K. M. Robinson 30+Yrs. Bowhunting and competitive archery
A lot of people get the feeling that the main objective of this site is to trash every good head out there.
This couldn't be further from the truth.
IF IT'S A GOOD HEAD WE WON'T BE ABLE TO TRASH IT.
It is a fact that all heads will kill game when put through both lungs but it is also a fact that only a select number of heads out there will do their job in a worst case scenario.
Here at the THEARCHERSEDGE.NET we don't concern ourselves with the fact that some popular heads just can't cut the mustard when it comes time to see genuine stresses that exist in the field.
We don't care if some of the most unpopular heads can stack up during testing.
What we do care about is weeding through them all so that we may allow our members to decide for themselves if they feel confident with what they see here in our test format.
This forum is set up as a service to Bowhunters everywhere and if you as a Bowhunter choose to disregard what we evidence here in testing and choose instead to follow the crowd, that's your right.
If you kill something with a failing head you can be assured that we are happy for you but that doesn't change the fact that the failing head you used can fail and will fail as has been shown in testing.
If you feel the need to tell us that you killed something with a failing head then by all means do....but this doesn't mean that we are wrong.
We have a tradition of re-testing and we have not failed a head yet that has passed a second test without that head having been improved by the manufacturer in some way.
We have a lot of manufactures here who watch these tests and many have used this testing format to improve their product based on the results of these tests.
Do you care about those manufacturers who do their best for you?
We ask that you support the good guys....that's all.
Just want those to know that at thearchersedge.net , we are behind you all the way and trying to look out for your best interest as best we can. We don't claim that you are wrong if you disagree with us. However ..... we do ask that you prove to us that we are wrong with hard physical evidence that is derived in the same manner as our own tests. Typical harvest photos of deer and other large game that have two holes through the center of the lungs don't prove that a broadhead is acceptable .... it only proves that the hunter got a good shot on that animal.
Field kills are not tests in as much as , normal kills don't involve the stresses that we manufacture in our format or that can happen in hunting situations.
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TEST EQUIPMENT
For a lot of people who have followed my reviews over the years , it is common knowledge but for the rest....
The Main bow is set @ 327fps @ 62# and shoots an arrow weight of 300 grns. Total weight.
It is at the lower end of spine to allow for top speed and some flex which finds poor fliers in short order.
K.E. is 77# For this Bow.
The Second Bow is set up to more of a norm for the average out there @ 60# and has a chrono'd speed of 258fps and an arrow weight of 320grns. for a K.E. of 47#
The third bow (used in Traditional tests) is a recurve that produces 160fps and shoots a 350grn. arrow for a K.E. of 20#
Hours are spent shooting each head and known quality heads are shot at the same time to ensure that any problems on my part are confirmed and visa/versa
A head must fly well and that means no more than 1.5" off the mark.
I always do the test flight portion with the blades centered which is to say that on a four fletch arrow (which they are) with a three blade head , the odd blade is between two feathers and two blades are in line with two.
A four blade head lines up all around and a two blade is centered between the feathers which are shot across the rest at a 90 degree angle.
The two blade head therefore is set up so that when taken from the quiver it will always be in the correct position for shooting as well as the four blade head.
I purposely shoot all heads in rotation which only effects three blade heads since they are the only odd balls of the group in as much as is their aerodynamic design.
In testing the heads are indexed at 12,2,3,4,6,8 & 9 o'clock.
Passing heads must fly in any position.
My view is that most hunters are not going to stop to index their head prior to loading the arrow in a heated moment and therefore the head must perform correctly in each case.
As I stated before....I have had some heads do this but none of the heads which have passed have exhibited this attribute albeit it a function of design.
The ability of the blade to hold an edge through bone as well as the first edge is important and also comes into play for each assessment.
minor damage such a scuffing gets a pass whereas chipping/chinking may receive a fail depending on the extent
The ferrule must also survive the board and bone test without damage.
The board is a 1" poplar wood which gets a 4hr. soak to allow it to act more like bone than wood.
Exception to this is the fixed head non-replacement head which gets the dry wood.
The board is set at a 30 degree angle against a probag for shock absorption.
The leading tip must also maintain its constructed form through out the finish of the test.
The only fail is a head that cannot meet all of the above.
The passing sections of each test will be listed before total sections in the thread header.
An example would be that if a head passes it would show as 4/4,
whereas a head which only passes two stages would show as 2/4.
Expandable tests are 5 stage which includes a quartering shot from a 60#bow @ 258fps @ 20yrds.
The head must not jack knife/cartwheel and must pass through.
This additional test will be done on pork ribs which are purchased from a local store.
The tests are for the average guy out there and the average guy is not going to think anymore into it than to ask for the same weight head as he currently shoots....if that.
I know that most all of the people on these sites are far more educated and do know how to work around problems but that is not the issue that the site is concerned with.
The site's purpose is to allow Joe/Jane average to select a head in the pass category and know that it will perform as described for him or her.
Therefore....
If it will work for Joe/Jane average...what can a seasoned archer do with it?
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EXPANDABLE TESTING
Expandables get special attention here at the Archersedge.
The fact of the matter is that very few people really know what any expandable will do beyond their own experience or that of others.
I would have to say that 80% of what I have heard expressed about these heads as a fact ...could be no further from the truth.
Like any opinion....many are based on nothing more than hearsay , rumor and/or ignorance.
I am going to make it my personal goal to seperate the good from the bad and eliminate all these wild stories for those who wish to open their eyes and their minds to what I report.
Two bows will be used for this testing.
The first is a reflex Grizzly that has a flight speed of 258fps. (more in the middle of the range for hunting bows today)
These shots will be done from a distance of 25yrds.
The second Bow will be the same BK2 used in all testing and produces 75 K.E..
The bow is set hot and the spine is at the lower end to allow for top speed and some flex which finds poor fliers in short order.
A head must fly well and that means , on the mark with no error.
The ability of the blade to hold an edge through bone as well as the first edge is important and also comes into play for each assessment.
Minor damage such a scuffing gets a pass whereas chipping/chinking may receive a fail depending on the extent
The ferrule must survive the board and bone test without damage.
The leading tip must also maintain its constructed form through out the finish of the test.
In addition to these test there is also the quartering shot which is exclusive to the expandable testing and will use the lower poundage bow.
A head must not skip or jackknife on three out of three shots on a section of pork ribs and must pass through.
The only fail is a head that cannot meet all of the above.
There is more to it than this but this is the bottom line.
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All positive or negative input should be brought forth with photo evidence here.
In order to build consensus , we need physical evidence in such an amount as to draw a conclusion so that we can go back and retest to find out why anything is or has happened.
If a passed head fails in the field we want to re-test to find out what went wrong.
Was it you?...or was it the head?
We need to know and you need to know so please keep it coming and we will keep watching