so I followed the video on 3 rivers, marked the edges with a sharpie and ran it on a file. then I did a coarse hone followed buy medium and fine. Still seams dull to me. Any tips?

I use a belt sander and GENTLY clean up the blades, then file lightly, then cardboard then strop on leather.

Rick Barbee has a video on YouTube that's good.

I use a jewelstik 3-2-1. Easy to get shaving sharp in a couple minutes per head.

file-jewel stick-strop

My final passes on the file are VERY LIGHT, one stroke per side. If you're new at this it takes practice. I sharpened a lot of two blades and recently tried Woodsmans and even though they didn't fly well for me they sharpened very easily. A good quality file is also important. A rusty old one out of the toolbox doesn't do as well. It should barely shave before it even touches a stone or Jewelstik.

And Jewelstik X2

I like to fill the file with chalk first

Man I followed the 3Rivers videos to the T and I got mine hair shaving Sharp?

The way I do any three blade is with progressively finer grits of wet or dry used wet on a thick piece of glass. As you go to finer grits use less pressure.

Some people can get great edges with a file, but I'm not one of them!

Gottafish, after you true the blades go with very light pressure on the stones. If you think your using to light pressure your close. This helped me a lot with 3 blades.

You don't have to "true" the blades on the Elites like you do with the old Woodsmans.

The Elites are CNC machined from one solid piece of steel, and are true right out of the box. It actually takes very little effort, with minimal steel removal to get them shaving sharp.

The Old Woodsmans are welded pieces, and you never really know what kind of shape the blades will come to you in.

Completely different broadheads.

Rick

I've shot Woodsman's for a long time, but I haven't tried the Elites. I don't really have anything to add to the above, other than to say that I agree with Flyfish's comment about using a good file. I buy a new one every couple years and use them on broadheads only. It makes a huge difference IMHO.

I've shot Woodsman's for a long time, but I haven't tried the Elites. I don't really have anything to add to the above, other than to say that I agree with Flyfish's comment about using a good file. I buy a new one every couple years and use them on broadheads only. It makes a huge difference IMHO.

Sorry about the double post. How do I delete one?

Gottafish...You are 100% correct. I have tried everything and I do mean everything and have never been able to sharpen a 3 blade worth spit !!!! Went back to 2 blades never to return to 3 !!! Good luck on your attempts !!! "Whitie"

I've said this before (probably many times), you will not get a 3-blade as sharp as a 2- blade head. It's just not possible, given the more obtuse angle of the bevel on a 3- blade.

That being said, can get a 3-blade head plenty sharp to do the job. One thing about the more obtuse angle of the bevel, the blade edge is much less likely to turn over so it keeps its "less sharp" edge going through the critter, whereas a more acute bevel might turn the edge over as it impacts the critter, creating a very dull edge going through the animal.

I have been sharpening some of the old Woodsmen as well as a couple of Snuffers this week. I use files and it is taking me about 30 minutes per head to get them to the point where they are cutting hair off my arm. If I move them to a fine diamond hone or leather strop at this point it only dulls the blade and makes it unusable.

I use my Work Sharp on my elites - no complaints.

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