who has used flint arrowheads

[calgarychef]

Hello, I've been knapping away and making arrowheads. My question for the people who have hunted with rocks is about arrowhead profile.  

I've been making my heads in the "traditional" plains style.  They aren't super pointed and I think they will work fine and won't easily break.  I also see photos of heads that are quite pointy with a thin "needle" tip.  So for the people who have actually killed with rocks what are your opinions regarding tip profile?

This was hard to type with this big bandaid on my finger....I must me a knapper  

[ozy clint]

mate i've only shot one pig with stone points. it was a christmas tree style point with a profile like your standard zwickey eskimo, ace, magnus stinger.
 
it was devastating!
i can see the needle point ishi style points breaking tips as you say.

i've shot some very well made points into a dead water buff and the results were broken heads.

[Jon Stewart]

I have killed one deer with a stone head and I made it more of the plains style type.  The wood arrow didn't break but the point broke at the haft but was kept together with the sinew.

[Herdbull]

My brother Mark killed this buck as well as a bison using this style point. In both cases the head was made from Kentucky flint from Don Gilson performed excelent and the heads were intact to hunt again. Mike
 
 
 
 

[Herdbull]

He took a doe with an absidian head of more triangular design, but it was much thicker in the center with a much steeper angle to bevel. It worked on the doe, but he prefers the flint heads better. In each case the heads were intact after passing through the animals. Mike
 
 

[Jon Stewart]

Don Gilson's point are outstanding.

[razorsharptokill]

I have several arrows with stone points on them but have yet to connect with any. Maybe this year. Goal is to kill a deer with my rivercane, stone point,and Osage selfbow.
 

[calgarychef]

I think I'd choose the head in the middle, it looks a little more robust.  What do the others think?

[bondo]

I've taken several deer with stone points. I like to use a side notch, but have used a corner notch with success. Seems like the side notch is a little more durable, maybe a little better penatration with a corner notch.


 

here are a few of the type I like to use.
 

and one used on a nice doe two years ago.

 

[snakebit40]

AWESOME THREAD!        

[ozy clint]

seems like a broken haft is a very common occurance. however i think they break when the animal runs after the shot. if your haft is breaking on the way in we wouldn't be seeing all these pics. they would still be in the bush.

[bondo]

With natural hafting like sinew and hide glue, often times the blood from the animal will soften the sinew.It takes a little while, but the point can cut the binding. had it happen a few times if I tried to pull an arrow out of an animal.

[Benjy]

The middle point "bounced"    off a raccoon at 10 yards and yes he did charge me! I killed a Spike buck with the solid black obsidian head.

 

 

[Sam McMichael]

Benjy, that raccoon probably needs to be checked for steroid use.

I have made up my first cane shaft arrows a few weeks ago.  I hope to hunt with them this coming season, and I feel encouraged by these pics.

[mongoose]

Who sells stone hunting points? I'd perfer Ky flint. I have been thinking how great it would be to take a deer or black bear with a stone point.  

[elkbreath]

Razorsharp, do you make an App to sharpen those buggers?  

Or are we resigned to still using rocks and antler tips?

GREAT THREAD!  Love seeing these photos

[calgarychef]

Mongoose you live in Kentucky, if you can get you hands on some flint you should definately try making your own.  It's not as hard as it seems to make an arrowhead, some of the other things are truly difficult but a small head is easy enough for anybody.

[carpsniperg2]

Very cool thread. I have played with the points I have made. I hope to shoot a animal with one soon.

[bowhuntingrn]

Came across this gentleman over on AT, he has now started his own website. I personally bought a couple of obsidian knife blades from him. Great guy to deal with.  http://www.nativeflakesflintknapping.com/

[braveraven]

Profile is important but not as impportant as a "Scary" sharp edge from tip to shoulder. A very fine neeldle tip really isn't that necessary, they are fragile to produce, to carry and most likely don't aid in deep penetration.  The best cross section is a double convex profile thicker in middle and feathering out to thinner sharp edge. Edge work is the real difference between a good head and a great one.  Tease off those finishing flakes to provide a succession of sharp edge to next sharp edge.  Two guys that helped me alot were Norm Blaker of Michigan and Larry Bodnar of West Virginia.  Norm was an excellent hunter and took many Deer and Bears with his heads.  He had a neat trick of using his thumbnail to put the last fine serration on his edges.  By the way, the fellows who have shown you their points have their act together.  Hope this helps.  PERSEVERE.