Pitch or Hide glue?

[Ryan Jacob]

What are the pros and cons for attaching points and fletching with pitch or hide glue? (so basically what are the advantages of each)

[Hunts with stone]

Hafting points the use of pitch is more of a filler with some adhesive properly. You still need to sinew wrap Depending on how you process you’re sinew you would need to add hide glue again so it binds and helps the sinew  shrink and tighten up the haft. As to fletching  unless you’re replicating prehistoric arrows I don’t use pitch as it adds weight. I only use a dab on one end to set them in place before blinding. A Spiral non quill fletch ( stripped) with a quill cut there is no need at all. The ends wrap the same as a hlfting.

[Ryan Jacob]

Okay but why can’t I use hide glue to attach the point?

[Aaron H]

Moisture is the enemy of hide glue, I don't know how you would protect it from the elements without wrapping the hide glue with bark or something similar. I believe that is how the Koreans and other eastern cultures did it. But they also used socket type joints for their points.

[Buck67]

I have used hide glue to hold steel and flint points in a shaft.  It works, but not nearly as well as Pine sap pitch.  I really learned my lesson when I had some flint tipped arrows that were stuck point first into damp soil.  After a few hours the points came loose.  You can use hide glue to hold the tips and as long as everything is kept dry it will work, but add in moisture and the Pine sap pitch becomes preferable.

[Pat B]

I use pitch glue for stone and trade points with a sinew wrap. I chew the sinew until it's soft then wrap. The saliva and sinew makes it's one glue so I don' t add glue to that but after it's dry I seal it with pitch varnish(pitch dissolved in denatured alcohol). I usually just wrap the front and rear of the fletching with sinew sealed with pitch varnish. Sometimes I use a little fletch tape(not primitive  )in the center of the fletch just to hold it to the shaft.

[Ryan Jacob]

Thanks ya guys! It makes sense in my climate where it humidity never goes below 80%. O just have this bad habit of dripping hot pine pitch on the floor or on my foot. One situation is hard work and the other situation is painful.

[archeryrob]

I was hafting points with just sinew and no glue. Three thin pieces of leg sinew chewed and stored in my cheek. Wrap the head and let it dry and they always held for the shot. Had a few break from hard contact missing the target and just re lashed them back down. Living in Maryland, so not as humid, but it can get wet and I wash them off if dirty and they hold strong unless soaked.

[gutpile]

I use hide glue to attach point then wrap with sinew once set...then I pitch it to waterproof it..its the way my ancestor did it for hundreds of years and moisture is not an issue..now if it sets in creek for a spell yes... but moisture does not affect it or compromise the haft..gut