gravedigger hybrid broadhead

Gravedigger Broadheads Review | The Inside Information

In this review, I’m going to be covering a broadhead that has been around for a while. It’s one I’ve actually used in the field quite a bit and been fairly successful with. It’s called the Gravedigger.

The Gravedigger Hybrid broadhead overview

Let’s take a look at the design and some of the features of the Gravedigger Hybrid head (it’s called a “hybrid” because it has both fixed and mechanical blades). Then, I’ll show you how it performed when I put it through my standard array of tests.

gravedigger hybrid broadhead in closed position

Here is the Gravedigger hybrid in the closed position.

gravedigger hybrid broadhead chisel tip

This Gravedigger hybrid model has the chisel tip. (They also make a cut on contact tip where the fixed blades extend all the way up to the top).

The cutting diameter of the Gravedigger Hybrid’s fixed blades is 1 inch. In the closed position, the mechanical blades are ½-inch. So, just in the closed position, if the blades were not to open at all, it would be an inch and 1/2 of a cut, which is no slouch of a cut.

But the mechanical blades do open. They open really well, in fact. They’re not held in place by an O-ring or a retention clip, but rather just by friction, and that’s adjustable with a small Allen bolt.

The cutting diameter in the open position here is a full 1 and 3/4 inches. So, 1 and 3/4″ by 1″ – that’s a lot of cut!

adjustable friction screw on gravedigger broadhead

You can adjust the tension that holds the blades in place. But, when they encounter a medium, they open over the top and they fall back into their fully opened position.

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Gravedigger Blade specs

The blades of the Gravedigger are made out of a 416 stainless steel. The ferrule is a 7075 aluminum. It’s a pretty vented blade, but it’s still is a good stout aluminum, and the tip is a hardened steel, really stout, chisel tip.

I couldn’t find any information listing the blade thickness, so I used my micrometer to measure. The fixed blade measured 0.039 inches thick and the mechanical blades were 0.032 inches thick.

Gravedigger broadheads testing

I was eager to see how this head performed in my tests. I did not test it for long range flight, because I know it flies really well.

I consider it like a mechanical in terms of flight in the closed position, and I don’t test mechanicals for long range flight, because they all fly really well, even though this head has the little one inch fixed blade. I know it flies fantastic.

I tested for edge sharpness and retention, for penetration, and for durability.

Let’s see how the Gravedigger performed.

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How will your bow’s specs affect arrow speed?

Sharpness Test

The Gravedigger cut paper after four strokes of the arrow.

carbon arrow shaft dulling the gravedigger hybrid

I use strokes of carbon shaft arrow to dull the blades. I want to see if they can still cut paper after each stroke.

gravedigger broadhead paper cut test

I use strokes of carbon shaft arrow to dull the blades. I want to see if they can still cut paper after each stroke.

A mechanical broadhead with no collar… We test it HERE!

Ballistic Gel Penetration Test

The Gravedigger penetrated 6 and 1/4 inches through the foam and ballistic gel.

gravedigger ballistic gel penetration

The Gravedigger penetrated 6-1/4″ into the ballistic gel.

Is your arrow too “bendy?”
entry hole of gravedigger broadhead in ballistic gel test

Here’s the entrance of the Gravedigger. And you can see that the mechanical blades opened almost 1-3/4″ on impact. That bottom blade for whatever reason deployed a bit more effectively than the top blade. But, both of them opened up quite well for an over the top mechanical.

Find out how THIS hybrid head did in testing!
Interactive arrow FOC calculator!

MDF penetration test

I shot the Gravedigger through MDF five times. Below are the pictures.

I shot the first one in the closed position and the baldes didn’t open very much. But, then on the following shots, I kept the head in the open position when I was shooting, just to test durability.

gravedigger hybrid after going through MDF

Here, you can see the Gravedigger after going through a half inch MDF five times. As you can see, it held up relatively well. The tip is in still in great shape. The ferrule is also in great shape. The fixed blades are in perfect shape. And the mechanical blades also did really well. They didn’t break off.

Calculate your draw length instantly with THIS!
bent blades on gravedigger broadhead after going through mdf

Now, in terms of a bend, they did bend backwards a bit. The original on the left gives you a frame of reference. After the shots, there is quite a bit of arch to the expandable blades. But you know what? If you’re going to have a problem with the head kind of “failing,” that’s the way to do it. It’s not really a fail, because it’s continuing to cut even after going through this MDF five times. So, if there’s going to be any kind of a problem, to bend in that direction is the way to go. So overall, very impressive.

Click here for step-by-step details on how how build your own bowhunting arrows!
Arrow wraps for nock tuning [genius!]

Final Thoughts

So, what do you think of the Gravedigger?

Going through these tests reminded me why I liked it so much when I first started using it way back.

There are just so many heads. It’s hard to keep using just one. I’m a broadhead junkie and like to keep trying new things!

But, this is definitely a broadhead that’s worth a look. There are some weaknesses to it but there are a lot of strengths to it as well. It performed fairly well for an over-the-top mechanical.

So, check out the score sheet below and see what you think about it, and decide if these broadheads are the right heads for you.

gravedigger hybrid scorecard
Gravedigger Hybrid score card.
John Lusk archery goat
John Lusk of Lusk Archery Adventures
crimson talon battleaxe header image

Does this broadhead make the cut? | The Battleaxe Broadheads Review

In this review, I test a cool broadhead by Crimson Talon, called the Battleaxe.

I’ve already tested some of their fixed blade broadheads. And now I’m testing their mechanicals and hybrids.

The Battleaxe is a hybrid (but it’s not called the Hybrid… That’s a different one that I already tested.)

For all these tests, I’m using my Bowtech SR6 set at 72 pounds and I’m using Bishop FOC King Arrows for most of the shots. (I’m using the Bishop FAD Eliminator for the really hard impact ones.) Let’s check out this Battleaxe 125-grain head!

The Battleaxe broadhead up close

Now, let’s take a closer look at the Crimson Talon Battleaxe broadhead:

crimson talon battleaxe profile

Here’s a good look at the Battleaxe. Now, this is the 125-grain model. What a cool-looking broadhead! I love that main-leading blade.

battleax cut width

It’s got a fixed, cut on contact leading blade that is 7/8 of an inch. It’s 1 mm thick or 0.039″ thick. Both of the blades are made out of 420J2 stainless steel.

battleaxe ferrule

The ferrule is made out of a 7075 aluminum, which is stronger than some steels.

battleaxe broadhead bleeder blades

It’s also got this mechanical blade in the back. Now, in a closed position, it’s got 1 inch of cut and is sharpened on the edges with a single bevel.

battleaxe blades being forced open

Even if nothing were to open on impact, you’d have 7/8 of an inch cut in the front and 1″ of cut from the expandable blades in the back, which is nice. But, it’s going to open. And as it is forced to open, these main mechanical blades deploy and they reach a full cutting diameter of 2″.

battleaxe broadheads 100 grain vs 125 grain

They also make 100-grain model that you can see right here. It’s exactly the same. It just has a smaller leading blade in the front, has a 7/16 of an inch cut. So the 125-grain has 7/8 of an inch and the 100-grain has 7/16 of an inch. Everything else is identical.

Now, I would think that the 100-grain is going to be a bit more forgiving in flight than would be the 125-grain, just because of that extra wide leading blade. However, it’s still pretty small, at 7/8-inch and just two blades with a really low profile to the back mechanical ends of the blades. So, I thought it would fly really well.

I was really eager to put this head to the test and see how the Battleaxe performs. So, let’s see how it did!

Info on why FOC matters in bowhunting HERE

Flight Forgiveness Test

I shot 1 field point and then 2 broadheads from 40 yards…

battleaxe flight test

The field point is on the top left. The other two are the broadheads.

Bowhunting tips you should have in your quiver HERE!

Initial Sharpness

balttleaxe initial sharpness test

The initial sharpness before testing registered 250 (the lower the number, the sharper it is.)

Hunters, THESE are deer noises you need to be familiar with!

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Penetration Test

I shot the Battleaxe into 1/2″ MDF that was fronted with a 2/3″ rubber mat and ballistic gel behind it.

battleaxe ballistic getl penetration

The Battleaxe penetrated 6 1/4″ and the blades did fully deploy as well.

THIS makes finding your draw length a cinch!
THIS hybrid broadhead didn’t fare too well…

Edge Retention Test

battleaxe sharpness test after ballistic gel penetration test

After the first penetration test, the sharpness scale registered 300.

THIS interactive diagram shows all the parts of a compound bow!

Penetration Test 2 (layered cardboard):

battleaxe sharpness test after ballistic gel penetration test

The Battleaxe penetrated through 52 layers of cardboard. And I want to note that it actually cut quite a bit of cardboard as it did that because of that blade-forward design, compared to many mechanicals that just have like a long narrow tip at the front.

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THIS deer gestation calculator is awesome!

Angled Shot Test

battleaxe angled shot test

I shot the head into some angled 1/4″ MDF and carpet.

Nock tuning is critical and HERE’s why!

Durability Test (1/2” MDF max 3 shots):

battleaxe after 3 shots through mdf

Here’s the head after three shots through MDF. On the good side, everything stayed perfectly intact. On the negative side, the cutting diameter of those arced mechanical blades did decrease by about a half as those blades bent back a little bit more with each shot. (I’m showing it here compared to the original size that it was before those shots.)

Kinetic Energy calculator for your bowhunting setup HERE!

Durability (22 ga steel plate max 2 shots):

battleaxe broadheads steel plate test

Here it is after two shots into the steel plate. As you can see, it made really nice holes. You can see the blades got a little bit of edge chatter and nicked up as expected. The back curved blades just continued to hold in that smaller cut pattern, and maybe they even shrunk just a little bit more in their cutting diameter. But everything stayed intact.

How fast will your arrow fly? Find out HERE!

Durability Test (Concrete 1 Shot):

battleaxe after concrete test

Here is the Battleaxe head after impacting the concrete. As you can see, it didn’t do very well on the concrete. The leading blade broke in half and the ferrule broke in half as well. But to be honest, don’t think that that means that this head is not durable. For a mechanical with that size cut, to make it through MDF three times and make it through the steel plate twice is really impressive. So, the concrete is just kind of an extra test of the outer limits of durability and it only counts for 3 points out of 100-point scale. But overall, the durability of this head was pretty impressive.

Target panic can be cured… HERE’s how!

Final thoughts on the Crimson Talon Battleaxe Broadheads

So what do you think of the Battleaxe?

They did pretty well. I don’t know how Crimson Talon does it for the price that they do it at.

There are definitely heads that are higher quality and they cost a lot more, but these heads are really functional and get the job done.

Check out THESE fixed blade broadheads by Crimson Talon

So, check out the score sheet below and see how it performed in the areas that matter to you the most. (You can learn more about my scoring system on my YouTube Channel.)

Great job, Crimson Talon!

battleaxe broadheads lusk grade
Scorecard for the Crimson Talon Battleaxe broadheads
John Lusk archery goat
John Lusk of Lusk Archery Adventures
man holding largemouth bass wearing N1 Outdoors fishing shirt

Give ‘Em What They Crave! | Best Bait For Fishing In Lakes

Written by N1 Outdoors on . Posted in Blog, Fishing

If you’re just getting started lake fishing, a rod and reel, line, weights and hooks are a must.

But, then what? After all, fishing is fun, but catching fish is even better!

Let’s cover some things you’ll want to consider and be aware of as you choose the best bait for your next lake fishing adventure!

Knowing some key factors is important to setting yourself up for the best chance possible to put a hook N1…

1. Know The Different Types Of Bait

Generally, baits for freshwater fish are classified into two groups, these are:

  • Live Baits

Some anglers prefer live baits over artificial ones because they’re free (if you can catch your own) and contain the smell and texture that most freshwater fish species are already familiar with. Some ordinary, cheap, and easy-to-find live baits are worms, leeches, grubs, and mealworms.

shad for peacock bass

Shad are just one of the many types of live bait that can be used to catch freshwater fish.

These live baits may include clams and mussels, crayfish, eels, insects (caterpillars, crickets, and bugs), shad and other types of minnows.

  • Artificial Baits

Artificial baits are ideal for catching bigger fish and are safer to use. Some of the standard artificial baits are crankbaits, jigs, flies, and spoons.

bass fishing swim jig

Artificial lures that mimic a particular live bait can produce great results when fishing in lakes.

You may also use unique lures and tubes, such as abalone shell types. You may explore more types of artificial lures at a variety of websites, like https://www.meltontackle.com/ and others.

2. Identify The Fish You’re Planning To Catch

Before you grab your fishing rod and gear and head to the lake, you need to determine what type of fish you will be targeting, as this will help determine the main type of live bait or lure to use.

Here are some of the common freshwater fish types and the lures and baits they are typically attracted to:

Walleye

hand holding walleye over water

Adult walleyes feed primarily on other fish like shiners and minnows.

Walleye will likely be attracted by shiner and flathead minnows. For a larger catch, you may use 4 to 6-inch minnows.

Searching for the best fish finders? [check HERE]
Your fishing rod craves a makeover… here’s how to give it one!
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Bluegill

bluegill fish

Bluegill are fun to catch and they also will strike a variety of baits and lures… and bread?

Bluegill will feast on a variety of live baits, such as worms, crickets, grasshoppers, meal worms or night crawlers. When baiting the hook, you may want to consider covering the entire hook with the bait’s body.

Even pieces of bread, rolled up into balls and put on a hook can entice bluegill to bite.

Artificial lures like a beetle spin, rooster tail, or (if you’re fly fishing) artificial flies can all be effective for catching bluegill.

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Trout

Trout preys on both live and artificial baits. Because of this, you may use a crayfish, worms, night crawlers salmon eggs, and artificial lures.

Considering kayak fishing? Check THIS out!

Catfish

men holding flathead catfish caught noodling

Catfish will eat worms, minnows, stink baits, cut bait and even… your hand!

There are many types of catfish. But, typically, catfish will eat many different things they can find in the water, including nightcrawlers, leeches, dead and live minnows, and even leftover food (they’ll even bite your hand!) Baits that stink are attractive to many catfish, including flatheads.

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Bass

man holding largemouth bass wearing N1 Outdoors fishing shirt

Bass are one of the most sought after freshwater fish in the U.S.and bassfishing lures and gear is a cornerstone of the fishing industry. But what lures should you use? (see below)

Your can be very successful at bass fishing using both live and artificial baits.

Largemouth bass prefer shad, shiners, and minnows. If you use artificial baits, you may need to pick those resembling live baits that bass feed on.

Plastic worms, swim baits and other soft baits, as well as crankbaits are a some top choices of bass fisherman.

You may also use bladed baits like spinner baits and buzz baits, jigs, and topwater lures for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass.

Smallmouth bass and largemouth bass differences: Do you know them?

Crappie

black crappie being held

Crappie are predators and will feed on many different types of live fish, as well as artificial lures that resemble them.

Minnows, insects, and crayfish are all baits that a crappie will eat. In some cases, anglers will add a live bait to a jig for a dual presentation to get a crappie to strike. They will even feed on other immature game fish like walleye, bluegill, pike, etc.

Incredible taste! Learn how to filet a crappie HERE!

Pike

This fish feeds on baits with a strong smell, such as chubs, alewives, and smelt. They will often strike dead baits as well.

Salmon

salmon jumping out of water

Salmon may go after trout beads, sand shrimp, cut herrings and other fish, as well as crayfish, mayflies and more.

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3. Consider The Location

sam rayburn lake

It’s important to be familiar with the depth of the lake you will be fishing when choosing a bait or lure.

Freshwater fish, especially the larger ones, are often attracted to artificial baits. In addition, the deeper the location is, the more likely a fish will be after artificial bait.

If you’re after deep-water bass and similar fish, you may consider using baits ideal for drop shots, such as swimbaits. An excellent alternative live bait for this option is a worm.

You may opt to compact jigs, squarebill crankbaits, and spinnerbaits for shallow lake areas. On the other hand, panfish and worms are the natural baits for this space.

The body of a fish has many parts [diagram HERE!]

4. Think About The Weather

clouds over lake

The weather can play a big factor in when the fish will be feeding…

Weather affects your bait selection because of the barometric pressure associated with it.

Typically, hotter weather is the perfect time for freshwater fish to hunt for food. Because of this, you may need to use fast-running artificial baits.

On the other hand, fish tend to be sluggish during cooler weather, so you may prefer slow-running jigs and crankbaits.

However, an exemption to this generalization is the bass population. In many cases, bass like to move and feed when there’s an approaching storm. Because of this, you may consider the baits you can aggressively use during this time.

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Bassfish? Fish with the best! [list HERE]

5. Consider The Season

Worms may work any time of the year, but this isn’t always the case for other baits.

Different seasons may require various types of bait. For example, spinnerbaits work well during the morning and the evening in the summertime.

Crankbaits, on the other hand, are suitable for deep-water summertime fishing. In the Springtime, finesse worms and suspended crankbaits may provide better resulsts. You may also combine lures and baits with jig baits and crayfish.

mille lacs bass fishing lake

The time of day, as well as the seasons also have a major impact on when fish will feed…

Many freshwater fish swim in shallower water during autumn. Because of this, you may need to use shallow-running crankbaits.

The ideal live baits for this season are minnows, bluegills, and shad. Winter fishing could be challenging because of the inclement weather.

In addition, live baits can be harder to find during this season. Many anglers will use shad raps and hair jigs during this time of the year.

Could THIS be the best all-around fishing knot?

6. Check The State’s Fishing Regulations

Every state has different fishing regulations when it comes to baits.

Most states identify worms, vegetable materials, and artificial baits as legal baits. However, some states don’t allow the use of some baits. For example, in California, anglers are prohibited from using bluegills as baits. Live fish, shrimps, frogs, and leeches aren’t allowed in Idaho.

West Wells holding largemouth bass wearing N1 Outdoors fishing shirt

Be sure to check the local fishing regulations of where you plan to fish.

To avoid using illegal baits in your state, you may need to be familiar with your state’s fishing regulations. In most cases, you’ll find rules regarding this matter on the Fisheries and Wildlife Department’s website of the lake you plan to fish.

Generally, these rules may also contain a list of legal and illegal baits and the legitimate ways of fishing and storing baitfish.

Here are some of the BEST bass fishing lakes in the U.S.!

Closing Thoughts on Best Baits For Lake Fishing

Lakes are some of the best spots for freshwater fishing. They’re home to some of the best freshwater fish, such as largemouth and smallmouth bass, blue catfish, and Northern pike.

However, for the best chance for fishing success, anglers need to do their homework and be familiar with the above sections before wetting a line.

Do you know which sharks are found in the Gulf? [list HERE]

Of course, for more ideas of what baits are ideal for a particular fish, lake depth, and time, it’s always a good idea to ask local and seasoned anglers about their fishing hacks.

Additionally, fishing forums and groups can also provide helpful information about current angling practices, including the recent and cost-effective lures and baits you may need in a particular body of water

Happy fishing and we hope you put a hook N1!