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Author Topic: Medieval broadheads for hunting?  (Read 6207 times)

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Offline Strelets

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Medieval broadheads for hunting?
« on: December 30, 2015, 03:28:46 am »
Hello All.
Has anyone used hand-forged reproductions of medieval broadheads for hunting? I mean the ones made by Hector Cole and a few other arrowsmiths, not the partially machine-made items.  If anyone has used them, how effective were they?

I have carried out  lot of tests of various medieval arrowheads against mail, linen and leather armour but I live in the UK where bowhunting is illegal.  I would be very interested to know how the "swallowtail" heads, for example, performed against deer or hogs.
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Offline E. Jensen

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Re: Medieval broadheads for hunting?
« Reply #1 on: December 30, 2015, 10:02:26 am »
I am also interested.  My plan was to forge swallowtail points for hunting. 
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Medieval broadheads for hunting?
« Reply #2 on: December 30, 2015, 01:11:26 pm »
Check your local regulations. A swallow tail would be illegal in many states. It is considered a barbed point.
 I have some pics of old broadheads from Eastern Europe a guy from the Ukraine posted a few years ago if you would be interested I'll post them. 
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Offline E. Jensen

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Re: Medieval broadheads for hunting?
« Reply #3 on: December 30, 2015, 06:00:45 pm »
Legal in AZ.  My main motivation is I figured the swallowtail design would fly better/plane less.
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Offline mullet

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Re: Medieval broadheads for hunting?
« Reply #4 on: December 30, 2015, 07:50:47 pm »
Legal in Florida and I'd bet they would kill a deer, or hog, "deader then hell".
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Lakeland, Florida
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Offline Danzn Bar

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Re: Medieval broadheads for hunting?
« Reply #5 on: December 30, 2015, 08:05:27 pm »
I like your way with words Eddie...  ;D :) ;)
DBar
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Offline aaron

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Re: Medieval broadheads for hunting?
« Reply #6 on: December 30, 2015, 09:33:04 pm »
...
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Ilwaco, Washington, USA
"Good wood makes great bows, but bad wood makes great bowyers"

Offline aaron

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Re: Medieval broadheads for hunting?
« Reply #7 on: December 30, 2015, 09:37:42 pm »
not legal in Washington state due to barbs, but I think any SHARP reasonably-sized broadhead that hits the lungs broadside would do the job. The wide one above would be too wide for my taste, but the narrow one would be awesome. The key is good steel and sharp, and about 3 times as long as it is wide. And of course well tuned to the bow.
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Ilwaco, Washington, USA
"Good wood makes great bows, but bad wood makes great bowyers"

Offline agd68

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Re: Medieval broadheads for hunting?
« Reply #8 on: January 07, 2016, 04:37:54 pm »
Just a point of interest, the swallow tail heads like the pics aaron posted were war heads. Any medieval hunting points I've seen in books or exhibits were barbless willow leaf style. at least the English and Central European ones anyway. 
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Offline loon

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Re: Medieval broadheads for hunting?
« Reply #9 on: January 08, 2016, 04:57:13 am »
I'd really like to try this. backyardbowyer forging a socketed broadhead from rebar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emoUOqXxg5E
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Offline Strelets

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Re: Medieval broadheads for hunting?
« Reply #10 on: January 12, 2016, 02:36:43 pm »
In reply to agd68, English hunting heads from the 13th century onwards were nearly all barbed.  Salisbury museum has a large number of arrowheads excavated from Clarendon Palace, a medieval royal hunting lodge. A few were armour-piercing bodkins (probably from the royal guard) but most were large barbed heads.  Clarendon palace was in the middle of England's largest deer park, so there is no doubt about the purpose of these heads.  Some of the heads were very heavy by modern standards; I weighed several in the museum's collection and one weighed 526 grains.
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Offline Ed Brooks

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Re: Medieval broadheads for hunting?
« Reply #11 on: January 13, 2016, 11:02:02 am »
Quote from: aaron on December 30, 2015, 09:37:42 pm
not legal in Washington state due to barbs, but I think any SHARP reasonably-sized broadhead that hits the lungs broadside would do the job. The wide one above would be too wide for my taste, but the narrow one would be awesome. The key is good steel and sharp, and about 3 times as long as it is wide. And of course well tuned to the bow.
Aaron, here in WA they had to get rid of the no barbed point law, with the mechanical now ok to use. Happy Hunting. Ed
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It's in my blood...

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