Urban 'flint knapping' arrow heads.

[bigpaul]

I have 3 longbows, 1 of which I made myself, I am now starting to make my own arrows, so yes...hand up here also!

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I don't know where you live Steve, you may be in a city for all I know, but around here there are plenty of "dark,deep forests"!!

[Scythe13]

WOOOAH a second guys. Like SD said, some want to learn and some don't. So it's fine for Steve to have that view point.

I'm not going to say I agree or disagree. If you never use this skill, it's no more benefit than learning ballet (at least ballet keeps you fit, healthy, flexible, and justifies that collection of leotards HL has in his wardrobe...you can even see them if you look carefully in his mega-cache pics haha). So I can't disagree with where Steve is coming from. In your situation mate, you're probably right.

But for me, I am learning the skills that would allow me to run off into the woods (about 100 meters from the house, as the closest lot, but that wouldn't be my destination). Are there deer there? No. They are further afield. But there are rabbits and the alike. So, as a result of this situation, I'd be pretty happy knowing that I could make arrow heads that are more effective than just sharp sticks.

Let's say I was TheFalcon, over in London. Would this skill be useful? Well, if I intended to stay in London, I'd at least be able to make sharp arrow heads and put them on the end of sticks to cause some real damage, more than just the stick itself. But that wouldn't be ideal. I'd rather bug out and get away from the city, over towards a more rural area. In that situation, walking along with a load of bows and arrows will make a lot of noise, and weigh me down. I'd much rather be able to get out quickly, then know I could make tools when I got to the destination. If I was staying in place, I think there would be better options than making an arrow head out of glass, e.g. stealing a car and driving it through a person's face. But if I intended to skill-up and learn to survive hunter-gatherer style, then I'd be pleased I had this skill, and that I didn't have to make a super hot furnace and things like that.

[Tartar Horde]

Each person follows his or her own course and that's cool by me. Once you are able to produce blades from cores you can produce blades long enough to make knives, and as Talon says they are sharper than most metals are able to achieve. I believe surgeons still use Obsidian blades as they are the sharpest for delicate work. I can perfectly understand the attitude of it being a "dead art" so to speak and not very relevant in todays world of ample supplies that will be laying around, but I would suggest having the skill to make a tool with nothing but your bare hands, that has a proven track record has got to be a useful skill. For those folks who can't get hold of good flint simply use Bone, you can make a wide range of points with this material and it is not too hard to work. Highlander if you are willing to test a few out for me on a Carcass when you get one, I will send you a few.

[Highlander]

TH,.. sure I can do that, and film it too, but as I say in another thread, it will have to be later in the winter, as I have three freezers full of Venison already,.. [ that's what you get for asking a prepper...

[bigpaul]

pity you don't live nearer HL, I haven't had venison for AGES and ages!!

[Tartar Horde]

(15 November 2013, 18:10)Highlander Wrote: TH,.. sure I can do that, and film it too, but as I say in another thread, it will have to be later in the winter, as I have three freezers full of Venison already,.. [ that's what you get for asking a prepper...

Cheers Highlander, if you PM me with your address I will send you some bone arrow points.

[Scythe13]

HL, if you PM me with your address, I'll help you empty one of those freezers haha.

[Tibbs735]

I intend to start making some teaspoon broad-heads as soon as my Barnett Banshee Quad bow arrives in the post.

[Tartar Horde]

(16 November 2013, 11:27)Tibbs735 Wrote: I intend to start making some teaspoon broad-heads as soon as my Barnett Banshee Quad bow arrives in the post.

Why not make them now! so you have them when your bow arrives.

[bigpaul]

(16 November 2013, 11:22)Scythe13 Wrote: HL, if you PM me with your address, I'll help you empty one of those freezers haha.

ditto

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any venison shot around here is sold off to the big shops in the capital, same with pheasants.