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Message started by Monster on Sep 12th, 2009 at 8:14pm

Title: Attaching Flint arrow heads
Post by Monster on Sep 12th, 2009 at 8:14pm
So I started playing around knapping flint.  After making some poor arrow heads I thought these need to be on arrow, so this is how I attached one.  Slit and filed down a straigh branch, stick the head into the slot and tied it on with artifical sinew.

My questions is how to other people attach flint arrow and spear heads?


ArrowHeads.jpg (257 KB | )

Title: Re: Attaching Flint arrow heads
Post by Monster on Sep 12th, 2009 at 8:17pm
Of course the next step is to shoot the sucker.  I loaded up a kids 24 lb bow and when and shot the ground and some pop cans.  I t actually worked without falling apart.  Next step I think is to put it on a proper length arrow and try it from my 50lb bow.  The first arrow is only 2' long because that is the longest straight branch I could find in my yard quickly.


CokeArrow.jpg (329 KB | )

Title: Re: Attaching Flint arrow heads
Post by Bikewer on Sep 12th, 2009 at 8:51pm
The traditional method is pine pitch or similar adhesive and real sinew binding.  Sinew is stretchy and dries hard, so it creates a tight bond.

The latest release of the Traditional Bowyer's Bible has an entire chapter on "arrows of the world", with illustrations of dozens of different types.

Title: Re: Attaching Flint arrow heads
Post by aztec on Sep 12th, 2009 at 10:10pm
nice points!

if you cant get pitch andf real sinew i recomend using epoxy and fake sinew or even beter would be to use hot melt glue so you can just heat the points up if  you need to remove the points in the future

most larger sporting goods stores sell archers hot melt glue, its a bits stronger than the other stuff

Title: Re: Attaching Flint arrow heads
Post by David Morningstar on Sep 13th, 2009 at 4:20am
Look up 'hafting flint points' on youtube, the videos by Paleoaleo are 100% awesome.

Title: Re: Attaching Flint arrow heads
Post by paleoarts on Sep 13th, 2009 at 4:38pm
i generally just set my points with glue (pine pitch, hide glue, or hot glue) then wrap the shaft behind the point with sinew to prevent splitting. i usually use obsidian or dacite for my points which, although extremely sharp, are rather fragile and rarely stand up to more than one shot. by using this method it's easy to replace a broken point while keeping the arrow shaft (the more difficult peice to make) intact. flint, on the other hand, is quite a bit more durable and a combination of glue and wrap might be more warrented.

Title: Re: Attaching Flint arrow heads
Post by paleoarts on Sep 13th, 2009 at 5:30pm
here's an example of how i set my points. it's a 3 1/2" spear point instead of an arrowhead, but the technique is the same.
100_1590_640x480_001.jpg (115 KB | )

Title: Re: Attaching Flint arrow heads
Post by xxkid123 on Sep 13th, 2009 at 5:37pm

Paleoarts wrote on Sep 13th, 2009 at 5:30pm:
here's an example of how i set my points. it's a 3 1/2" spear point instead of an arrowhead, but the technique is the same.


so basically you really just tar it into place, then use cord (or sinew) to whip the back off to prevent it from splitting further then it should, rather then using the whipping to hold it into place

Title: Re: Attaching Flint arrow heads
Post by paleoarts on Sep 13th, 2009 at 6:04pm
that's right, kid. ideally, in a hunting situation, you'd want your point to come off inside your prey and the shaft to fall out. this will speed up the animal 'bleeding out' and spare your shaft from damage. the only time you really need to tie your points on is if you plan on pulling them out (shaft and all) and reusing them which is an unlikely scenario with brittle stone points. now, if you're using bone or steel or even tough flint like monster, then tying is sometimes worth the effort.

Title: Re: Attaching Flint arrow heads
Post by David Morningstar on Sep 14th, 2009 at 5:38am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xlaxd6px_0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIg_ehEZQyM

Native american points were usually hafted with pitch and sinew, sometimes with sinew alone.

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