Forging broadheads

[Nick]

I've gotten fairly good at forging medieval bodkin style arrowheads. I've been looking at making medieval style broadheads, especially the swallowtail variety. I can see two ways of doing this, and examining both originals and modern reproductions seem to carry this out: Either the head and socket can by made of one piece, with the tails cut off from the outside of what will become the socket, or the socket and blade of the head are forged seperatly and the two then forge welded together.

It seems to me that the forge welding approach would actually be easier. The area between the socket and the head could easily be cleaned up with the hammer (some I've seen also have a twist here), and forging the tails of the head would be much easier. The top of the socket section could be made into a sort of a fork with the blade held between the two tines, like welding a bit onto a wrought iron axehead.

Any thoughts or experience on this?

Cheers,
Nick

[Sam Salvati]

Some pictures of what you want to do and some pictures of your awesome sounding heads now would be good:D.

[Wayne]

Hi Nick,
When I make Broad heads I make them in two parts and fire weld - although I know some folks who mig weld them then dress in the fire.
I posted some of my arrowheads over on the forgemagic site in the knives section.

[Mr Smith]

Have a look at Tim Lively's site...

Arrowhead Tutorial

this seems like a good way of doing it... I was planning on knocking out a load of theses for a medieval fayre. I figure you could probably mix and match a little, i.e have a socketed broadhead, by altering the plan a little.

[Wayne]

Nick,
If you want to see arrowheads check out the work of Hector cole at
Information about Hector Cole Arrowsmiths

[HWooldridge]

Some years ago, I was fortunate enough to examine a variety of medieval weapons from both Europe and Japan in a private collection. Something to keep in mind is that arrows and other projectiles were considered throwaway weapons so were made relatively cheaply and quickly. I obviously haven't seen everything but cannot recall having seen any disposable weapon that appeared to be made of anything besides wrought iron. Axes, swords, knives and other things were intended for a lifetime of use but a single arrow shot in wartime would seldom be recovered - economics dictated the method of manufacture and forge welding was probably the fastest way in many cases.

A couple of the Japanese arrows in the collection I referenced were "frog-legs", which are inverted V's facing forward with the inside edges sharpened. I'm told these were used to cut down flags and standards so the battle commands of the enemy would be compromised. These arrowheads appeared to be two piece as were some conventional broadhead styles we looked at. I think you'd be completely safe using mild steel and making heads in separate pieces.

As a side note, most of the Japanese arrows I've seen were one piece bamboo but one was footed with some type of wood so maybe that was done for extra performance against armor. IIRC, the head was a bodkin or willow leaf style.

[Nick]

Went into the shop and made a reasonably good swallowtail broadhead and a spearpoint arrowhead, but I left the dratted camera in the shop, so no pictures yet, I'm going back in Wednesday and I'll be able to get pictures up then, along with a couple pictures of originals (they're not on this computer.)

I love Hector Cole's arrowheads, I found him when I was first looking up bodkin points.

[ThomasPowers]

David Starley from the Royal Armouries in Leeds UK; gave a presentation on medieval arrowheads at the 37th ICMS; as I recall all the examples they had were plain wrought iron though there were some discussion of the possibility that a case hardened layer could have weathered off in the ensuing centuries.

I have one renaissance crossbow bodkin point I bought while I was in Germany; the fellow wondered why I wanted the one that was most corroded---it showed the exact method of forging due to grain flow in the wrought iron...

[Nick]

I'm going to school in Leeds this fall, some of my classes will actualy be held in the Royal Armouries. Needless to say, I'm rather excited about that! Maybe I'll be able to get in touch with Mr. Starley.

[ThomasPowers]

Lucky #$%^&*! Also be on the look out for Dr Alan Williams one of the bright lights in historical metallurgy and author of "The Knight and the Blast Furnace" *the* book on the metallurgy of medieval armour.

[Wayne]

Nick,
If you get a chance, try writing a polite letter to the medieval department of the museum of London asking to see their reserve collection of arrowheads.
I did that several years ago and they invited me down,put me in a room of my own and wheeled in a large trolley filled with draw after draw of arrow and crossbow heads.
Their rules were simple, gloves to be worn when handling and any photos taken were for private use - apart from that I could draw and easure till my heart was content, I spent a full day there and still did not see all the heads.
I cannot tell you who is in charge of the department now as the lass i dealt with moved to Hereford and Worcester museum, but if you ring someone will be able to tell you.
Where are you based?

[Nick]

Here's the three arrowheads I've recently made. A simple bodkin, a spear point tip style, and a swallowtail broadhead. The swallowtail was made with two pieces, the blade and socket, forge welded. Besides being glad it worked, I think my forge welding is definitly improving.

The bodkin is 3 1/8" long and 5/16" wide at the base of the point, the spearpoint is 2 7/8" long and 5/8" wide at the widest point, and the swallowtail is 3 5/8" long and 2 3/16" at the widest point. It's a big one! Definitly a head for a heavy shaft and a longbow!

[Nick]

Wayne, right now I'm in the little town of Marquette, Michigan (which is actually the largest city in the Upper Peninsula: 22,000 residents when the university is in session). I'll be in Leeds in a couple months, though not sure where yet.