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Sitka Spruce pitch question

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Elktracker:
I have a couple very large Sitka Spruce trees We cut up a couple winters ago and there is a thick hard white pitch or sap or something. It melts down when used as fire starter and looks like it could be used for possible primitive projects. So my question is can I make use of this white had pitch for glueing arrow heads or other projects? If so how do i prepare it for use? Thankyou all for any help or info Josh

Sparrow:
I have a bunch I brought down from Alaska and am still using it. I got it melted together with some charcoal dust and a little bee's wax and spun up on a stick so that i just melt the stuff on the stick with a lighter and drip it onto whatever I am setting (Usually stone arrow heads in shafts) and for coating sinew lashings to waterproof them.
It's primitive and works good. Watch out when you are melting pitch. It is flammable.  '  Frank

markinengland:
Basically just heat it, to start with. Heating will boil off some of the more volatile elements. Not too much heat as this will make it brittle, while not enough will leave if gummy rather than a hard setting thing. Add an equal voloume of either powdered up rabbit poo or charcoal (to give fibres and act as a filler). If too brittle add some beeswax. Done.

Pat B:
I like to start off with hard brittle pitch then add bees wax(or animal fat) to make it less brittle. If it is sticky when you make your pitch glue the glue will be sticky too. If the pitch is hard, even though you add bees wax it will not be sticky to the touch.

Elktracker:
Ok thanks guys after looking closer there is a ton of this white hard pitch everywhere in slabs 3/4" thick by like16" by 3' long on some of these rounds. I know this is the wrong place to ask but rather than asking in bow section could this also be used as a finish on a bow? If so would it be the same mixture? thanks again guys Josh

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