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Arrow Made with Stone Tools

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JackCrafty:
Recently I was asked to show pics of my stone tools for making bows but since Rick has already done a stone age bow build-a-long (Stone Age Witch Hazel) I guess I'll do a stone age arrow build-a-long.  I don't really have a set of stone tools for making bows anyway.....I just use whatever rock chips will work.  Arrow making is a bit more detail oriented and I do have a few specialized arrow tools in my stone-age toolbox.

So, without further ado (and since I don't have anything else on my plate right now ....  ::) ), here goes:

Here are my tools.



The tools are fire, chert scrapers (Georgetown flint in this case), mulberry arrow straighteners, buckskin strips (for wrapping scrapers), and sandstone polishers/shapers.  I didn't show the fire-making kit or the hammersones/pressure flakers because they are only indirectly involved.  Besides, my fire maker is a Bick lighter.  ;D

(NOTE: I took over three hundred pictures this weekend and I won't be able to post this whole build-along today.  I'll post as many pics as my lunch breaks allow.)

Privet shoot.
The bark has been scraped off and it has been seasoned for several months and is completely dry.
That's important because the scraping and sanding does not work well with a green shoot (except for the removal of the bark).
There's still a little bark left on the ends, to help prevent checking, and there's several knots.
The shaft has no drastic bends...only gentle curves.  That's also important: less chance of breakage while straightening.

I do not pre-straighten my shoots and I do not tie them in bundles while they are drying.
They are air-dried in a dark place.....laying down.
If space is limited, I will stack them on top of eachother.
In my experience, it has been a waste of time to mess with the shoots before they are completely dry. :-\











Straightening the privet shaft.
I don't use any grease.....just plain and dry.
If I scorch the wood, then I know that I'm applying too much heat.
I heat the convex side of the curves.

JackCrafty:
For those who hate to be kept in suspense, here is the finished arrow:









I'll be posting the rest of the pics all this week as time allows.

n2everythg:
AWWW Man u mean I gotta wait.. ..
Nice arrow.... I want more.... right now!
Cant wait to see the rest. thanks for the build along.
N1

Timo:
That's some real sweet work.What did you set the point with?

JackCrafty:
Choosing a good scraper.
The best scrapers have a 90o edge.
The really thin edges become jagged an leave striations on the wood (not good).
A 90o edge is very strong and holds up well even when scraping very hard wood.








Once a good scraper is found, I wrap with buckskin to protect my hand from sharp edges.
It also helps to reduce fatigue and finger cramp.







I scrape off the remaining bark and smooth down the knots.











Sanding down the knots gives the best results but it's slow.
So I cut the remaining bumps off with a sharp chip.







A view of the remaining knots.





After cutting a few, you can see the wear on the side of the stone chip.



Then the cuts are sanded smooth.




There is a bit of tearing of the wood with the stone cutter, so the sanding can't smooth it down completely.  That's why sanding alone is better.

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