Flintknapping: Arrow Points From Bottle Bottoms, Practical Primitive

How to make an arrow point from a bottle bottom. The reduction strategy and sequence. And please remember to abrade :)

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Primitive skills
• Practical Primitive
• Flintknapping
• archery
• outdoor education
• Eddie Starnater
• Julie Martin
• Percussion flaking
• pressure flaking
• wilderness skills
• re-wilding
• recycling
• feral females
• arrowpoints
• arrow points
• arrow heads
• hunting skills
• SCA
• bushcraft

[MrGeary08]

I don't know what I'm doing wrong but in the last 3 days I've gone through at least 20 bottle bottoms and they always break in half

:(

[practicalprimitive]

@MrGeary08

Hmmm, sounds like overstrike to me. You're hitting the piece to far into the glass, not on the platform at the edge of your piece. Glass doesn't tolerate any overstrike at all, which is one reason it's such a good material to learn on. Remember, you're striking the VERY EDGE of the glass with the VERY TIP of your billet. Check out our Popsicle Stick Drill #1 and #2 to help with your accuracy. Practice those regularly and I guarantee you'll start to get better results!

[RF71719]

It would be helpful for some of us less visual folks if you established a top and bottom and displayed this information while instructing. Thanks. -Rob

[practicalprimitive]

@RF71719

Thanks for the suggestion Rob, we'll try to incorporate that idea into future videos.

[DaveWreckingCrew]

@420 HOW? I tried to take "flakes" and in one hit I smashed my "rectangle" into three large shards...

[practicalprimitive]

@DaveWreckingCrew

D'oh! Sorry to hear that Dave. Sounds like you were a victim of what's called "overstrike", meaning you hit your rectangle too far into the glass. You need to strike PRECISELY on the VERY EDGE of your piece with the VERY TIP of your billet. Check our our Popsicle Stick Drill videos (both # 1 & #2) to learn easy exercises that will build up your accuracy. Remember, flintknapping is the art of trying to just barely miss the edge of your piece, and failing. :-)

[parrotbill]

Wow you're good...you make it look so easy. I have been saving glass bottles and have the stuff to make my tools out of. Soon I will see if I can make something that resembles a broadhead out of glass. Thanks so much for sharing.

[Paleoman52]

Nice job and very informative video. I have been knapping for 27 years and I have to say that I really enjoyed this demonstration. I've made hundreds of those little glass arrowheads over the years but more in the beginning as I didn't have a good supply of flint. That is a very good use of recyclable material. Thanks for posting the vid, and good chipping to you!

-Paleoman52-

[dobybowers]

Another way to get the bottom out is to score it with a class cutter, just above the base. Then alternate cold/hot water and the bottom will fall off.

[TheCaryeHoy]

Your a pro however i did not learn crap from Eddie wish he would have slowed down and shown us what he was doing ...Nice video

[DaveWreckingCrew]

@practicalprimitive I don't remember anymore. I ran out of bottles to practice with... I'll get to work on a stockpile soon.

[practicalprimitive]

@dobybowers Cool! Haven't seen that before -- great use of material. But why throw away the bottom? Just gives you another point to play with!

[practicalprimitive]

If you choose to wear safety glasses I have no problem with that. More power to you & I encourage you to do whatever makes you feel comfortable & gets you out there knapping!

But don't try make me seem like an irresponsible newbie to the art. I know the dangers & I know how to be safe. I don't judge you for choosing to wear glasses & ask that you do not judge me for choosing not to.

Lastly, I do teach this for a living. I think that makes me one of those "pro's"...