Broadhead toothy vs polished edge?

[Mesophilic]

In the process of making some broadheads and decided to try a convex edge thisgo around.  In the process I inadvertently discovered a way to put a fairly aggressive toothy edge on them and figured I'd get your thoughts.  The term eludes me right now, but these BH's are a continuous curve edge profile, not a straight cutting edge like a true triangle.

I did the initial convexing with a course 50 grit belt.  Then go back with a 120 to clean it up.  I discovered I can slightly roll back the broadhead and leave the toothy-ness from the first belt.

My only concern is that it may be more like a burr and less like micro serrations that I want it to be.  It feels wicked though, when I just lightly run my finger along it.  Maybe strop them a bit and see what works itself off?

Thanks, guys.

[Pat B]

I think the best cutting edge is a clean, very sharp edge. That said I have made micro edge by raking the corner of a file along the edge in one quick movement. I think Barry Wensel is where I got the idea.

[DC]

I have noticed that when I put a nice smooth edge on my kitchen knife it tends to skate over the tomatoes. If I just run it quickly past my belt sander it slices them beautifully. I really doubt that this relates to an arrow going 160fps into tough hide but I thought I'd mention it.

[mullet]

I have a 1" belt sander sharpening set with different grit belts. The last one I use is a leather belt with jewelers rouge. My broadheads and knives will have a mirror finish on the edge and are sharp enough to shave your face with. I once had a half dozen arrows work their way through the bottom of my otter skin quiver after hunting all day. Just the walking motion and the blades being so sharp they sliced their way through the bottom.

I'll stick with a smooth, sharp finish.

[osage outlaw]

I sharpen mine smooth and razor sharp. 

[Swampman]

Smooth and razor sharp for me too.  I like them scary sharp!

[Hawkdancer]

Just like knives, I believe they should be scary sharp!  Obsidian sharp!  Now, to get mine that way !
Hawkdancer

[Mesophilic]

Just like knives, I believe they should be scary sharp!  Obsidian sharp!  Now, to get mine that way !
Hawkdancer

Doesn't obsidian end up with micro serrations though?

[ksnow]

Doesn't obsidian end up with micro serrations though?

Nope, under magnification obsidian is still smooth, as opposed to steel which looks like a tree saw.

Kyle

[Mesophilic]

The things we learn on here,  i never would've thought that about obsidian.  I have read that rhe edge can get as thin as one atom across, making it the sharpest edge in the world.

I saw a suggestion on a different site about using stretched  rubber bands to simulate stretchy blood vessels in critters.  Give a push cut and/or slice to test how easily it severs. 

Well, I put it to the test with some of the thicker wider rubber bands,  and a polished edge out performed the best toothy edge.  Nothing scientific,  just could tell by how much more I had to rake the toothy one before the rubber band snapped.

[Tracker0721]

I used to like a file to sharpen my broadheads, old school and felt good. Would still shave. But once I learned to use diamond plates and ceramic and then stropping and jewelers rouge! Takes a while but in the end I have an edge that I feel can cut through multiple moose hides stacked up or a couple boar shields!

[PEARL DRUMS]

Arrows kill animals by causing them to bleed to death, and fast. Scary sharp causes massive hemorrhaging and death. Trauma is what jagged edges create and can cause death as well, but nothing like straight up hemorrhaging will. The kind where you stick them right through the lungs and they have no idea what just happened, then about 5-10 seconds later the lights go out.

[TSA]

Pearl man is right, as all the others above, a scalpel-sharp edge is better.
 this is what i understand about it, and i am not referring to the drag being created by the cutting edge if it is serrated- cant comment on that.

but when the platelets are released to plug a damaged blood vessel, the greater the surface area of the damage- the greater the amt. released. 
a sharp edge will create a smaller surface area cut- kind of like comparing road rash with a broken glass cut. so bleeding will be more profuse with a smooth clean cut.

 however having said this, i think that the trauma is so massive with any broadhead in the right place, i honestly dont know if at that stage more or less platelets would make a difference.
 but for all the difference , i think i will stick to a good clean, smooth sharp edge.

[mullet]

When my arrows are scary sharp I love it when I hit an animal, clean pass through, it flinches and then goes back to eating until it falls over.

[Mesophilic]

When my arrows are scary sharp I love it when I hit an animal, clean pass through, it flinches and then goes back to eating until it falls over.

I heard of this from several hunters and it's the kind of kill I want to experience sime day. 

I know this is a bit off topic, but from my experiences hunting, raising livestock, and butchering,  meat quality is much better when the animal is calm.