Sharpening Rage blades?

[JPH]

I read Dan Schmidt's feature on the home page, where he mentioned that he sharpened his Rage-2 blades.
 
How would you do that without screwing up the factory finish?

[ranwin33]

Factory finish? 
 
They're blades not cars.  [:)]

[JPH]

ORIGINAL: ranwin33

Factory finish? 

They're blades not cars.  [:)]

 
By "finsih" I meant the fine tuning on the blade, not the paint.
 
When I sharpen a knife, I do coarse sharpening then I "finish" it with a fine surface.
 
When I have sharpened broadheads in the past, I only do the coarse sharpening if the blade has been used. Otherwise I simply touch up the finish.
 
My Rages are fresh out of the box. At over $13.00 a broadhead, I assume they are fairly sharp.
 
So how do I go about sharpening a slip-cam blade without screwing up what has already been done at the factory?

[passin through]

Maybe he means factory bevel?  I'd be interested myselfin knowing how Dan did that...I have 2 heads from last year that could use a touch up.

[schlupis]

I wouldnt sharpen the blade right out of the package they are insanly sharp and dont need sharpening. I have been told you will not get a sharper blade then when you take it from the package.... Im sure some will agrue that point but to each his own.. I agree with you if you pay 38 dollars for broadheads they better be sharp and ready to use right out of the package..
 
I did however sharpen up the two rage heads I used last year. the only way to do it effectively is to take the blades from the head and sharpen them just like you would a knife.. this year I bought the replacement blades because I dont think I get as sharp a edge as the factory does..

[ranwin33]

Since the blades can be replaced, can't you just remove them and sharpen them as you would any other broadhead blade?
 
I guess I'm just not understanding why Rage blades would be any different.

[JPH]

ORIGINAL: ranwin33

Since the blades can be replaced, can't you just remove them and sharpen them as you would any other broadhead blade?

I guess I'm just not understanding why Rage blades would be any different.

 
I guess that gets to my question. Do they need to be removed in order to sharpen them? I have been able to sharpen fixed blades without taking them apart. So I was looking for advice from someone who has sharpened their own Rages (thanks Schlupis).
 
I'm starting to think this was a stupid question.

[passin through]

No question is a stupid one if it brings you an acceptable answer.  I wanted to know the same thing but had resigned my self to buying replacement blades.  I've never sharpened any broad heads before.  I think the trick to sharpening the rage blades will be in the holding since the are so short & thin after you get them out of the head???  I'm gonna give it a whirl and let you know how it turns out.

[JPH]

ORIGINAL: passin through
I'm gonna give it a whirl and let you know how it turns out.

 
Please do! Lots of detail.
 
IMO, a broadhead cannot be too sharp.

[Dan Schmidt]

Gentlemen: Thank you for all the good comments. Here's how I did it:

Disassemble broadheads. Take blades out and (one by one) place blade in a small C-clamp. Sharpen with a Klawhorn (or similar) hand-held sharpener. Takes me about 15 to 20 strokes per blade. I have also sharpened them while still assembled with a Smith's hand-held sharpener. You don't get the whole blade this way, but you get most of it .. perhaps 75 percent.

Big myth out there: Not all broadheads are sharp out of the package! I have found this true with all brands. You need to test them. Easy method: Screw a broadhead onto an arrow shaft. Expose the blades (if an expandable). Take a wide rubber band and stretch it tight between two fingers. Gently run the blade across the rubber band. If the band does not snap immediately, the broadhead is not sharp enough. Not in my book, anyway.

Hope this helps. Good luck to all this season, and please keep posting all of your insights. Your fellow Stump Sitters thank you!

Best,
Dan