Thickness of Bone Points

[markinengland]

Andrea,
Let us know how it goes. I have some bone I want to try. I was thinking of doing a point similar to a target point, footed into the shaft. Bullet point at one end and a fine wedge shape at the other.
Have you worked bone before? Smells nasty when sawn or any heat generated. Better with slower cooler hand tools.
Mark in England

[Andrea S]

Don't worry, I've been documenting it well with my baby(Canon Rebel XT dSLR), and I promise there will be a bone point build-a-long. Mark, I've cut the blanks out with my dremel and some cutoff wheels, I discovered the hard way how smelly the dust is. Unfortunately, I don't have any hand tools with me here at college that would be sufficient for working the stuff, just a few tiny files.

There's a spot in the bone I'm using that I've been thinking of making a target-type point, where two of the planes (flat surfaces of the bone) meet and form a thicker point (since the rest is pretty consistently only 1/4").

You know, I think I'll post what I have so far in the Build-A-Long section. Then some more work to do on the porch! It's a balmy 35º out today.

[humaza]

I picked up a buffalo rib today at this minipowwow here in town for this purpose.

[greenbean]

Here are a couple of deer bone points I have made. I use them to rabbit hunt. They are just a little thicker than a quarter and hold up really well. The holes I put in them so I can make a bunch and put them on a fishing line loop so I can keep up with them.
Chris

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[Dustybaer]

man, them there points are nice.

[Andrea S]

Wow, those are gorgeous. I'd have to take the bone I've got and saw it in half thickness-wise to get it close to that thin. How sharp are they?

[greenbean]

They will cut you if your not careful. I use a bench grinder then fine sandpaper. To finish them I burnish and polish with leather.

[hawkbow]

Andrea, if you decide to hunt with the points, I would suggest some serrations along the edges.. bone tends to be so smoothe that deflection is a problem on slick haired critters...... you can do the serrations with a small file. Pluss they look really cool. Hawk a/ho

[Staver]

Just curious, does it help to heat treat bone points to make em tuffer?  Joe H

[greenbean]

Heat makes it more brittle and will break easier.

[BryanB]

Andrea-
Bone points are fun to make and shoot.  I have only use cannon bones form elk, but I'm sure cattle are similar.
If your worried about the strength, soak them with super glue and re-file the edge.  This will add weight and increase strength.
Here is the style I like.  I'd also recomend pluging the cane with a heavy wood such as Rami (dowels) to re-inforce and add weight.
Bryan

[greenbean]

Good point Bryan. I should have mentioned that I use osage inserts and nocks to give my arrows weight.

[humaza]

that is an awesome point

how much of a weight difference does filling the cane make? why even make an arrow out of cane if you have to fill it?

[El Destructo]

Nice Points Bryan....looks like a Meat Getter to me!!

[greenbean]

If you use a heavy wood it can add quite abit of mass, which means more kenetic energy transer from the string to the arrow.
Also I have had problems with points (bone or stone) spliting the arrow. In my oppinion if you shoot cane arrow from a high
poundage bow it is safer to use hardwood nocks and point inserts. Another handy thing is if you arrow breaks more times than not, your point will stll be securely fixed in the insert. All you have to do is replace the shaft.