Improvised Arrowheads !!
I promised somebody here on a discussion on another topic, to post some pics of the arrowheads we used to make as youngsters and for my Wilderness Survival Courses, these particular heads are 30 plus years old.
The heads were made from carbon steel nails shown at left and right of heads…to the left a framing nail with a head,…to the right a finishing style nail…both heads were made utilizing NO tools.
The heads were shaped using simple selected rocks and pounded in shape, once shape was formed sharping was also done on flat rocks, it was surprising how fast a razor sharp edge could be brought up.
As a youngster, and not knowing any better we used to put nails on the railroad track, lengthwise stuck with spruce gum, after the entire train ran over the nail they were the perfect shaped arrow heads.
Although there was no danger to the train you might end up in jail if you attempt that now!
With our homemade bows these broadhead arrows were deadly, for small game and a little “weight forward” technology we would take a spent 30-30 casing punch out the primer and insert a headed nail from the inside and insert on arrow, then shaped into a broadhead.
In the late 50'-60' Bear razorheads and Bodkins could be simply glued or tied on homemade arrows, some of the when the new Bear Razorheads threaded version came out in the 70's, some of the two blade frame broke loose from entire ferrule.
Those entire blades were flat and easy to carry in the survival pack, we made some deadly arrows from those arrows and heads that even took down moose, I will have to dig a pic up of one of those arrows…
This post for entertainment and interest ...Of course use caution and take note of laws and regulations…
Alberta hunting regulations state that an authorized broadhead is…” a head that is not intentionally designed to resist being withdrawn after it has penetrated an object.
Furthermore, it must either have a solid, sharp cutting head of at least 7/8 inch in width.”
Neil