copper arrow points

[mikebarg]

Anyone out there made any copper arrow points? I've been doing a little research on copper artifacts in the northern US and Canada. It looks like an interesting project.

[willie]

Code: [Select]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/archaeologist-ice-patches-copper-arrowhead-yukon-first-nations-1.4485895

[DC]

I was going to mention that. "The Nature of Things" had a show on a few weeks ago about ice patch archaeology.
Try this link. I took a "w" out.  http://ww.cbc.ca/natureofthings/episodes/secrets-from-the-ice

Or do a search on Secrets From The Ice. Bunch of atlatl stuff there too.

[mikebarg]

I have read that article and I have communicated with the archaeologist Greg Hare via email about that artifact. I can't view that episode of the nature of things because they won't stream outside of Canada. That is one seriously mean looking barbed point. But, I haven't found any videos or other information about anyone making copper points. I guess I'll just have to try a few experiments trying to hammer out a piece of copper into an arrow point.

[archeryrob]

I found some pictures on Susquehannock arrow points that were copper and Triangular. They are where I got the idea for the single lashing hole I use on my trade points. I don;t know where I saw it, but I did.

[Buck67]

I have made a number of brass arrowheads that are copies of ones used by the Cherokee.  Archeologists dug them up at Chota.  They work great and are easy to make.  The best and cheapest brass that I have been able to find is Brass switch plates. 

I saw pictures of that copper arrow head found in Canada.  Imagine beating a nugget of copper with a rock and sanding it on rocks until it began to look like an arrow heat.

[Philipp A]

Thanks for starting this post. I watched the documentary and I was floored by some of the objects that were found. The stone points recovered were really beautiful as well. I am wondering though how that curved, carved antler with the copper arrow head on it would have fitted on an arrow? You would think this would wobble badly considering its shape. Any ideas?

[DC]

When I saw that i wondered too. I think maybe it was heat straightened originally and a thousand years in the ice took the bend (straightness) out.

[Philipp A]

Hi DC, good theory, the antler part is bent on the non-serrated part, do you think that is the weaker side or maybe the pressure was just applied from the opposite direction? How flexible is antler anyway and is it easy to heat treat? I have not tried to bend or heat treat it but would assume it has to be able to withstand a fair amount of abuse.

[DC]

Don't know, it was just a thought. I don't think it would have worked bent like that and what else did they have to bend stuff>

[willie]

those folks at cbc are pretty stuffy, they wont let us yanks watch the video. is potus and the PM not getting along?

don't know how much of greg hare's work was in the video, but here is a link to his papers.

http://www.tc.gov.yk.ca/yukon_ice_patch_research.html