Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Diy Homemade broadhead Project

Ive had many blades made via water jet cutting and then each must be hand sharpened by me. Here I explain how to get things sharp.



Making each blade takes some time.



Then (since Im always concerned with tip curl) I made a tanto tip on the leading blade.



Prior to kicking off the blades, I contacted a company in Lincoln Nebraska to make the stainless steel ferrules for me. The design is complicated and requires a Swiss Screw machine to produce the parts due to the complexity and tiny slots and tapped holes in stainless steel. I sent them a 3D cad file Id created as well as a drawing I made of the specs and tolerances. The supplier sent me this photo of the parts prior to shipping them.





Then I assembled the heads and did a non-scientific push test. here is that video.



In order to evaluate the efficacy of any broadhead, one must field test it on things that bleed. After assembling some heads, I set out to accomplish a few things with this field test. Since I do suburban deer culling for a couple municipalities, Im able to target whitetails and I have until the end of January to remove as many as I can.

I wont be evaluating just this prototype broadhead with this field test. I will also be evaluating a arrow mounted telemetry tracking knock ive spent more than 3 years perfecting, I will also be evaluating a thermal imaging capable drone that will be slated for big game carcass location and recovery. Here are the effects of this broadhead on a live test subject. Here is that video



Here is a still photo from the video I made with the thermal imaging drone. This was about a half hour after the deer had expired. I had the drone about 100 feet up. Even the entrance hole from the arrow can be seen.



Im now trying to source the proper thickness of tool steel (preferably O1 tool steel) that I can have water jet cut. I will then do my own heat treating and tempering to make them suitable for broadhead blades. As a custom knife maker, O1 is one of my favorite high carbon steels for blades. Its superior to most stainless steels. The only negative is that is is not corrosion resistant so it will have to be oiled and protected from rust.

I did not need need the telemetry tracking nock for this recovery but its installed in the arrow so I used to test for efficacy.

Here is my favorite part or bowhunting product testing.