Cliff Stamp
BANNED
- Joined
- Oct 5, 1998
- Messages
- 17,562
This was made basically on a more or less lark from a very heavy bolt by a friend :
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y269/CliffStamp/misc/spear_head.jpg
The bolt was roughly forged flat to give it some width and save some time grinding. Total time was less than half an hour. It works well as a direct stabbing implement and it makes a mess if you jam it in something and haul it out violently as the barbs rip it to pieces. Possible value as a heavy fish spear, but I would want it much thinner for that locally.
It is too thick to use to cut wood or brush, plus the barbs get in the way, but it does break apart frozen ground readily and can cut through ice, much faster than pounding with a rock. It also goes into wood readily and thus can be used to pry apart woods from existing cracks, especially when it is attached to pole.
I tried some grinding with a few rocks initially and it is possible but you are looking at days of grinding time, with an actual file, just hours and you could make an actual knife if you wanted. I watched a knife ground from a piece of Al a few years back, full convex profile with a normal bastard file in a short period of time. I did the same thing on a much smaller scale on a six inch nail.
These are really soft alloys (rolled mild steel), but you can cut ropes, fabrics, vegetation and such and it isn't like they are weak, not many people can bend a six inch nail in their hands readily for example. You can also use the same file to work bones, I always carry one for emergency axe repairs anyway but it might be something to consider in general. Files are however fairly heavy and large, you could just break one of course and carry a piece.
-Cliff
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y269/CliffStamp/misc/spear_head.jpg
The bolt was roughly forged flat to give it some width and save some time grinding. Total time was less than half an hour. It works well as a direct stabbing implement and it makes a mess if you jam it in something and haul it out violently as the barbs rip it to pieces. Possible value as a heavy fish spear, but I would want it much thinner for that locally.
It is too thick to use to cut wood or brush, plus the barbs get in the way, but it does break apart frozen ground readily and can cut through ice, much faster than pounding with a rock. It also goes into wood readily and thus can be used to pry apart woods from existing cracks, especially when it is attached to pole.
I tried some grinding with a few rocks initially and it is possible but you are looking at days of grinding time, with an actual file, just hours and you could make an actual knife if you wanted. I watched a knife ground from a piece of Al a few years back, full convex profile with a normal bastard file in a short period of time. I did the same thing on a much smaller scale on a six inch nail.
These are really soft alloys (rolled mild steel), but you can cut ropes, fabrics, vegetation and such and it isn't like they are weak, not many people can bend a six inch nail in their hands readily for example. You can also use the same file to work bones, I always carry one for emergency axe repairs anyway but it might be something to consider in general. Files are however fairly heavy and large, you could just break one of course and carry a piece.
-Cliff
