New Killin' Tool....

[SAMCRO]

Many of you know I'm always on the quest for the perfect killin' tool in the form of the perfect broadhead. I've never found it, but it would appear I'm getting closer. I hate the cheap materials, marketing nonsense, gimmicks, and overall shoddy qualities of expandable heads. From a design standpoint, thin, moving blades held together with what can only be referred to as a shear pin is pure, unadulterated horsechit. The criminals that have pushed these ineffective monsters onto the American masses should be ashamed of themselves.

The heads I like, and have found to be most effective in laying waste, have always been fixed blades. I've used Slick Trick Originals, Slick Trick Magnums, Slick Trick Razors, Slick Trick Grizz, and Magnus Stingers with great success over the last several years. Of that lot, the Slick Trick Razors and Magnus Stingers come closest to killing perfection in my mind. Cut-on-contact, 4-blade, fixed heads of 125-grains and higher, flying at the end of fast, 450-500-grain+ arrows have produced better, more efficient kills for me than any other combination I've tried.

These broadheads have yet to taste blood at my hands, but they will do so before too long. These aren't your average bear. You won't find them at Wal-Mart, Bass Pro, Cabela's or Gander Mountain. They're made by a relatively small manufacturer out of Hungary, and although it appears easy to get your hands on them, it didn't prove itself to be easy.

It was over two months from initial order/contact to getting these into my grubby mitts, direct from Hungary. I believe that will result in very few Americans trying them out, as will the price, which although not expensive for what they are, is much more than the average broadhead.

What initially attracted me, besides their construction, is the choice of blade steel, the blade thickness, and the cutting diameter. Besides my general snobbery, I'm a knife snob, as well. Steel is important to me, whether it's used in a pocket knife, fixed blade knife, axe, or broadhead. The steel choice in these heads is far and away the highest quality, and best suited, steel I've ever run across on a head. M390 is very, very good stuff, and can typically only be found on high-quality knives (no, not the ones you buy at Wal-Mart in the bubble-pack), whether they be from a reputable production maker, or a custom.

Here are the head specs:

Blade material: Böhler M390
Blade hardness: 59 Hrc
Blade thickness: .059 (1,5mm)
Cutting diameter: 1,46/1,46" (38/38mm)
Ferrule material:
AISI 7075-T6 aluminium (125 grain)
AISI 1045 steel (190 grain) with brass ring

Yes - 4 COC blades made of M390 hardened to 59 Rockwell, pushing 1 1/2" cutting diameter......I can't wait to spill blood with these bad boys.....

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Due to the complex grind, which I show better below, it's difficult to ascertain visually the true, overbuilt thickness of the blades. Here is a shot of one of the blades removed, where you can more easily see and understand this:

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[SAMCRO]

Although there's nothing in these next two photos that allow you to judge scale, you can get a feel for the overall size of the cutting diameter. These should work nicely, and punch a very nice hole in the hide of whatever is targeted.

Coming at you:

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Headed away from you:

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[SAMCRO]

There was much work on the part of the designer, and you can tell this from the complex blade shape, as well as the complex blade grind (bevels). Interesting in that the grind continues along the back of the blades, where they are very effectively sharpened, the grind carrying over as they wrap around. The blade transitions (bends and corners) appear blunted at first glance, but when felt and looked at closely, you can see they are sharp, and beveled, although at a different angle than the primary grind. Like I said, interesting design that appears well thought out. Interesting manufacturing, as well, which explains some of the lead time.

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[SAMCRO]

I'm not sure if anyone here gets into the details, or has the experience or eye necessary to appreciate these broadheads. As usual, however, I do my best to inject some actual on-topic discussion at times.

[Limbshot]

Those look truly devastating. I am interested to see your results Cro. You know I love my Razortricks, but man, a 1.5 inch cutting diameter on a broadhead that by all rights appears to be built like a brick poopoo house. I am very interested to see the holes those put in an animal! Keep me posted. I assume they fly as well as the tricks with that big cutting diameter?

[PoisonSnake]

Looks a bit like the Shuttle-T in a lot of ways. I just bought 3 Shuttle-Ts to try out. I have heard they fly better than the Terminal-T. But, I have a half dozen of brand new Terminals to dull up prior to trying them out.

I do like the idea of the sharpened back portion of the blades. Leave it to the CRO to find something no one has ever else had.

[SAMCRO]

Looks a bit like the Shuttle-T in a lot of ways.

I'm confused by this comment, primarily because the same statement includes "a bit" and "a lot", which tend to be mutually exclusive. However, since I happen to like the Shuttle-T heads, and believe the design is good, outside of the weak blade retention and sub-par materials, I'll respond anyway.

If you pull your ears hard enough to make your eyes squint, I can see how a single blade profile could remind you of a Shuttle-T. They both have a significant sweep angle. After that, though, I don’t agree, and having held both I see no resemblance. It starts rather obvious – the Shuttle is 3 blades, this has 4. That’s kind of different. The Shuttle is .041” blade thickness. This is .059”. The Shuttle’s blades are held in similar to the old Muzzy style, with single blades sliding into this ferrule. This one uses interlocked blades, similar to a Trick. The Shuttle uses mystery “super fabulous surgical” typical junk steel. This is M390. The Shuttle’s point is part of the ferrule, with aluminum the leading edge. This one’s point is part of one of the two blade inserts.

So, these remind me of each other the way a Ferrari reminds me of a MG – they both have hoods, and wheels, and engines and stuff, and if you squint enough in dim light the profiles are sort of, kind of, a little, a lot, maybe alike.

[SAMCRO]

Those look truly devastating. I am interested to see your results Cro. You know I love my Razortricks, but man, a 1.5 inch cutting diameter on a broadhead that by all rights appears to be built like a brick poopoo house. I am very interested to see the holes those put in an animal! Keep me posted. I assume they fly as well as the tricks with that big cutting diameter?

Yes - the flight is as good as any other quality head. They hit a little lower than Tricks at 30 yards and beyond, but horizontally the same. Not enough vertical difference to make a change, either. Magnus do the same things. My guess is the Magnus and these weight a bit more than the Tricks, although I haven't weighed them.

[RB]

I will say one thing SC, you sure do your friggin homework. Having been around machine shops a good part of my former career that is some excellent looking grinding. We used to call it making jewelry when our guys would machine tight tolerance parts that looked good enough to wear as jewelry. Be interested to see the pics of your results. These post were a good read.

[PoisonSnake]

I was under the impression that the Shuttle T and the Terminal T were an all stainless ferrule.

[Tigerhaze]

My guess is the Magnus and these weight a bit more than the Tricks, although I haven't weighed them.

You have performed a detailed analysis and inspection of every specification of these broadheads, but haven't weighed them?

[PoisonSnake]

It appears they may be 190g based upon the specs he posted.

[Limbshot]

125/-.02 grains would be my guess, just eyeballing of course.

[Tigerhaze]

It appears they may be 190g based upon the specs he posted.

That's the reported weight, but based on how much they were finely polished I'm guessing they are now actually 189.32 grains.

[hobiecat]

I'm just wondering how much blood you lost stroking those things?