Im struggling getting some stone points hafted to the shaft snuggly. They seem to have play to the right and left. Does anyone out there have any tips or techniques for making sure these things are snug?
I should mention that these are not for hunting purpose rather for an auction and they dont have to be hunt quality, but Id much rather them be quality than garbage.
Did you use pitch to secure them? I haft my shaft to be very snug to the head, then heat pine pitch and drip it on the area where the shaft and head come together. I "fill" the seam on both sides of the head, then tie them on. After that, you can use candle wax to smooth out the surface to ensure good penetration.
God Bless,
Nathan
If you want olde-worlde looks, but modern strength, ditch the pine pitch. Whe I do mine, I mix a drip of black printer ink with some Devcon 2-ton epoxy. Glue the head in place & it's as solid & strong as you'd ever need & then, once it's solid, wrap with sinew for the look of the thing. I finish the sinew with a light smear of either superglue or clear epoxy.
One thing you'll find really helps is to make sure the notch you cut for the head is a close, but loose, fit. If it's too tight it'll squeeze the head out make it difficult to get stable.
I prefer to haft stone and trade points using pitch glue. I set the point into the pitch(dripped into the slot in the arrow)heat the stone head a little and set it in place. While still warm I adjust it until it spins true. Once cooled I wrap with sinew, around the shaft, criscrossed across the head both directions then back down the shaft about 1". One reason I like to use pitch is if for some reason the point becomes loose or out of allignment I can re-heat the point slightly and re-set it. Let it cool and spin test it again without effecting the sinew wrap.
The pitch is primarily to cushon the poind as it holds it in place but the sinew is what locks it in place and makes it secure.
Dustin, if these are just wallhangers, I would do like Rob states. I've also used epoxy, you could even use Jb weld, or bondo.
Are you using real sinew or the faux nylon? I prefer to use real loin, just wetted and wrapped, let dry and apply a clear finish.
i just used some easton fletch cement, let it dry then wrapped them up with the imitation sinew. They are certainly not hunt worthy by any means, but I think they looked pretty cool.