Main Discussion Area > Arrows
penetration with stone points
duffontap:
Those are all some good posts. Flint, quartz and other stone is much different from glass. The advantage of glass is of course the 'sharper than steel' thing. We all agree that points are only as sharp as you get them. Glass has the potential for the sharpest edge by far but steel can be a lot sharper than most of us bother to get them. I don't know how sharp flint can get but I don't think it has the capacity for a steel-sharp edge.
Justin is right too. People are lazy. Tell a guy who only shoots his bow during hunting season that he has to carefully haft a stone point on with sinew and he's already lost interest. There's a practical side to these things too. A taper tool and hot glue are major labor savers. But, they also offer more hope of a correctly centered head and good flight. Stone-tipped arrows must be evaluated on a case by case basis.
125 grains of steel or stone just doesn't seem to be enough for any guarantee against breakage or bending. I'm pretty comfortable shooting a Zwikey Eskimo at an Elk because I know that they have taken thousands of huge animals without failure. But, I had one practically bounce off the shoulder blade of a nice bull Elk last year and I nearly left my bow in the woods. If I were a confident flintnapper I would be glad to use large flint heads on Elk. Obsidian just doesn't seem up to the task for Elk or Moose to me.
Justin, you said 'when in Rome...' My hunting equipment doesn't follow ancient European or Native American design so a stone point would not 'match' so to speak. That wouldn't keep me from using them if I knew how to make them well enough.
J. D.
Hillbilly:
JD, yep, flint, rhyolite, and especially quartz will break to a razor-sharp edge (at least the better grades of them, some of the grainier stuff won't get razor sharp.) I don't know how many times I've been knapping these materials and cut myself badly, but the flake that did it was so sharp that I didn't even realize I was cut until blood started dripping off my hand. I totally agree with your thoughts that no matter what point material you're hunting with, you should take the time and effort to get it as sharp as you possibly can before you shoot it at an animal. Sharpness isn't the only determining factor-point size and shape, durability, the way it's hafted, shaft and point weight all affect how a point will perform, but sharpness sure helps.
DanaM:
I have never used stone points but it seems to me that there really isn't much differeance in killing power between
well crafted stone or metal points. Native Americans used stone until it was replaced by metal. Why? because it was as
effective and required less work to make and was more durable. IMHO the lethalness of an arrow is determined by
shot placement rather than what its made of.
Justin Snyder:
--- Quote from: DanaM on August 01, 2007, 01:12:07 pm ---IMHO the lethalness of an arrow is determined by
shot placement rather than what its made of.
--- End quote ---
So your saying that a well placed shot with a field point is better than a gut shot with a 7mm mag. HMMMM I guess I cant argue with that.
JD, I will let you know how obsidian does on elk this fall. I have complete confidence. If I was a real napper I would make some points from real stone. As it is, I just use the little kid rock. ;D Justin
Coo-wah-chobee:
"Obsidian just dosent seem to be up to the task for Elk or Moose for me." Now thats really interestin' ta me J.D. I wonder have ya ever hunted hawgs ?..........bob
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version