Why don't my fixed-blade broadheads hit with my field points?

Exposed blades plane in the air like fins, so they react to tuning and form errors that field points shrug off. The divergence is almost always a tuning issue, not a broadhead defect. Start with paper tuning for a bullet hole, then walk-back tune at 20 to 40 yards; as the bow comes into tune, the broadhead group will move toward the field-point group. Also confirm blade alignment and adequate rest clearance.

Are fixed blades better for penetration than mechanicals?

On equal setups, yes. A fixed blade spends none of the arrow's energy on deployment, so all of it goes into penetration — an advantage that matters most on heavy bone, steep angles, and low-energy or traditional gear. The trade-off is accuracy: fixed blades require careful tuning to fly with field points, whereas mechanicals usually need very little.

What's the best broadhead type for a traditional bow?

Fixed blades, almost universally. Traditional bows generate less kinetic energy than modern compounds, leaving little to spare for opening a mechanical's blades, so the reliability and penetration efficiency of a fixed blade matter more. A two-blade, cut-on-contact design is a classic traditional choice because it begins cutting immediately and penetrates deeply on modest energy.

Fixed-Blade Broadhead

A fixed-blade broadhead is a hunting head whose blades are permanently exposed and do not move. With no deployment mechanism to fail, it offers the highest reliability and the most efficient penetration of any broadhead type — but its exposed blades demand a properly tuned bow to fly with your field points.

Details

The case for fixed blades is reliability. There are no moving parts, no O-rings, and nothing to fail to open at the worst possible moment. On a hard quartering angle, a heavy-bone hit, or a low-energy shot, a fixed blade simply cuts — which is why they are the default choice for traditional archers, lower-poundage setups, and hunters pursuing large or heavy-boned game. They are also the most penetration-efficient design, because every bit of the arrow's kinetic energy goes into driving the head through tissue rather than into opening blades on impact.

The cost of that simplicity is aerodynamic. Exposed blades act like small wings: in flight they catch air and steer the arrow, so any imperfection in tuning, form, or arrow spine that field points tolerate gets amplified. This is why a setup that groups field points beautifully can scatter fixed-blade broadheads several inches away. The fix is not a better broadhead — it is a better-tuned bow. Paper tuning to a clean hole, walk-back tuning, and broadhead tuning all work to bring the broadhead group and the field-point group together at distance.

Blade geometry shapes terminal performance. Cut-on-contact tips begin slicing the instant they touch hide and penetrate efficiently, making them a favorite of traditional and lower-energy shooters; chisel or conical tips are tougher on bone but ask slightly more energy to start the cut. Blade count is a trade-off too — two blades penetrate deepest and leave a clean slit, while three- and four-blade heads cut a larger total wound at some cost to penetration.

Single-bevel fixed blades deserve a mention. By grinding the edge on one side only, they impart a rotational force that can split bone and drive deep penetration on heavy game, and they have a devoted following among hunters chasing the largest animals. Whatever the design, a fixed blade rewards a hunter who tunes carefully, keeps the edges shaved-sharp, and confirms broadhead flight before opening day.

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Common questions

Why don't my fixed-blade broadheads hit with my field points?: Exposed blades plane in the air like fins, so they react to tuning and form errors that field points shrug off. The divergence is almost always a tuning issue, not a broadhead defect. Start with paper tuning for a bullet hole, then walk-back tune at 20 to 40 yards; as the bow comes into tune, the broadhead group will move toward the field-point group. Also confirm blade alignment and adequate rest clearance.
Are fixed blades better for penetration than mechanicals?: On equal setups, yes. A fixed blade spends none of the arrow's energy on deployment, so all of it goes into penetration — an advantage that matters most on heavy bone, steep angles, and low-energy or traditional gear. The trade-off is accuracy: fixed blades require careful tuning to fly with field points, whereas mechanicals usually need very little.
What's the best broadhead type for a traditional bow?: Fixed blades, almost universally. Traditional bows generate less kinetic energy than modern compounds, leaving little to spare for opening a mechanical's blades, so the reliability and penetration efficiency of a fixed blade matter more. A two-blade, cut-on-contact design is a classic traditional choice because it begins cutting immediately and penetrates deeply on modest energy.