Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: swamp monkey on July 15, 2012, 06:27:56 pm
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I saw a post here on PA about rawhide arrowheads and thought "hey i can pull that off" (the post was great) so I obtained some rawhide chew treats for dogs. I steeped the rawhide in warm water until soft enough to permit cutting of the blanks. Once cut I soaked the blanks in some hot water with tea bags. This gave the bleach white rawhide some of its color back.
I then placed several of them between two two by four blocks of wood and clamped. After a day I pulled them out to find they had dried very well and were hard as could be. I filed them down and have come to realize they are no joke. They are sharp. I need to do some final sanding but will save that for MOJAM in Marshall MO next week.
One thing I learned from all of this. Make the blanks larger than the intended arrowhead you want. I found that I filed them down to my desired edge but this ate up a lot more of my blank than I expected. This may have something to do with the type of rawhide I used. Perhaps it was my technique. Dunno.
The results are good enough that I will definitely do this again. I see a squirrel hunt in my future. I also may consider this for a one day arrow making class at Cape Girardeau Nature Center. I say from personal experience that an arrow making class taught in one day is tough to do, if you include flint knapping. So if you do not include flint knapping then you have to provide some type of point. That becomes an issue too. This method is a quick and historically accurate way to have a one day class and successfully teach arrow making skills start to finish.
Thanks for looking.
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Nice work. I made a few rawhide arrowheads awhile back. Based on my results I agree with what you say. I don't know if I would use them on large game, but squirrels or rabbits...
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I was told after they solf from the water to put them in ELMERS wood harder. WIPE CLEAN and then flated. I'm told this makes the really hard. I've never tryed this so take this with a grain of salt. He said he would'nt have a broblem useing them on deer. But it have to be really hard not to worry about hitting bone.
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I got an idea from Crooketarrow. Maybe try MinWax Wood Hardener on them. You can dip them while dry and set out to cure. A second dip just for good measure might help, too.
I have been using that stuff on the nock ends of arrows and they seem to really toughen up a lot!
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where can you get wood hardener? I checked at a hardware store and that one did not have it. Is it near wood glue?
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Try near the stains and finishes.