German Kinetics FAQ
We use and recommend the 18-1 Targets from Rhinehart, especially the Rhinoblock and the Rhinoblock XL.
This Material is perfect to stop the SF-Broadheads without damaging.
Original GK SF-Broadheads withstand about 20 shots when using this target without getting dull.
If GK SF-Broadheads get damaged or destroyed the reason for this are most likely foreign bodies of steel within the target (very often old broadheads) which may be left in the target or in the 3D animal.
If GK SF Broadheads get damaged this way, this is no quality shortfall and we can not grant any warrantee in this case.
Blades cut on one side produce a rotation of the arrow when penetrating, which will leave a slightly enlarged opening when hitting bones and therefore produce less frictional resistance for the arrow shaft. This may lead to a bigger depth effect than a blade with a "double-bevel-cut" might have caused.
However, please keep in mind that the additional rotation and the "milling away" of the bone material will cost additional strength and energy that will then be lost for the depth of penetration. Furthermore, blades cut on only one side deliver an insufficient "cut-on-contact" due to their geometry. The tip resembles ?the appearance of a screw driver?, and is therefore very difficult to sharpen. In our opinion, single-beveled broadheads only make sense when relatively thick arrow shafts are used.
We recommend an arrow shaft diameter that lies as far as possible below the biggest diameter of the broadhead (8.5 mm for SilverFlame broadheads). Modern carbon fiber shafts, especially the slim HIT-shafts by Easton and Beman, have shown themselves to be highly efficient. With them, the frictional resistance is minimized without wasting energy for the penetration.
When using HIT-shafts we recommend ?Broadhead Adapter Rings? (Easton B.A.R.s) to provide the broadhead with the utmost support (shear stability) on the thin shafts.?
Bleederblades (additional blades) are supposed to produce an additional cut at a 90° angle to the main blade. Ideally (complete penetration, no broken blade), this creates cross-shaped entry and exit wounds, thereby raising the chance of a better blood trail. However, the blood trailis more strongly associated with the point of impact than the number of blades. Often, it is thought that a greater destruction of tissue will lead to a stronger bleeding and ultimately causes the game to fall down. However, this ignores the fact that the additional cut takes place within the same small radius as the cut of the main blade. Because of this, the bleeding might only be minimally accelerated within that area. In fact, there is no proof of any relationship between escape distance and number of cutting blades of a broadhead. However, there is proof of a relationship between escape distance and penetration depth.
We had many discussions with surgeons about this issue. After all the analyzing of blood vessel structure we found that it makes more sense to generate a greater cutting radius which is accomplished with the SilverFlame XL broadheads. The bigger cutting width also achieves a higher penetration compared to one or two additional blades even at strongest game.
A blade that is as sharp as possible is the main reason for success when hunting with a bow and arrow. We recommend resharpening the blade when it is no longer able to cut a regular sheet of copy paper cleanly by simply pressing the blade on the edge of the paper (push cut).
SilverFlame broadheads are designed to provide a true "cut-on-contact". This means that they cut immediately upon contact in order to minimize the loss of energy of the projectile during the important initial cut. During extremely hard hits or with a big shear force, it was possible for the first 1 or 2 mm of the outer tip to break off. However, the point of break always provided a sharp edge so that the broadhead was still able to produce a high and deadly penetration.
Despite this minimal damage, the SilverFlame broadhead remained fully functional.
If the steel was hardened less carefully, the tip would only bend ("Curl-up"). A bad penetration would be the result. Since 2009, all SilverFlame broadheads are available with a "ToughTip" that is ground with a smaller radius than the main edge. This gives much more strength to the very tip. The ToughTip can get resharpened within one stroke together with the main edge and cuts by the very first touch, thus provides a true ?cut-on-contact?.
A broadhead penetrates organic tissue by cutting trough it. The better (or earlier) the blade cuts, the smaller is the frictional resistance and so is the loss of kinetic energy and momentum (directional force).
Exceptionally strong game possesses a relatively strong and sinewy skin that reacts with a lot of penetration resistance to blades that don't cut immediately upon contact. This will decrease the potential penetration. Chisel-point blades are often marketed by their supposedly higher stability against bones. However, game isn?t bagged by destroyed bones, but by a cutting depth that results in profusely bleeding organs. An adequately designed "cut-on-contact" blade will also penetrate bones effortlessly while upholding the arrows energy and momentum significantly longer than a chisel-point broadhead.
Foremost, the weight of the broadhead must be matched for the dynamic spine of the arrow shaft. The size of the game is a secondary consideration.
For example, both, small game and the African Cape buffalo have been successfully hunted using the SilverFlame 125grains.
Naturally, for extremely heavy game the dimension of the arrow shaft and the weight of the arrow need to be adjusted respectively. Here, the heavier models are more suited (starting at 150 grain) since they possess a higher FOC (more flight stability, better penetration).
As stated above, the correct dynamic spine is paramount for a true flying, well grouping and hard hitting hunting arrow.
There are only a few topics regarding the equipment of bowhunters which have been discussed and published more than the topic of broadhead tuning.
Numerous producers of broadheads, arrow shafts, arrow rests, etc. and bowhunters of every experience level have discussed this topic at length and can offer a solution for almost every tuning problem. In my opinion, everything has been said, so I don't want to repeat anything. For readers interested in this topic I recommend visiting the websites of the producers or magazines.
I frequently hear and read:
"The broadhead X flies badly, but broadhead Y has excellent flying characteristics", etc.
Many bow hunters try to put a huge flight on their broadheads to enforce passable flight characteristics.
Well, this is one option, but it only treats a symptom, not the cause, and I would like to conclude this topic with this:
"A broadhead almost never flies well or badly, it simply reveals the tuning mistakes of the archer!"
This means that it is necessary that the dynamic spine of the arrow shaft matches exactly the energy release of the bow, so that the arrow can fly perfectly. This way you won't have problems bringing your bladed broadheads to their destination.
Twobladers like the SilverFlame broadhead usually cause little problems and forgive some improper adjustments.
During independent tests, the SilverFlame broadheads have been tested by compound hunters, recurve hunters and longbow hunters and ALL of them hit the same target spot with this broadhead compared to field points of the same weight.
Caution:
Please make sure that your broadhead is fitted properly. It should always align perfectly with the arrow shaft and not "wobble" when the arrow is spun on its tip on a table top.
All SilverFlame broadheads go through an individual spinning test.