Arrowheads

These are usable reproductions or original design arrowheads using primitive materials and/or techniques. All heads were made by Amohkali Creek unless otherwise noted.

General information on each type of point is included.

	Point made from deer leg bone. 1-1/2" x 1". Cut with hacksaw, then shaped with sandstone. This scan was done before the point was thinned to final shape. I need to scan it now that it's on the shaft. There is a good article on making bone arrowheads by Fred K. McVey in Primitive Archer, volume 7, issue 4, page 20. The Primitive Archer message boards also have several discussions on bone heads.
(Right) Slate heads rough cut with hacksaw or Japanese dovetail saw, shaped with double-cut flat and round bastard files and sandstone. Made with slate found in Kentucky, but commercially available "pavers" purchased at a garden shop or tiles from a home improvement store would work. Longest head is 2-1/2" long x 7/8" wide. Heat treated by slowly (over a two hour period) heating to 600 degrees F in an electric oven, then allowing them to cool in the oven. Using a propane torch made flakes pop off, possibly due to moisture between layers in the slate. I'm not sure if the heat treating helps. See article in Primitive Archer, volume 8, issue 3, page 7 for clear instructions on making arrowheads from slate tiles. Slate points are probably the fastest to make. They are fragile, but sharp. In non-scientific hay bale penetration tests, I found the longer, narrow head most effective, especially with the rounded point. The wide blade doesn't penetrate well at all.
		(Left) Roughed out "Trade Points" made from bandsaw steel cut with electric saw, sharpened with bastard cut steel file. The tangs were more trouble than they were worth. 1-1/2" long, 1-1/8 wide. After rough cutting and initial sharpening, each point was tempered by heating with a propane torch until "wheat straw" colored, then quenching in olive oil. Notice the color change from unsharpened point on the left.
(Right) Same style "Trade Points", shaped and preliminary sharpening done on sandstone, painted, re-sharpened with a whetstone, and attached to dogwood shaft with pine pitch mixed with powdered charcoal. The next set I make will be longer and narrower, probably 1-3/4"x5/8". I'll also likely drill holes on either side of the attachment point to the shaft, similar to commercial "tie on" points. These penetrate very well; I've had one pass through a yearling wild hog on a lung shot.
	Front and back views of one of my earliest attempts at flint knapping. Point knapped from Flint River, GA "flint" (probably a type of jasper or chert) chip using deer antler and copper rivet. See why I prefer other materials for making points?
	(Right) Jasper head on cane shaft. Hafted with pine pitch mixture, wrapped with sinew, sealed with pure pine pitch.
(Above) My first stone point knapped from purchased mahogany flint chip. Sharp edges, but the point kept breaking off.
Other materials I'm experimenting with include thick chunks of shell, especially clam. This is difficult to shape using any method other than simple reduction (sanding/filing) with either a metal file or sandstone. Points are tough, but not very sharp. The Guale, who lived along the Georgia coast, supposedly used shell points when they couldn't trade with their neighbors to the west, who were members of the Creek Confederation. Flint River Flint would have been available from this source.		I've found that shell points are fragile if thinned enough to use as cutting heads. They make great blunts though, even though they chip easily if they hit rock..So don't shoot at rocks. I'm testing shapes to use on small game to find a balance between strength and weight.