RazorTrick Broadhead Failure

[@RCHER]

It was a downhill shot, through the spine and out behind the opposite shoulder on a mature (100 lb) blacktail doe last week. The arrow didn't pass through. Not a great angle, but I was confident, it was close range and I've had nothing but great luck with the Slick Trick magnums in the past.

These new Trick heads, the Razor Trick and the Grizz Trick have THICK, sharp blades. I would have never guessed this kind of failure. But, here it is. It dropped the doe, but I haven't had blades fall apart like this in a while.

I've made a few spine shots over the years, and never had the blades break up this bad. Especially on such a small animal. I even sent a 2" Vortex MiniMax mech head through the center of a vertebrae on the spine of a muley buck and was still able to sharpen and hunt with that same head again.

Looking at the frags, it looks like the metal is just too brittle - like cast metal. Not enough spring steel in them to bend without breaking. I guess it could just be this one unit, too. I like the concept of this COC head and they look tough enough to shoot through a shipping container, but I wonder if the original design isn't better than this new, funky, screw lock system they've got. Maybe the torque on the screw causes it to dynamite the blades. I dunno,  seems a little hokey though.

Keep an eye out for other reviews you come across about these heads.

[bankwalker]

thats horrible. ive seen it happen quite a few different times with different broadheads.

everyone thinks that broadheads will hold up to bone better then rock or concrete. bone is strong and will destroy a broadhead easier then rock or contrete. ive shot my slick trick magnums through a cinder block last year at 30yds and didnt do that kinda damage. the arrows suffered more then the broadhead did.

[@RCHER]

Okay, I want to stress this is not me ragging on Slick Trick heads, I'm not. I've talked with Gary Cooper about this issue and he's mentioned a couple times that they are all over it. But, being an analytical type, I like testing stuff. I get good data points that way. 

So, I thought "what the heck, let's put another RT through another bone test." I had a fresh bull bison scapula in the back yard, collecting coyotes, that I though would surely test the integrity of this head, at least as much as that little BT doe spine.

Again, I've been as impressed with the Slick Trick line of heads (standards and magnums) as much as any other in my 20 years of bowhunting. Probably why I've spent the energy poking another hole in this RT head. I want them to succeed. I just want to share this pattern I've seen. There is something going on with these COC heads that has them tearing apart. I won't get into the details now, but check it out and see how similarly these two heads broke up.

I set it up, and at 15 yards sent another Razor Trick head mounted carbon arrow through that heavy bone at just under 300fps. With a loud "CRACK" and a noticeable tail kick to the left, I had a feeling something let loose.

Here are the pics...

[@RCHER]

I'm with ya, Bank. Heads like the magnum STs, where the blades are protected by that steel ferrule, are hard to beat.

What happens with these COC heads is that the thin blade hits hard stuff at odd angles and the big blade begins to bend off center slightly. That bending energy can't recover and keeps bending as the straight force of the arrow plows in a straight line through the hole the blade(s) began to cut. Then as that main blade continues to build pressure as it bends and transfer it to the split cut ferrule, one or more of those ferrule petals gets enough energy to blow out and like a little bomb, goes off! The ferrule fails, the blades have no more support and so they just rip, tear and break up.

The strongest COC heads I've used over the years have had strong ferrule support very near the tip of the blades. The pic below is of a head that a guy I know in Southern California makes. The ferrule is basically machined from a hardened hydraulic shear pin. Blades are .040 thick hardened, stainless, spring steel. I've shot this particular head through a 55 gal steel drum and an old Snap-On toolbox.

[Slider]

Give these a try!!! 

http://store.germankineticsusa.com/gekisi10coso.html

[@RCHER]

That one always makes me chuckle, Slider. 

Even with aluminum ferrules, that design is a proven winner in the 2-blade category. It's right up there with the Magnus Stingers and so many others. But, just another 2-blade. That, and GK prices themselves out of being a viable competitor in this market. That little two blade I just posted above is that same basic design, but with a hardened steel ferrule. Tougher and cheaper.

I'm guessing Slick Trick will nail this 4-blade COC design eventually and have another one for the history books.