Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: jonathan creason on August 05, 2010, 05:20:53 pm

Title: Banding Steel Trade Points
Post by: jonathan creason on August 05, 2010, 05:20:53 pm
For those of you making trade points from banding steel, what style are you making and how big are you making them?  I ask because I cut one out this morning, a little over 2.5" long and 1" wide at its widest point, and it only came in at 98 grns.  I'm afraid to go too long since it's not very thick steel, and I'm afraid it would bend.  I've got a gob of the stuff, though, so if I can get a design that'll work I'll have points galore.
Title: Re: Banding Steel Trade Points
Post by: JustinNC on August 05, 2010, 06:03:20 pm
I may can dig you up and extra circular saw blade........I will say though, they love those heavy duty reinforced cutoff wheels for a dremel. I think they may come in a touch heavy for what you want. I need to finish one this weekend and let you weigh it for me if you don't mind.

Also, what did you sharpen that one you showed me with? That Lansky I have with the course then the medium, then fine stone put an awesome edge on that first one I made. I have extra course and extra fine, but neither are really needed.
Title: Re: Banding Steel Trade Points
Post by: jonathan creason on August 05, 2010, 06:07:44 pm
I'll give a circular saw blade a shot.  If nothing else it'll pack a punch.  Bring one over and we'll weight it out.

As for sharpening, I just did that one on my disk sander by hand.  I need to make me up a jig to get the angles correct, then touch them up with the Lansky.  I think mine has course, med., fine, and then 2 grades of extra fine.
Title: Re: Banding Steel Trade Points
Post by: JustinNC on August 05, 2010, 06:13:48 pm
I just wish I could get that back edge straight. No doubt that point you had will kill.


That course stone on the Lansky with straighten those edges up really nice.
Title: Re: Banding Steel Trade Points
Post by: JW_Halverson on August 05, 2010, 06:56:32 pm
Use the grinding stones to shape the cutting edges, dipping the point in water really often to keep it from loosing it's temper.  Then use your Lansky (or Gatco in my case) to put the scary sharp edge on it. 

At 98 grains, you could use some wire wraps around the tang/shaft to bump the weight.
Title: Re: Banding Steel Trade Points
Post by: jonathan creason on August 05, 2010, 09:48:15 pm
Thanks for the pointers, JW.  I need to go get my grandpa's old bench grinder, I know my brother's not using it.  Wire is a great idea, too.

I cut one this afternoon that was a straight 3:1 acute triangle, with notches cut in the side for hafting.  Before cleaning up the edges and sharpening it weighed in at 124 grns, so that model might be usable for some of my lighter spined arrows.  I've got a fair bit of this material, and I know where I can get gobs more if anybody would like to try some.
Title: Re: Banding Steel Trade Points
Post by: JustinNC on August 06, 2010, 09:56:20 am
How wide is it originally? Will trade ya a circular saw blade for some!.....if not, you can still have the circular saw blade.
Title: Re: Banding Steel Trade Points
Post by: jonathan creason on August 06, 2010, 12:01:33 pm
It's a fuzz over an inch wide.  We'll make that swap, just bring one over the next time you come.  You can cut off as much as you want to tinker with.
Title: Re: Banding Steel Trade Points
Post by: 4est Trekker on August 08, 2010, 10:42:21 am
Here's a point I made for small game.  I used a Sawzall blade, which wasn't overly thick or heavy.  However, the steel was good.  To add weight, I added a brass sleeve about 1 inch long.  It weighs about 80-90 grains.  I simply cut the slot for the broadhead's tang, slid the brass sleeve down the shaft, inserted the tang, slid the sleeve up over it, and pinned it in place.  I used some epoxy as well.  Maybe this will work for you. :)

(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Arrows%20and%20Quivers/HPIM2655.jpg)
Title: Re: Banding Steel Trade Points
Post by: Marc St Louis on August 08, 2010, 11:40:09 am
Circular saw blades make good arrow heads and I used to make a lot of them.  This is the design I settled, overall length of 2", width just under 1" with a finished point weight of about 100 grains, they worked quite well.  I filed the edge in the raw blank but found it to be a pain to do because they got too hot to hold onto.  I solved that problem by drilling a hole in them and just screwing them down on the edge of my workbench.  The steel can't be too hard as the head gets brittle and won't hold an edge.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/Marc-St-Louis/Arrows%20and%20More/Steel%20Tipped%20%20Hunting%20Arrows/Broadheads.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/Marc-St-Louis/Arrows%20and%20More/Steel%20Tipped%20%20Hunting%20Arrows/Broadheadtiedon.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/Marc-St-Louis/Arrows%20and%20More/Steel%20Tipped%20%20Hunting%20Arrows/MooseHuntingArrows0001.jpg)
Title: Re: Banding Steel Trade Points
Post by: bow-toxo on August 08, 2010, 11:47:30 am
For those of you making trade points from banding steel, what style are you making and how big are you making them?  I ask because I cut one out this morning, a little over 2.5" long and 1" wide at its widest point, and it only came in at 98 grns.  I'm afraid to go too long since it's not very thick steel, and I'm afraid it would bend.  I've got a gob of the stuff, though, so if I can get a design that'll work I'll have points galore.

 I also went through the frustration of trying to get steel. The solution for me was a Japanese trowel.; properly temperd steel in the right thickness and dirt cheap.

                                                                                    Erik
Title: Re: Banding Steel Trade Points
Post by: aznboi3644 on August 08, 2010, 08:26:28 pm
The bandsaw blade points I make are a hair under 1" wide...length depends on what kind of game point I want...I've made a few 2.5 - 3" long for larger game...1.5" or less for small game.

Nothing fancy just single bevel edges and tear drop shaped
Title: Re: Banding Steel Trade Points
Post by: jonathan creason on August 09, 2010, 12:35:53 pm
Thanks for the info, everybody.  I shot the 3:1, 124 grn head into a piece of 1/2" osb the other day.  It went clear through the board, all the way up to the shaft, but the tip did curl just a bit.  It wasn't too bad, though and could easily be cleaned up with a stone.

Nugget hooked me up with a chunk of steel this weekend to try out, so I'll see what I can come up with from it.
Title: Re: Banding Steel Trade Points
Post by: Stingray45 on July 20, 2011, 05:46:46 pm
I'm just about to try making some points out of an edger blade. Seen a few build alongs for edger blade knives which I'm working on finishing up my first knife out of this stuff. I drew out some lines on a 2" x 7"  edger blade and I can get about 12 2" long by 7/8" blades (which is the minimum in the two states I hunt) so I'm gonna see how that goes tonight. Thinking of going with the single bevel blades. Let everyone know how it goes.
Title: Re: Banding Steel Trade Points
Post by: Pat B on July 20, 2011, 06:32:44 pm
Stingray, cut them out bigger than you want your finished points to be. grinding to shape and sharpen will reduce the width and length.
Title: Re: Banding Steel Trade Points
Post by: bowtarist on July 22, 2011, 06:41:08 pm
Sting, I was thinking the same thing PatB said as I read your post.  Cut em big.  I like the single bevel broadhead design.  That's what Iuse and it's a lot easier to get them the same then the usual two edge design.  I'll try to post some pics here in a minute.
Title: Re: Banding Steel Trade Points
Post by: bowtarist on July 22, 2011, 06:51:18 pm
Circular saw points.  I don't have a scale...yet.  I also use old bandsaw blades.  Makes a thinner point, but are they ever sharp.  I've been making knives out of circ. saw blades too.  Got 5 I'm working on, will post in prim. skills w/ finished.  Still can't get my pics in focus.
Title: Re: Banding Steel Trade Points
Post by: bowtarist on July 22, 2011, 06:53:20 pm
oops, hit the button too quick.
Title: Re: Banding Steel Trade Points
Post by: crooketarrow on July 22, 2011, 09:19:18 pm
   I use old saw mill blades 1095 steel good blade steel 1/8" thick. But you have to aneal then reharden ad temper. Temper in the oven 400 for and hour 2 times. Makes it about 58 or 59 rockwell hardest much harder than the ones you buy. Harder and takes longer to sharpen  but once sharp there sharp for the season. I make 2 styles of points that come in at 150 gr. and 175 gr. But you can make them any weight you want.  I don't have any problems finding them at flea markets. Have even got a couple old ones at saw mills.
Title: Re: Banding Steel Trade Points
Post by: mullet on July 23, 2011, 08:41:52 pm
 I like diamond saw blades. the steel is thinner than circular saw blades but very strong. I'll rough cut the outline with a chisel then finish up with a Dremel and those little cut-off blades. I then clean it up with a file without messing the temper up.
Title: Re: Banding Steel Trade Points
Post by: Prarie Bowyer on August 01, 2011, 03:11:08 am
I haven't read all posts but I'll weigh in anyway.  Banding will be really light.  You'll need to add weight I think.  The above pic is a great idea.  If you are worried about them crumpling on impact in longer designs consider fluting them.  It's super simple. 

Take an old mason chisel and round it over so it's not sharp, grind the corners off also.  I ground mine to a shallow arc.  Cut out your head and then draw a center line down it.  Possibly a few lines will be necessary.  Play with their arrangement if necessary.  Lay the metal on a medium density piece of wood and line up the chisel.  Strike it sharply with a hammer.  Start light to get a sense of how deep you are creasing it.  Run that line the length of the blade and try to be consistant in depth.  This will give you a sort of creased/bent blade.  Turn it over and use the hammer and chisel to chase in the line down either side.  This will flatten the metal back out and give you a clean ridge down the middle.  That ridge will add allot of strength.

My guess is that the saw blades are better but if you are set on the banding that is how I would do it.  Fluting adds strength with out adding weight.  Infact Armorers used fluting to reduce harness weight and INCREASE strength.  Plus it looks neat.
http://www.lightlink.com/armory/goth.html