thrombin in blood. Dull and ragged edge cause the release of Thrombin and clotting occurs. A smooth sharp blade cuts but doesn't tear or rip the tissue which Causes Thrombin to enter the blood wound.


Tink