Obsidian has low compressive strength and the behavior of the material is often characterized as "brittle" (Section 4.4), resulting in a high incidence of breaks in tools that inform as the use of the tool. Latitudinally snapped tips and midsections are typically associated with breakage in use, perhaps upon impact as a projectile. In contrast, broken haft elements, shoulders, and longitudinal breaks are commonly associated with breakage during manufacture or retooling. The evidence for breakage during manufacture is reinforced when the point has incomplete scar coverage because it suggests that the point was discarded during production.