stone heads w/ pine pitch

[comebackshane]

For those of you that hunt with stone heads hafted with pine pitch, how do you practice with them?  Shooting at a hay bale the stone heads held up fine but the pine pitch cracked after the first shot.  The heads were still held on very tight by the sinew so they didn't come off.  Should pine pitch be tougher than this or is this about what you can expect.  One good shot at an animal and then repair/replace?

Thanks
Shane

[mullet]

 I soak my sinew with TB3. You can also shoot the foam cushions that are in couches. Or take a feed bag and fill it with those plastic bags from walmart or the grocery store.

[knightd]

PatB showed me how to make pine pitch that stays kinda like hard rubber.. If that makes since.. It is hard but not brittle..

[Pat B]

Adding bees wax makes the pitch less brittle. David, that batch we made at the camp-o-rama is the best I've made. Do you remember the formula? 
 I shoot stone heads hafted with pitch glue into 3D deer targets and a large foam block I have and I only shoot enough to be sure it shoots true...hopefully only once.
    If the pitch breaks you can heat up the point a little and it will adhere again to the point. Dipping in a cup of hot water(coffee) is the most controlled method.

[billy]

I don't practice with my stone points.  Instead, I insert a thick, blunt  foreshaft into the front of my cane arrows and just practice with that.  If the arrow flies straight, then I make another foreshaft and mount the stone point onto that one...being sure that it weighs the same as the blunt foreshaft.  That way I'm guaranteed perfect flight.

I don't practice with my stone points because I've never had any problems with wind planing.  Stone points don't have the flat surfaces like metal points that catch wind and steer the arrow.  Instead, they are much rounder in cross section so air tends to roll over them.....it's those flat surfaces of the metal points that cause arrows to fly erratically.  Some of you might have different experiences, but mine has shown me that stone points fly much better than metal ones. 

[comebackshane]

Thanks guys. PatB it never occured to me that I could reheat the pitch and fix it while its on the arrow!

Billy, I'm using cane arrows but no foreshaft.  I just can't seem to get them to sit in the cane straight.  Anyway, thanks for the information.  This will be my first year to hunt with stone inspired mostly by your articles and videos.

[billy]

HEy, thanks!!   

I'm glad you're taking up the challenge.  Shot placement and a sharp stone points are the most important parts of being successful with primitive gear....if you can deliver that arrow to the vitals, you'll be successful! 

Best of luck, and I hope to see some articles of your success in PA in the future 

B

[Hillbilly]

Like Pat said, add beeswax or more charcoal to the pitch mixture if it's brittle. I like a lot of finely ground charcoal in mine.