How to Make an Arrow Head Out of Sandstone

Stone arrowheads can be made from various types of rock, including limestone and sandstone, through a process known as flint knapping. This method of tool making is as old as human history itself. Many of the earliest known tools were made by flint knapping, in which a striking tool is used to flake off pieces of a stone in order to fashion it into a specific shape. This is a beneficial wilderness survival skill for any hunter or archer to possess. You can make your own arrowheads for use or decoration at home with a piece of sandstone.

Things You'll Need

  • Piece of sandstone
  • Smooth granite or quartz stone
  • Small deer or elk antler
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Instructions

    • 1

      Break the sandstone piece, known as a core in flint knapping, into two smaller pieces using a large granite or quartz stone. These are two of the harder types of stone that are used for flint knapping. Alternatively, a metal rod or hammer can be used to break the sandstone.

    • 2

      Strike the flat edge of one of the sandstone pieces at about a 45 degree angle with your striking stone or tool in order to break a sandstone flake off. This flake will be used to fashion the arrowhead.

    • 3

      Press the tip of the antler firmly against the edge of the sandstone flake and push it inward toward the middle of the flake. This process is called pressure flaking, and it will remove thinning flakes from the larger sandstone arrowhead. It is helpful to hold the sandstone firmly onto a table or work bench while doing this. Work your way around the entire piece of sandstone flaking off smaller pieces until you have the arrowhead design you would like.

    • 4

      Make a notch on both sides of the arrowhead at the bottom using the antler. This is the portion of the arrowhead which can be tied to an arrow shaft.