Medieval bodkin arrowhead

Making a medieval bodkin arrowhead

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Archery
• English
• Warbow
• Medieval
• Arrowhead
• Longbow
• Handforged

[noseblaster]

If you notice when i tap the anvil i am turning the work piece with the other hand and this keeps the rythim of the striking blow,just happens naturally.

Thanks for comments.

[noseblaster]

3/8ths or 1/2 inch for larger heads.

[noseblaster]

3/8ths or 1/2 inch for larger heads.

[noseblaster]

Hardly a smack,merely a timing tap as i turn the piece,a leftover from the days when you would instruct another striker(helper)when to hit or stop.

[ashnbrandon1]

where did u get that hardy tool can u send me a website or well anything or anywhere ic an get one i really need 1

[noseblaster]

@ashnbrandon1

Hi it's home made,easy enough to make just a 1 3/4 inch diam steel rod squared off at the bottom to fit the hardy with a u shaped section at the top and a mandrel drilled into the side,thanks for your interest and good luck.

[MNdigger]

Great Vid, Please Do More!!!!!!!!!!

[marcheseDS]

As far as I know this is useful to keep the rithm instead of stopping and starting again, it makes the hammering more regular and precise (or at least it should)

[loadedClownZ]

@Guitcad1 in the middle ages the most archers they would have would be under 10 thousand, a regular battle would consist of no more than 2000 archers and they would only carry about 20 arrows because they were only used at the beginning of the battle, when they used up their arrows they would take out their sword and help the knights

[rmcdaniel423]

Regarding the comments about the little strike on the anvil face, after a short series of shaping strikes: I have absolutely no metalworking experience whatsoever, and know nothing of historical techniques. However, on the few occasions that I have done repetitious work with a heavy hammer, I have noticed a natural tendency for that exact same thing to occur, without even thinking about it. I wonder if it has to do with simply slowing the repetitive momentum of the hammer mass? Just physics?

[RockingOrange11]

great vid but, how thick is the metal bar u use.,

please answer

[minxel16]

@ArvinX5 i think he hammered it in on the spiky tool

[Guitcad1]

Man! All that work for one arrowhead! Makes you wonder how they could ever field armies with tens of thousands of archers, each with hundreds of arrows. And that doesn't even cover making the arrow shafts, fletching, etc. ... not to even mention just having to go out and dig up the ore for the iron!

[Blacksmith1964]

Now, why would ANYONE, ever, for ANY reason, smack their hammer on the face of the anvil?

It's wasteful, damaging and entirely useless.

Here is an excellent quote from Holmstrom's book in 1901;

"There are smiths that continue to hit their anvil with the hammer. They must have brought the practice from Europe, duty free, and therefore think they are obliged to keep doing so. It is unnecessary and wasteful."