The Pointy Stick Compendium Project

[charlie b]

Over the years, there have been many inquiries to The Wreck regarding Pointy Sticks and a vast wealth of information about Pointy Sticks is scattered all over hell. I?d like to create a compendium of that information and put it all on an easily accesiible web site before it gets lost for all times. If you, or anyone you know, would like to contribute to this compendium or have answers to any of the following questions - please either e-mail them to me or post them here with the subject line ?The Pointy Stick Compendium Project?.

Thank you for any assistance you can provide with this matter.

Sincerely

charlie b Director The Pointy Stick Compendium Project

- Where can I find plans for a [ _______ ] Pointy Stick ? point on the top point on the bottom point on the left end point on the right end right handed left handed

-Whats the best way to make Pointy Sticks ? (I only have $9,000 budgeted for tools)

- Anyone have plans for a jig to make Pointy Sticks that's: cheap? easy? ?high precision??

- Where can I buy a jig to make Pointy Sticks that?s cheap? that?s easy to use? that is mirco adjustable?

- What makes a good Pointy Stick good? how long should the point be? can The Golden Mean be applied to Pointy Stick design? should I put a micro point on my Pointy Stick? are Japanese laminated point Pointy Sticks worth the extra money?

- Who makes the best Pointy Stick and why?

- Should I try and find a Pointy Stick at a flea market and restore it or should I just bite the bullet and order a LIe NIelsen Pointy Stick?

- Has anyone seen or actually used the new Veritas Pointy Stick?

- What wood should I use for my Pointy Stick? hard hardwood? soft hardwood? hard softwood? soft softwood? what about laminated Pointy Sticks?

- Is Grain Orientation important for Pointy Sticks and, if so, how should the grain be oriented relative to the long axis of the Pointy Stick?

- Is fire hardening the tip worth it?

- Is it really necessary to polish the tip of my Pointy Stick or can I stop at 6000 grit?

- Should I put a finish on my Pointed Stick and, if so, what is the best finish to use on my Pointy Stick?

- My Pointy Stick split. Any way to repair it or should I just start all over?

- I picked up a Pointy Stick at a garage sale/ was given my great great great grandfather?s / grandmother?s Pointy Stick/ dug up an old Pointy Stick while digging a new outhouse hole / dug up an old Pointy Stick while searching for bottles in an OLD outhouse hole: where can I find a manual for it? how do I get the dirt/paint/motor oil/blood/? off / out of it? anyone know how to tell the age of a Pointy Stick? is there anyway to find out who made it?

- Where do you get ideas for your Pointy Sticks

- Who, in your opinion, was, or is, the best Pointy Stick maker

- Opinions of Gary Knox Bennett?s Pointy Sticks

- Has James Krenov ever made a Pointy Stick

Please feel free to add to this list and/or answer any of the above questions.

Here's a footnote from The Origins of the Pointy Stick section of the compendium

*1 Whittting: a fundamentalist form of woodworking. Practioners are known as Widdlers in South Eastern North America, Whittlers in most of the rest of North America except parts of eastern Canada, Whytthlaeres in England, Witliers in Frahnz and the eastern parts of Canada, Dasdudeseinsliecendevoodmiteinkniphenteule in the former Austrian Empire and ?squiggly line, two dots, a slashing curved line with a hook on the end and three dots over it? in Arabic

Whittlers predate The Era of Roy. Some Poiinty Stick historians believe the Whittlers were themselves predated by the Stone Rubbers and a theory is developing which involves ?gnawing? and the use of prehistoric beaver teeth as tools. Beavers are thought to be the inspiration for the Pointy Stick Concept.

[jo4hn]

[snip of funny stuff]

Great idea. But don't forget those of us who have purchased an "el cheapo" at Harbor Fright/Northern Tool/Canadian Tire for a buck two ninety-eight. It won't last as long as the PC/PM/yellow tool version but may be only slightly worse than the Griz PS5500. Or should I have gone with the guy at the Borg's advice and bought the Binford R60?

mahalo, jo4hn

[J T]

Sun, Feb 27, 2005, 8:18am (EST-3) [e-mail] (charlie=A0b) says: Over the years, there have been many inquiries to The Wreck regarding Pointy Sticks

Just remember, someone is always going to be careless.

brilliance is no guarantee against being dead wrong.

- David Fasold

[Lee Michaels]

The Binford R60?

Wasn't that rcommended by Tim the Toolman Taylor?

[Mark & Juanita]

figure out a way to mis-use what is built. Try the following for someone being careless, even the originator of the pointy-stick gets careless.

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ The absence of accidents does not mean the presence of safety Army General Richard Cody +--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

[Luigi Zanasi]

Let us not forget the skewering of countless barbarians by the Roman legions. Or for that matter, the post-Socratic uses of pointy sticks by the Macedonian phalanxes.

We also need to credit the creators of the pointy stick, the original Neandertals, whose [who's in wreckspeak] Mousterian tools, scientists have discovered through microwear analysis, mainly show evidence of wooddorking.

Not only did the pointy stick allow them to feed themselves by murdering the mighty mammoth and other gentle tundra creatures, but also to clothe themselves with their skins.

Nor should we forget the use of the pointy stick in the development of agriculture where it was used both to plant seeds and harvest root crops.

The much derided humble pointy stick truly deserves whatever paean we give it. It is at the base of all our human achievements, including the murder of animals, plants and other humans and hence responsible for our civilization. Ultimately, all our tools are merely extensions of the pointy stick.

[Robatoy]

I generally suggest to consider the Fesstoolwerks Pfointy Schtick from Germany. Not only does it have a 3 year warranty, it has two, count'em, TWO ends. AFAIK, they are the only company who make oxygen free pointy sticks.

[Wood Butcher]

Great start Charlie. Here's a few more.

How do I stain my pine pointy stick to look like cherry? Is wipe-on poly good for pointy sticks? Can I BBQ with my pointy stick and what oil should I use so it is food safe? Do I need Norms duplicator lathe to make a pointy stick? If I take my pointy stick to Europe will it work on their electricity? What kind of pointy stick does GW Bush have? Pointy sticks are dangerous and legislation is needed to force the use of the new "Point Stop" technology. My pointy stick is in .rar format and I can't see it. What do I do? Hi. First time poster here. What's a pointy stick?

Art

Thank you for any assistance you can provide with this matter.

Sincerely

charlie b

[Tom O'Connor]

I hve made a cherry pointy stick should I pant it? Thanks

[David D]

As SWMBO won't let me spend money on tools or materials anymore, I had to devise a workaround for my pointy stick ...

1. Buy popsicle
2. Eat popsicle
3. Rub popsicle stick sides on sidewalk until point is achieved
4. Reverse and repeat for double-headed pointy stick
5. Stain to desired finish (popsicle colouring may alter stain)

YMMV

[J.B. Bobbitt]

I've decided to make a Pointy Stick, and I've got the following questions/comments:

Should I buy a Stanley No. 5 off E-bay, or slap down the cash for a Lie-Nielsen? Or get one of Steve Knight's?

Has JOAT posted free plans for a Pointy Stick, or do I have to buy the plans?

Will SWMBO want her own Pointy Stick after she sees mine?

What kind of Pointy Stick would Tage Frid/Krenov/Tom Plamann come up with?

What kind of lighting/heating/dust collection system should I put in my shop to make Pointy Sticks?

Has Tom Watson written any hilarious stories about Pointy Sticks?

Where can I get custom-made brass hardware for my Pointy Stick?

Will LROD correct my usage of capitalization when I write "Pointy Stick"?

I went to the local woodworker's show to see the Pointy Stick stuff and thought the admission and parking fee were too high.

Do I HAVE to use quarter-sawn oak to make a Craftsman-style Pointy Stick?

I think we ought to call Pointy Sticks "Pointed Sticks". It sounds less foo-foo.

I've been putting copious amounts of Danish oil on my Pointed Stick for several days and its all gooey. What did I do wrong?

While I was making an Pointy Stick, I had a kick-back on my table saw and the Pointy Stick got thrown back through my mid-section and skewered me to the shop wall. What should I do now? (Pics on ABPW)

What kind of wood is this Pointy Stick made out of? (Pics on ABPW)

I just finished a Pointy Stick for my first daughter/son/grandaughter/grandson/&tc.!!!!! (Pics on ABPW).

Does Puppy Wizard know what Pointy Sticks are for?

I though I saw a Pointy Stick project described in Shopnotes. Has Krunchy posted them in ABPW yet?

[Bruce Barnett]

LOL!! I think you should make this a FAQ

[Tom Watson]

You have done everyone a great service.

The pointy stick deserves to be enshrined in the Great Wrecklish Hall, so as to be venerated by the postulants, and so as to confound the prevaricators, who diminish its worth by misunderstanding its critical importance.

The pointy stick was used on the first PSAD program (Pointy Stick Assisted Design) in conjunction with the soft clay that would become the first record of WoodDorker's plans.

It is a great pity that all the free plans, made with the assistance of pointy sticks, were lost in the great conflagration of the library of Alexandria, which shall never enjoy the codification and accessification of the magnificent Google (son of Gogol, of whom Deja was the penultimate expression).

Would that glory which was Rome have been so glorious without the pointy stick to stake the tents of its vast armies?

Did not the Pre-Socratics base their sacred geometry, resulting in the golden mean, on the first iterations of the pointy stick?

And the very Egyptians, themselves, contemplating the true point of a properly rendered pointy stick; did they not acquire their understanding of the pyramids through careful consideration of its geometrical pointyness?

You have honored the pointy stick, and your honoring shall bring you great honor, yer honor.

Thomas J. Watson - WoodDorker

tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (real email)

(webpage)

[Australopithecus scobis]

I dunno about your modern pointy sticks. I like hand tools, so I just make blunt sticks.

[Bruce]

On Sun, 27 Feb 2005 17:28:51 -0700, J.B. Bobbitt wrote (in article ):

Beware, ATF regulations require you to register said pointy stick and equip it with a serial number. Resale of pointy stick is unlawful!

[Mark & Juanita]

... snip

That's only true in Massachussetts, New York City, and some areas of California. In other states, following approved training, one can obtain a PSCCP (Pointy-stick concealed carry permit).

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ The absence of accidents does not mean the presence of safety Army General Richard Cody +--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

[J T]

Sun, Feb 27, 2005, 9:34pm (EST+5) [e-mail] (Luigi=A0Zanasi) says: Let us not forget the skewering of countless barbarians by the Roman legions. Or for that matter, the post-Socratic uses of pointy sticks by the Macedonian phalanxes.

You don't even need to go that far back in history to see what the politicians will do once they get the opportunity.

Intellectual brilliance is no guarantee against being dead wrong.

- David Fasold

[J T]

Mon, Feb 28, 2005, 12:28am (EST+5) [e-mail] (J.B.=A0Bobbitt) asks: Has JOAT posted free plans for a Pointy Stick, or do I have to buy the plans?

I figure you guys are dangerous enough, without me contributing to your delinquincy. No atom bomb plans, no pointy stick plans.

JOAT Intellectual brilliance is no guarantee against being dead wrong.

- David Fasold

[Tom Watson]

Ahh, the good old days.

Can't you just see yourself sitting at the table and saying to SWMBO, "Mmmm, good mammoth!"

And how cozy it must have been, on one of those frosty tundra mornings, to put on a nice warm mammoth turtleneck. Itchy, sure, and a little funky on damp days, but very stylish.

Thomas J. Watson - WoodDorker

tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (real email)

(webpage)

[Unisaw A100]

How else can you make a goad and what's being on the wreck if you don't have a freshly pointed goad?

UA100