So what IS a Pointy Stick and how does it differ from the other well known stick tool - the Sharp Stick? Basically, it’s a piece of wood with one end cut such that at a minimum, three cut planes/facets narrow as they approach the “pointy” end of the “stick”, ideally interescting at a single POINT - the “point” of the Pointy Stick.
The Sharp Stick, which may or may not also have a “point”, has only two planes/facets which intersect to form a LINE - the sharp EDGE of the Sharp Stick. The Pointy Stick has no sharp EDGE while the Sharp Stick typically does not have a true POINT since the point of the Sharp Stick is the sharp EDGE and not its end’s shape. The “point” of a Pointy Stick is, by intent, located in or near the center of the cross section 90 degrees to the long axis of the Pointy Stick. If a Sharp Stick has a “point” as well as an edge the “point” is located on the perimeter of the long axis’s 90 degree cross section and not anywhere close the the center of said cross section.
The ideal location of the “point” of a Pointy Stick varies with the intended use of the Pointy Stick. As a general rule of thumb, the “point” should be located on either end of the Pointy Stick Blank. In some cases it may be made on both ends of the Pointy Stick Blank. Under no circumstances should one attempt to locate the point anywhere between the ends of the Pointy Stick Blank as this tends to weaken the Pointy Stick or, in extreme cases, make the orignal Poinity Stick Blank into two smaller blanks, neither of which may be long enough for your intended use.