Native Bone Heads

[coyote pup]

Hi guys. I just came across this site a couple days ago and I'm amazed at the wealth of knowledge that I found here just reading old posts and what not. Awesome!

Got a question that I've tried to look up on the net and can't seem to find any real knowledge of it but the curiosity is killing me. I think if anyone might know, it'd be you guys. Here goes...Anyone know how the natives made bone into arrowheads? I know they split the bone, but I've tried to split deer leg bone and did not have any luck getting it to split straight and in the shape of an arrowhead. Anyone know where there is any info on this? Much appreciated.

Coyote

[bogman]

Funny, I just asked that same question! See next post down "Goat quiver with arrows, bone point".

I tried to make a bone tool once but it ened up too porous to take a polish.

Welcome to the site; lots of good info here with real knowledgeable folks!

[stickbender]

     Try making a stone "saw", and sawing the leg bone, down the edge, on each side.  Then down the middle, and then grind to shape. and then notch the edges, and and alternate the the edges of the notches, as one down, one up, like the pink erasers.  Bone was used, but stone is much superior.  Bone will polish up really well. 

                                                                        Wayne

[JackCrafty]

Well, I have a little experience with bone and I can tell you that it's very time consuming to shape it with stone tools....almost not worth it when compared to knapping or just sharpening the arrow shaft to a point and then heat treating the point.  If you're patient, however, you can rub a piece of bone against a rough stone and shape it into just about any style of small arrowhead.

Unfortunately, I don't know of any sources on the net that describe how to shape the bone with stone tools.  I don't think many people have tried it.  As for me, I can tell you that a stone will load up quick with bone dust.  Also, I don't know of any simple way of "splitting" bone...I just smash it with a rock and keep the larger pieces.  Some have said that you can knapp bone but I think some people are living in an alternate reality.

Some bone will shape easier than others...I just tried an elk leg bone last night and it's not as hard as the beef leg bones I usually use.  I haven't tried deer bone yet....mainly because it seems really hard and brittle...but I will (just for grins).  I think the NA's knew which animals had the best bones for arrowheads and that knowledge has been lost for the most part.

I use power tools and high-quality sand paper when I make my bone arrowheads.  I can make one in about 20-30 minutes from leg bone to finished point.  If I used stone tools, I think it would take me about three hours per point.  And polishing bone is no picnic.  It takes a while to get all the scratches out and if your bone is greasy, the fine grit stuff will get clogged up quick.

Hope that helps.

[JackCrafty]

Here's a couple bone points found at the Cahokia site.


The one on the left is polished and the other is not.  There are a few clues from this picture that can tell us something about how these were made.  First, they are small (about 1-3/8" long) and thin, which probably means that the makers smashed (rather than split) thin-walled bones.  They both have straight sides which are easier to grind than convex or concave sides.  The notches and serrations were probably made with a stone saw....which makes you wonder why they would bother to make arrowheads of bone when they could obviously have made stone arrowheads.  Anyway, bone arrowheads are almost always serrated, which means that the makers probably used "soft" bones that can't hold an edge very well.

Just a side note:  I think there were a lot more deer antler arrow points found than these flat types.  The deer antler points were shaped into cones (with a socket) and then glued to tapered arrow shafts.

[stickbender]

     You can get the scratches and gouges out, by sanding, and then using a rubber abrasive wheel, in different grits, and then use the felt wheel, with the white compound.  You can get a mirror finish on them.  As for kaping bone, I can't tell you anything about it.  Haven't tried it yet.  as for the originals, most likely they did just smash them.  The notches could have been made by simply rubbing a thin sided stone, and grinding the notch in.  Bone can get pretty sharp, and I think the notches were two part, as that may be how they made the stone points, and also the notches, were able to inflict more damage to the surrounding tissues, and organs, thus more bleeding.  Especially as the animal moved, and the arrow hitting trees, and bushes, etc.  Yeah, it is a lot of work, even with modern tools.  But they may have been made for cerimonial reasons, but whatever the reasons, not much stone, in a particular area.  Maybe the persons who made the bone points, weren't knappers. But it must have been a good  reason to them, as was said, it is a lot of work, especially with ston tools. But,  ......as they say....." It's a mystery...... "

                                                                  Wayne