Knapped point question

[Jason Lester]

I have a couple questions on knapped  points and hunting with them. I have made a couple that I hope are good enough to hunt with this year. My plan is to put them on my rivercain arrows I've been working on and hopefully get a deer with all of the equipment I made.

My question is my points seem a bit thick. They meet stat requirments on width etc and seem ok sharp but seem thick to me but not to thick to haft onto the cane.

What are your oppinions on how to know if a head is good enough?

Thanks

[wtpops]

pics

[Jason Lester]

Here is a pic. They are obsidian. No pics of thickness though. I took some but I don't have my card reader to transfer them to my computer.
But they are maybe 3/16 thick at the thickest (near the back of the point)

 

BTW how do you test the sharpness

[BamBooBender]

I have never (yet at least) used stone points for hunting, but I gotta say; Nice job man!!

[Osagetree]

Good looking points! I would not be afraid to use them!

Keep us posted on your efforts!

Nothing like taking game with all your own handemade equipment!!!

 One thought though,,, your base tangs should not be any wider than the base of the cutting edge of the head (IMHO)as it may reduce penetration on entry.

[oneshot1]

The Abo's relyed on the "pointyness" of their points to do the job, projectile's were designed for penetration, bone points have a very weak edge and some are even round. You are almost going backwards by making the points wide enough to meet game law on broadhead size. A totaly different mindset was used to make and use "arrowheads" during the far past, the "poke a hole in this critter and run it down" method. Today we are worried about massive blood trials and big razor sharp heads. Those head's you knapped will do the job, providing they hit the right spot(like with any shot on game, no matter the projectile), but by using knapped head's dont be expecting a razor sharp edge, work on shot placement and tracking skills. A stemmed form might give you better penetration(nothing to "grab"), and reduce weight, or even a trianglular form for more weight reduction. Good luck.

[Killdeer]

3/16"? Plenty thin. Are you hafting them on a foreshaft? I don't see a problem so long as you wrap the shaft behind the head, as usual.

Killdeer

[knife river]

Look good to me!  A smooth taper in the hafting area will make it easier to get them on an arrow.  Good luck with the hunt!

[Jason Lester]

Thanks guys. I been thinking about narrowing those behind the notch. I'll touch them up or do that on my next couple.

I've only made a few so far These are 4 and 5.

I got some preform slabs that let me just do the presure flaking part. I'll have to learn al the rest later. It is kind of fun though so I'm sure I will. Just have to find a source for materials. Flint eventualy would be good.

[the Ferret]

Jason where'd you get the preform slabs?

[Jason Lester]

Mickey,  

  Got them a while ago on that big auction site. Haven't seen them since. Wish I had bought more. Want a few to try Mickey?

[the Ferret]

I'd like to see them. Can you post a pic?

There were some at Mojam I wish I had bought. They were actually cut on some kind of saw I think and were broadhead shaped but with a uniform thickness throughout if that makes any sense. You just had to pressure flake them. Came in all kind of colors. They were pretty cool. Dang alligator arms wouldn't reach into my pocket and come out with the cash.  :rolleyes:

[Jason Lester]

Sounds just like what I got. The guy selling them had bigger lots of them but  got the smaller bunch thinking I'd never use them all. About half will make big enough arrowheads. The rest would be questionable fo me anyway.  I'll take some pics and try to post them.

I have a few I can spare if you want.

BTW you feeling any better?

[the Ferret]

Went to Pulmonary specialist last Thursday. Another battery of tests. Thinks that the bronchi/lining of my lungs has an infection, put me on a steroid inhaler for the next 2 to 4 weeks.

Throw one or two in your desk at work. I'll stop over one day (if i remember how to get there ha ha) and take a look at them. What road is your biz on again? Tell you what email me the address and I'll plug it in Dianne's new Tom Tom and we'll see if it can lead me there.

[Jason Lester]

here are a couple pics for you Mickey
Sure gets you hooked on learning

 


 


 

[the Ferret]

Same prinicpal, the ones I saw were shaped differently but that looks like a good learning tool. Did you feel it was valuable expereince?

[Jason Lester]

Yeah I like them. I think I did ok and produced at least something that looks like what I intended. I still want to learn more and make some from raw material one day.

[knife river]

Making points out of sawn slabs is an excellent way to conserve material, but there's a couple things to watch.  One is to make sure you get a good taper in the thickness.  I like the thickest part of the point to be at the shoulders (just above the hafting area).  From there it's smooth tapers to both the basal edge and the tip.  The second is to make sure you have a thin edge, not a thick one that'll round over quickly and get dull.

I couldn't see that you had those issues on your points, Jason, but I thought I'd mention them if other folks were interested.  Hope it helps.

[Jason Lester]

Thanks for the info. It seemed that that is how it should have been and mine are OK I'd say. I'm still learning the pressure flaking so I'm open to any suggestions. The slabs seem to help get a finished product that looks like what you set out for. I wish I had more actually. Thinning toward the tip and edges seems to come naturaly if your getting longer flakes. (which took me a few pieces) I'm learning but would love to use them if they are good enough.

[JEFF B]

jason those are real nice heads well  done