Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting The cheapkates guide to sharp broadheads

So you're a cheapskate like me and like to resharpen and reuse your broadhead blades or you don't care for the degree of sharpness your blades have when you bought your heads and you want to make them scary sharp. well worry no more bucko, have I got a deal for you. Welcome to the poor mans sharpening thread. I am a staff shooter and on the hunting pro staff for Ace hardware stores (kidding) and your local hardware store has everything you need.

You say you want to sharpen those Rage blades or those tiny Trophy Taker Ultimate steel blades but you can't come up with a way to hold them securely. Never fear. Ace Sells a broadhead holder but for some reason they keep them in the paint Dept. They mislabled this as a Window scraper. For those fixed blade, two bladed broadheads, you can use a office paper, binder clip. You can find these on your co-workers desk when they are out to lunch or at a meeting. Most likely the clip is being used for some unimportant papers anyway.



These two holders can then be used with your favorite sharpening stones. If you don't have any sharpening stones, Ace hardware carries an assortment of wet/dry sandpapers that work perfectly. 400, 600 and 1000 grit works great. For best results, tape the sandpaper to a piece of sheet glass. If you dont have any glass, you can get some from old storm windows. You can get old storm windows from your neighbor's house when he is at work. To check progress and to better see knicks, dents and dings in the edge, use a sharpies marker to coat the blade edge. Here is a Rage Blade



Once you get the blades as sharp as you can, your still not done, Now you're going to want to strop or hone the blades to a razor's edge. Barbers use a leather strop to get their razors shaving sharp. If you dont have any leather, never fear. You already have a suitable substitute in your kitchen. open up an old cereal box and lay it flat. I prefer Frankenberry and Count Chocula but I've heard good things about Wheaties and corn flakes boxes. Next, coat the carboard with buffing compund (also sold at Ace)Use the stick to draw all over the cardboard.



I like the white compound for broadhead blades. Just draw on the box like your using a big crayon with the polishing compound (powdered form) suspended in the wax.



Then strop you blades backwards across the cardboard making sure to give both sides the same number of strokes.



Should you be feeling ambitious, you can make a leather strop by gluing belting leather to a wooden paddle. Here is one I made yesterday.



I rubbed one side with white rouge (fine) and emery cake (course)

[img]http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/strop991.jpg[/img]

Then I set about resharpening the blades from the Rage Broadhead I shot the doe with on opening day.

[img]http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/strop993.jpg[/img]

Then I bothered Mrs. Crabtree to borrow one of her legs to test for sharpness. A finer woman you will not encounter. She enjoyed getting her legs done so much she even asked if I would shave her back. Ahhhh Amore'


You won't find another woman like her and she does not have any sisters. Sorry boys. Now go on out and buy yourself one of those window scrapers at the hardware store and get to sharpening those blades.


[img]http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/strop994.jpg[/img]

Very ingenious!
You're retired, aren't you?

No sir. Not for about another 15 years.

I'm kidding - cool stuff.

Want a cheap wooden paddle? Pick up a paint stirrer from where else? Ace Hardware!!!!

Bravo, DIYguy -- VERY good post!

Good tip! Thank you.

Oh, and if you don't want to raid your neighbor's storm windows, go to a flooring store and ask to see their tile samples. They will happily let you take a flat, smooth tile home.

They're just as easy to break as glass, but MUCH easier to clean up if you drop it (don't ask me how I know).

neat, I may give this a try