How to Make Primitive Hunting Arrowheads

For thousands of years, before the advent of metal tools, primitive man used stone to create sharp tools and weapons. In particular, arrows were tipped with arrowheads made from finely grained stone, such as flint or obsidian. The characteristics of these stones allow them to be shaped or "knapped" by chipping or flaking pieces from the stone, resulting in an arrowhead with an extremely sharp point and edges that is durable and relatively simple to attach to the shaft of an arrow.

Things You'll Need

  • Large flint nodule
  • Granite river stone
  • Leather square, 6-by-6 inches
  • Leather square, 18-by-18 inches
  • Deer antler
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Instructions

    • 1

      Choose a long, rounded nodule of flint as the parent material or "core" for the flake you will use for your arrowhead. Turn the length of the nodule at a 45-degree angle. Strike the center of the one side of the nodule using the granite river stone as a striking tool to cleave the nodule in half.

    • 2

      Hold one half of the nodule core in one hand with the flat face of the core turned at a 45-degree angle. Strike the flat face of the core just above the lower edge of the face to knock off a long flint flake from the side of the core.

    • 3

      Wrap a small square of leather around one side of the flake. Drape the larger square of leather across your thigh. Hold the flake in one hand resting your hand against the leather on your thigh.

    • 4

      Press down firmly and quickly along the edge of the large flake using the point of a deer antler to remove a small flake of stone from the edge. Continue to flake the edge repeatedly to shape the arrowhead. Turn the flake over occasionally and remove flakes from the opposite side to produce an even and balanced edge.

    • 5

      Work the entire edge of the flake until it forms a long, triangular shape with fine edges and a sharp point at the narrow end. Pressure flake the two corners at the opposite end of the point, working inward toward the center of the arrowhead to form two notches, which will be used to tie the arrowhead to the arrow shaft.