Spearpoints had many other uses besides hunting during the late Archaic years, and toolmakers became more selective in picking the best rock for a particular task. For example, metavolcanic points found in the Russell area were frequently rounded on the edges₀ a sign of abrasion. This indicates they were used to cut soft objects like animal skins or plants which caused some friction, but not as much as wood or bone would have caused. Metavolcanic rocks were also formed into drills and into the thinnest, flattest points, ideal for slicing and fine-cutting uses like deboning and scaling fish.

After studying the many lengthwise breaks on quartz points, archeologist Michael Alterman concluded that people preferred quartz for cutting and sawing hard objects such as bone, wood, and other tough plant fibers. He also found that quartz points from this era vary the most in size, reflecting differences in stone quality. Quartz was also popular for making scrapers. The related mineral, quartzite, was used in crude tools that often showed signs of hammering or battering.

Hunters preferred larger spearpoints when they were away from basecamp for long stretches because the bigger sizes allowed much resharpening. Often, the largest points were made of metavolcanic rocks, which were comparatively easier to shape than quartz. Points made of chert were also resharpened often, with some reworked so much that they became quite small.

Most Late Archaic spearpoints have wide stems, many of which are square. Some stems, however, expand slightly at the base, while others contract. Many odd, ill-formed points also were used. The best-known spearpoint of the time was the Savannah River Stemmed, also called the Broadpoint because of its large blade. Savannah River Stemmed points have appeared along the East Coast as far north as New England.

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