Mounting a flint head ..Pictorial

[the Ferret]

Thanks Killdog. I just mounted a couple more last night getting ready for a trip to Texas.

Chuck that is a tough one and to tell you the truth I don't now if I have an adequate answer for you.  I have an article coming out in a future issue of PA in which I expressed similar concerns. They can feel somewhat sharp, but not sharp like a 22 1/2 degree shaving sharp metal edge, yet because of their design still cut and penetrate as well as a modern head. If you have some heads that are "new" in other words freshly knapped by a reputable knapper chances are they will be sharp. If they have been in the dirt for years they will for certain not be sharp enough to hunt with. If you have doubts you can take a copper flaker and take off small flakes off the edges to reveal new edges to resharpen.

Having taken deer myself with a flint head and see the success of others such as Dean Torges, Tim Ott, Flntknp17 (Matt Graesch), DTala, Doug Campbell, Mark Baker, Killdeer, Osagetree, Wile E. Coyote (most recently) and others I no longer have any trepidations about using stone points. If I do my job and put the arrow where it belongs, the ancient rock will do it's job.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Question:

before tying/wraping the sinew how do you test it to see if it's spins true? ( I know just like any other kind of BH ) but are you looking for a wobble at the point or where it's joined to the shaft? Also if your cut in the shaft isn't just right doesn't that mess up the true spin as well?

[the Ferret]

Sal if you are using the pine pitch you can heat it up and re-adjust it if need be, but if you look at the pics on page 1 and see the one where you are looking down the shaft, if the tip lines up with the centerline of the shaft it should spin true. My heads mount tight enough in the slots that I can spin them on their tips and look for wobble.

I just took these 2 pics. In this first pic, the head is in the slot but not glued in

   

In this second pic (it's not really blurry) the head is standing on the tip and spinning at a high rate of speed. If it spins like a top, with no wobble, it is true.

   

If it spins like this I can glue it, sinew it and shoot it and it will fly true. If the head is straight the slot must be straight. If the head is not straight then the slot must be made in the shaft to that it comes out straight, but I try to work with straight heads only.

[the Ferret]

Sal here's what I mean by the tip lining up with the centerline of the shaft (see I learned a new trick tonight hee hee)

 

If the very tip is to the left or right of this centerline it won't spin or shoot worth a durn. It will be very noticable if it is off when you try and spin it.

[Pat B]

Sal, I like using pine pitch glue for hafting points because it is adjustable at any time with a little heat. When I haft a point I pre-fit the point in the slot , remove it, drip molten pitch into the slot and push the "pre-heated" point into place. As it cools a bit I do spin tests and adjust as needed. Then, when ready, I wrap with sinew(that I've chewed) and when dry, I spin it again to be sure it's true before I seal it. Some times you will have to reheat the point (only) and adjust it. Be sure that the point lines up both horizontaly and vertically with the center line of the shaft.  Pat

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Thanks Micky & Pat, I want to get some points and try my luck at it. You Both do great work from I have seen on here and You both are very helpful in showing/telling how to do things. You both reinforced what I was thinking and I just wanted to make sure of that.

Now going by the pic of the spining point, if the tip is off (from being knapped) wouldn't that make it wobble? if so would you use a arrow spinner ( the kind they make these days? )to check for trueness.

[Pat B]

Sal, I've never used an arrow spinner. That will only tell you if the shaft is straight and I use mostly hardwood shoot arrows and none of them are straight. If an arrow and point spin true as Mickey has shown, it should fly true.
  I have mounted points that weren't flat on all plains but with a little adjustment when hafting the point, the arrow will spin true.
  If you're buying stone heads or have some you have made or someone gave you, check all sides to be sure it's as true as possible. Quite a few heads that I have look great if looking at the 2 flat surfaces(arrowhead shape) but if you turn them on edge they favor one side more than the other. Some of these will never be hafted on arrows.   Pat

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Thanks Pat, You answered my question.... I can't use them kind of points here in Jersey, but I'm plainning on moving back down to Texas and I'll get some then and try them... Great Tut Mickey...& Thanks again Pat. Happy New Years Guys

[the Ferret]

per Flntknaps suggestion I went back down and added some more sinew to the hafting on these heads

 

 

Hey Sal you'll notice the second one in from the right in the bottom pic is the one in the spin test above.

That should do it! LOL

[**DONOTDELETE**]

They look great Mickey, I understand now what You & Pat are talking about...Later in 2007 I'll be trying my hand at making points a mounting them. AS of right now hopefully I'll be moving to Texas by Febuary 1st 2007, this way I can use them as well.

Happy & Safe New Years every1      

[Ray Hammond]

I've seen a bunch of critters shot with stone points...and I have to say, the wound channels are in almost every case what you would describe as AWESOME!

They are not slits, but rather holes that would be difficult for even a hog to close up with fat...and the blood trails have been nothing short of spectacular.

I haven't seen a marginally hit animal with a stone point, so can't comment on that...but as Mickey says, if you put it where its supposed to go you are going to be amazed at how well they work.

And after the shot, its generally not any less sharp than when in your quiver previously.

If you mistakenly cut yourself with one you will quickly learn how effectively they work- the wounds I've given myself with stone material I've ended up super glueing because they woudlnt close up any other way.

Check your state laws to be sure you are doing it legally...your mileage may vary.      

[JC]

That's some wicked looking ammo there Mr. Lotz...looking forward to some pics of your further "testing"   :D

[the Ferret]

Won't be long JC..we are headed down to hunt with Littlefeather first week of February and chase some of those critters in your avatar. Think one of those rocks will go thru a stink pig ok?

[9 Mile Archer]

Great tutorial! Those are really wonderful looking arrows. I can't wait to see them go to work on a pigs vitals!

[ber643]

Great thread - all the way through ("It takes a Villiage ... " - LOL. Or "How many Tradgangers to haft a head?" Answer: "Who cares, as long as we wind up with great info like this?") Definitly going into my printer - so I have pages for easy reference. I know, Puter storage is easier and takes less room but i like a page I can pick up and look at where I am working - I got a million of 'em (pages that is -   :D  ) I'm gonna do some  this  winter, before next season, good Lord willing!

[AZStickman]

Nice Job Mickey...... I'll be heading out to the shop to see where the tiller is sitting on your bow after I have my my morning coffee.....Terry

[Huntrdfk]

Nice looking heads and shafts Mickey, is the shaft with the small white stone head footed?


David

[the Ferret]

Thanks Bern!

Cool Terry! I'm excited about the prospect of chasing stink pigs with "Compadre".

Thanks David,  no that is a node right behind the head. It is plugged though.

[ncboman]

Hi guys,

excellent thread. I bought some agate heads from a popular seller on ebay and took a pic of some and the weight of each.

   

   

These heads aren't the best or as sharp as I'd like but were something to work with.

 

 

[the Ferret]

ncbowman..look like plenty heavy heads but perspective is difficult without something of known size. Are the 78 and 80 small (dime sized in width) and the 280 282 quarter size and the 258 181 penny or nickle sized?