Debate shall we ?

[bigchiefchoctaw]

Let’s talk about broadheads razor sharp vs dull versus out of the pack. Seen this on a few sites over time. Let’s say you are a compound and crossbow hunter. How important is it to have a razor sharp broadhead ? Will a dull one kill a deer the same as a sharp one ? What is the penetration difference between a razor sharp broad head and one that is dull of same make and type ? Anyone got any ballistic gel test ? Does having a 220ft lb of kinetic energy crossbow mean a razor sharp broadhead will have any issues ethically killing a deer than a dull one ? This can be either fix blade or expandable.. let’s say shots under 50 yards for comparison.
What’s your opinions thoughts or facts? Post web site or videos of test of factual data if you have it..

 

[Deerhead]

I always use sharp blades and trash the old dull ones.

 

[Raylander]

I like em SHARP. Seems rite for it to be sharp.

Honestly though, if you shoot em in the lungs and perforate the diaphragm they aren’t going to live long

 

[Knothead71]

This is strictly my opinion, no data or testing. Just how I see it.
I want every advantage I can get for a clean, quick kill. To my way of thinking a sharp broadhead will cut with less effort.
Think about how hard you would need to press a butterknife to get it to cut your hand. Then think about how hard you would need to press a sharp fillet knife to get it to cut.
Just seems to me that a sharp broadhead would be more efficient and use more energy for deeper penetration. A dull broadhead would need to use more energy to make the initial cut.
Again this is strictly my opinion and it's worth exactly what you paid for it.

 

[DAVE]

A razor sharp cut will bleed more and is harder to clot or stop bleeding than a dull cut regardless the body part hit.

 

[Liberty]

If it didn’t matter the Native Americans wouldn’t have bothered making sharp arrowheads out of rocks. That is way more work than buying new broadheads or sharpening your old ones.

 

[mizzippi jb]

Growing up on a farm and castrating bulls, pigs, whatever. When you got to the tubes (with veins and whatever else) that hols the nads on, you used pliers to crimp and pull em off. Jagged edges, tears. Bleed less. If you used the razor, it was likely 1 would bleed to death. Same principal

 

[bigchiefchoctaw]

Growing up on a farm and castrating bulls, pigs, whatever. When you got to the tubes (with veins and whatever else) that hols the nads on, you used pliers to crimp and pull em off. Jagged edges, tears. Bleed less. If you used the razor, it was likely 1 would bleed to death. Same principal

Interesting.. i guess I think of it as the more it tesrs up the worse the damage will be. Maybe my thinking is wrong and need to look at it differently

 

[Nicodemus]

If it didn’t matter the Native Americans wouldn’t have bothered making sharp arrowheads out of rocks. That is way more work than buying new broadheads or sharpening your old ones.

The rocks the Indians were using were sharp too. Some of the stone they were making points out of is up to 1,000 times sharper than the sharpest surgical scalpel.

Never underestimate the ability of good chert and obsidian.

 

[bigchiefchoctaw]

The rocks the Indians were using were sharp too. Some of the stone they were making points out of is up to 1,000 times sharper than the sharpest surgical scalpel.

Never underestimate the ability of good chert and obsidian.

That’s something I never had the pleasure to learn. Fascinating how they made things and lived back then

 

[mizzippi jb]

Interesting.. i guess I think of it as the more it tesrs up the worse the damage will be. Maybe my thinking is wrong and need to look at it differently

Think about a soft hose or pipe full of water with fine grains of something in it. (blood with platelets). If you cut it with a razor, it's gonna pour out. If you crush it and /or stretch it til it pulls apart (jagged ends), it's gonna come out slower and enough grains (platelets) rush to the hole it could stop it up

 

[bigchiefchoctaw]

Think about a soft hose or pipe full of water with fine grains of something in it. (blood with platelets). If you cut it with a razor, it's gonna pour out. If you crush it and /or stretch it til it pulls apart (jagged ends), it's gonna come out slower and enough grains (platelets) rush to the hole it could stop it up

Certainly makes sense

 

[Liberty]

The rocks the Indians were using were sharp too. Some of the stone they were making points out of is up to 1,000 times sharper than the sharpest surgical scalpel.

Never underestimate the ability of good chert and obsidian.

I'm not knocking their equipment, just saying that knapping 2 blades and point into a rock wouldn't have been worth their time and effort if a dull rock would work just as well. I bet they spent a lot more time looking for a good point than we do looking for a lost arrow.

 

[bigchiefchoctaw]

Has anyone ever done any testing on the subject ? I don’t have ballistic gel or I would. I tried to google it but it didn’t turn up any videos or such that or my googling expertise is well lacking !!

 

[Liberty]

Here is an hour of broadhead tests surrounded by a whole bunch more.

 

[notnksnemor]

It's not really about the penetration, but rather the cutting of arteries and other blood vessels.
A major vein or artery will have a tendency to "roll around or off" a dull edge instead of being cut lessening the chance of a good bleed out and blood trail.
Ballistic gel will not simulate this effect unless you can imbed rubber tubing or the like in it.

 

[bigchiefchoctaw]

There is a fellow called Lusk archery or something like that. He does a lot of broadhead testing and does the ballistic gel and different stuff. I was mainly wandering if dull vs sharp was that big of a difference in penetration or killing of an animal. Seen one guy say hunting with a dull broadhead was unethical. To me that seems to be a stretch.

 

[notnksnemor]

6" of penetrations that cuts all major veins/arteries it touches will kill quicker that a pass thru that doesn't.
A sharp serrated edge is actually more effective that a smooth scalpel sharp edge.

 

[Triple C]

Can’t fathom shooting anything less than very sharp broadheads.

 

[NCHillbilly]

There is a fellow called Lusk archery or something like that. He does a lot of broadhead testing and does the ballistic gel and different stuff. I was mainly wandering if dull vs sharp was that big of a difference in penetration or killing of an animal. Seen one guy say hunting with a dull broadhead was unethical. To me that seems to be a stretch.

Dull vs. sharp is a veeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrry big deal. And it's not a stretch at all.