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I Forge Iron

incendiary arrowhead- how to (basket not cut)


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just thought you guys might be interested this, even though it fairly basic. sorry i dont have pictures of every step but it gives you a better idea. and sadly my propane froze up (or maybe just out)before i could finish this batch so the "finished" picture is just the one i made yesterday. now i was working on 12 at once and they are turning out properly i just need more hours in the day and more fuel in the tank ;)
1st pic: start with roughly 14 inch long 1/8 inch thick round bar
2nd pic: fold over at half way point on the bar and make even
3rd pic: then fold what you had in pic 2 back so that its a quarter length of the original stock, 4 times as thick, and "square"
4th pic: forgeweld about 3/4 in to 1 in of one end of the bar and flatten to a "fish tail" shape and then wrap to make the socket
5th step: (forgot to take picture :/ ) then twist the remaining stock together and forgeweld 3/4 of the tip and draw to a point
6th pic: finished

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  • 1 month later...

Antigoth -

Nice project. Pics are great! (You drink your chocolate milk right from the jug, don't ya?) :)

Just a couple questions about the historical value of the item: Is it accurate to a certain period? Would they have used a ball of straw and pitch or something held in the "cage" to be the "incendiary" part?

I'm missing a few references on mideval weaponry right now (loaned out) so its a little difficult to look up.

Thanks again,

Keeplokd

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Keeplokd thanks for commenting! as far as the historic period goes this is a type that was employed by the romans in a few cases...the more common type would be to simply have a flattened arrowhed that had two slits cut in the center and that center was "pulled" out to have the basket affect. but yes they probably would have used some type of pitch or tar. as to why not just "stick some pitch" near the end and light that could be a bit unclear as to the fact that both work effectively but what i have found is that with the basket design (if you have a large enough tip) then it helps to divert the air around the flame allowing it to shoot "farther and faster" it also gives the added "advantage" of not destroying the shaft as easily...but arrows are a kind of throw away weapon at this point so that not a big part of it but it does ensure that the flame hits where the tip does making it more effective. i hope this helps.

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