FORGING JAPANESE ARROWHEADS
One of the questions that I wait for when people talk to me about forging swords is "Oh, do you forge Samurai sword blades?" My usual answer is "No I leave that up to the Japanese masters who know far more about forging their types of swords than I do."
I suppose being a Master arrowsmith it was only a matter of time before the same question was asked about forging Japanese arrowheads.
When first asked this question the twoYanone (arrowheads) on the front cover of vol. 40 of the "Journal of the Society of Archer-Antiquaries" came to mind as they are superb examples of arrowheads made by one of the greatest master arrowsmiths in Japan's history.
The thought that my client may want arrowheads of that quality did not put me off and I said " Yes I could make Japanese style arrowheads."
Having committed myself I then began to think about how the arrowheads would have been forged.
I came to the conclusion that being blades and weapons of war they would be forged using the same techniques as the sword smiths as they would have to take a sharp cutting edge and withstand impact.
Being familiar with the full process of Japanese sword smithing I decided that when the drawings came I should make the arrowheads using the same techniques.

When at last the drawing and details of the arrowhead came through it was a relief to see that it was not a highly pierced and carved arrowhead. The arrowhead in question is described as follows:- "Willow Leaf Arrowhead Pierced with One Cherry Blossom 'Yanagi-Ya' ." It was made by "Takayori" a famous arrowhead maker who lived and worked in Echizen (Hukui) Province of Japan during the Teikyo Era in 1691. It is the type of arrowhead that would have been commissioned as a gift or as an offering after a successful battle and would not have been for shooting from the bow.

The first stage in making the arrowhead was to produce the metal for the outer layers of the blade. This was done by taking small pieces of wrought iron, low carbon steel and high carbon steel and welding them together. When they were a solid piece of bar the bar was folded and re-welded in different directions a number of times so that the different materials were well and truly mixed. The bar was then forged out into a long enough strip to make the arrowhead. The next stage was to forge to size the steel to make the cutting edges. This was the same width and thickness as the composite bar. the composite bar was then folded over and the steel inserted in the middle. This sandwich was then welded up into a solid bar ready to start forging the arrowhead to shape. The section of the bar at this stage is important as too large or too small a section will result in the wrong size arrowhead. As this is a tanged arrowhead I start by making the arrowhead first and the tang last. The neck of the arrowhead is forged first and then the point before flattening out the blade slightly larger that the dimensions given to allow for finishing to size and polishing. The tang is then roughly forged to shape before necking in the shoulders and forging to the finished size allowing for cleaning up. The arrowhead is then brought to a cherry red heat and allowed to cool as slowly as possible to get it to its softest possible cold state ready to cut in the blossom. When the blossom has been cut the whole of the arrowhead is then given its final finish and polish ready to be hardened. The hardening is done by heating the arrowhead to an orange heat and quenching it in vegetable oil. It is at this stage that any flaws in the welding of the pieces will show up and if they are too serious then the arrowhead is a failure and you start again. The arrowhead is then ready for its final polishing before bringing out the pattern created by the initial forging. There are various methods of bringing up the pattern depending on the finish required. I prefer using an acid method that when complete give a lovely plum brown to the surface as well as showing up the pattern. This treatment is done over a period of days until the right amount of colour is achieved. The acid on the metal is then neutralised and the whole of the arrowhead is dried and given a wax finish to help preserve the colour and surface of the metal. These special arrowheads were signed by the smith who made them usually on a flat surface of the arrowhead so that it could easily be seen. As the arrowhead I made is an exact copy I signed it with my name on the tang as shown so that there will be no mistaking it for an original.

For the more technical readers here is a breakdown of the processes and times taken:-
The fuel used was a mix of oak, ash and hazel charcoal 1 1/2" down.
The fire was blown by hand operated bellows.
The preparing and forging of the bars took 60 minutes.
The forging of the arrowhead took 75 minutes.
The initial grinding and filing to shape took 50 minutes.
The cutting of the petals 120 minutes.
The final cleaning and polishing 60 minutes.
The browning treatment 30 minutes.
Total working time 7 hours.

The dimensions of the arrowhead are as follows:-
Length of complete arrowhead 9.50 inches
Length of arrowhead 3.22 inches
Width of arrowhead at widest point 1.56 inches
Thickness of blade at centre point 0.07 inches
Width of shoulder 0.41 inches
Thickness of shoulder 0.42 inches
Length of tang 6.31 inches
Width of tang behind shoulder 0.24 inches
Thickness of tang behind shoulder 0.21 inches
Width and thickness of tang at rear end 0.05 inches
Weight of complete arrowhead 40.50 grams

AN ALEMANNIC ARROWHEAD
This article is by way of a follow up fron the article in "Instinctive Archer" Magazine, Fall 2000, "Shooting Experiments With Early-Medieval Arrowheads" by Holger Riesch.
I was asked by Holger if I could re-produce an archaeologically correct leaf shaped hunting arrowhead of the Alemannic period based on the scientific analysis of an original arrowhead of that period.
I had the X-ray photograph of a arrowhead that Holger had analysed and X-rays of the arrowheads from the Coppergate site in York so I decided to base my copy on those. All the arrowheads were of a laminated construction being sandwiches of wrought iron and steel. What I didnot know at the time, as I didnot have an English translation of Holger's article, was the construction of the arrowhead Holger analysed was the opposite of the Coppergate arrowheads. The Coppergate arrowheads were a sandwich of wrought iron with steel through the centre and Holger's arrowhead was a sandwich of steel with wrought iron through the centre. The centre steel construction is the most common and is used on knives and spear arrowheads as it gives a hard centre cutting edge supported by the wrougth iron and uses less of the more valuable steel. The outer steel construction will give a harder arrowhead that is less prone to bending on impact but will not maintain hard cutting edges if subject to continuous sharpening and uses up more valuable steel in the construction.

To produce a arrowhead as close as possible to the original I decided to use 12th century wrought iron and a plain medium carbon steel that would match the carbon content of the steel used at that time this being EN8 which has a carbon content of 0.5%. The iron was forged into a strip twice the length of the steel strip, folded over and the steel was then inserted and the whole fire welded into a solid bar. The bar was then fire welded onto a handling bar for ease of forging.
The forging of the arrowhead was carried out as follows:-
The bar was first waisted just behind the end to allow enough metal to form the socket. The end was then forged out to the right shape to allow the socket to be formed and then be trued up on the socket stake. The arrowhead was then cut off from the bar just behind the waist allowing enough metal to form the blade. The blade was formed by forging a point onto the end of the arrowhead and then hammering out to the correct profile of the blade ready to be ground to shape. After grinding to shape the arrowhead was then heated to an orange heat and quenched in vegetable oil to harden the steel. It was then honed up ready to be mounted on the shaft. The arrowhead was not tempered after hardening as this was not done on the originals and is not necessary as the steel is supported by the iron which stops it breaking. In fact some of the Coppergate arrowheads were not even hardened which begs the question why go to the bother of laminating in the first place.
From the technical sheet it will be seen that I produced a total of four arrowheads from the billet. The first arrowhead was over size as too much metal was cut off to form the arrowhead. This is often the case when forging to an exact shape and size as a small amount out at the start of forging results in a large discrepancy by the time you have finished. It usually takes a couple of attempts before you get it right. Ending up with extra arrowheads does mean that one of the arrowheads can be sectioned and examined to compare with the original and I am awaiting Holger's results of this part of the experiment. To be as archaeologically correct as possible charcoal was used as a fuel, the forge used was bellows operated and the arrowheads were ground using a traditional wet sandstone grinding wheel.

© Hector Cole 18th June 2001
Acknowledgments:-
Untersuchungen Zu Effizienz Und Verwendung Alamannischer Pfeilspitzen.
Holger Riesch.
Pub. Archaologisches Korrespondenzblatt 29. 1999.

Anglo-Scandinavian Ironwork from Coppergate.
Patrick Ottaway.
Pub. Council for British archaeology. 1992.

MEDIEVAL ARROWHEADS
The arrowheads used in the medieval period can be divided into two main groups:-
Barbed and Non-Barbed.
Barbed Broadheads
All the arrowheads illustrated were used in a war situation but the barbed arrowheads were used for hunting small or large game because they have cutting edges which would cause any strike to the body to bleed deeply. They were pinned to the shaft through the socket to prevent them being lost easily as they would have been just as expensive to make in those days as they are today.
The arrowheads included in this group are as follows:-
Type 16 Barbed arrowhead.
This arrowhead was used for both hunting and war although evidence suggests that it was developed from the curved broadarrowhead for war use in the late medieval period. It was designed to give the maximum penetration and maximum cutting power, that would inflict a deep wound on the enemy. There are many variations of this type of arrowhead both in shape and size. On some the barbs are so small as to be hardly classed as barbs but more like raised edges along the sides. This is the type of arrowhead that was more than likely fitted to the shafts of the Mary Rose arrows.
Type 15 Devizes Swallowtail Broadhead.
This long barbed broadhead was used for hunting large game because it not only flew well but also cut a deep wound. The long barbs gave the maximum length of cutting edges with the minimum weight and wind resistance when in flight.
Type 14 Large Curved Broadhead.
This is the largest of the arrowheads illustrated and was used for hunting large game such as deer or bear. It would have been used at short distances, where possible, to utilise its maximum cutting power. It was also used in the war situation to shoot at the horses and cause severe bleeding and immobility.
Type 13 Small Broadhead.
This small straight broadhead was used for hunting small to medium size game and also in the war situation for shooting at men and horses.
Straight Broadhead.
This hunting arrowhead was used for hunting large game such as boar or deer.
Curved Broadhead.
This type of arrowhead was also used on large game such as boar or deer and would give a much deeper cut than the straight broadhead.
Type 3 Barbed arrowhead.
This arrowhead was used extensively in the early medieval period for both war and for hunting small game. The long socket would allow deep penetration inflicting the maximum damage to the enemy or quarry.
Type 2 Anglo-Saxon Broadhead.
Type 1 Anglo-Saxon Broadhead.
These two arrowheads were used for war purposes and for hunting game and were popular throughout the medieval period. These arrowheads have been used for hunting in America and " a 28 metre shot, not well placed, hitting the bone of the animal, in this case a boar, cut through the bone and felled it enough for a second shot". Also a 24 metre downward shot on an elk from a high slope did not hit the vital area but half of the neck, did not deflect but cut through, wounding the animal enough to get a second successful shot. I have included these two types in this group as they are both broadheads with long cutting edges even though they are not barbed.
Non Barbed arrowheads
These arrowheads are the true war arrowheads used in battle to inflict the maximum damage to the enemy. Most of the arrowheads found do not have a pin hole in the socket for fixing them to the shaft because on the whole they were only going to be shot once and a arrowhead left in the body when the shaft was pulled out would help increase the mortality rate. It is possible that the ends of the shafts were tapered to take the arrowheads but the arrowheads were not put on until shortly before the battle took place. It has been found when fitting these arrowheads that a hard push and twist is often sufficient to secure the arrowhead to the shaft.
Type 12 Triangular Bodkin.
This arrowhead was used against knights in plate armour and would penetrate the armour if shot at close range.
Type 10 War Bodkin.
This was one of the most common war bodkins. It could be either the long form or the short form and the socket size varied between 5/16" diameter to1/2" diameter. It would penetrate chain and plate armour at long and short range.
Type 9 Bodkin.
This war arrowhead was used in the Roman period as well as in the medieval period and was designed to penetrate most types of body armour.
Type 7 Needle Bodkin.
This war arrowhead was popular in the early medieval period and was designed to penetrate mail. It is a direct development of the Viking leaf shaped war arrowheads used throughout that period. Tests carried out have shown that it was very effective and would pierce right through a body clad in mail. Tests have also shown that it will easily penetrate the modern flak jacket. The needle bodkin was made in a number of different sizes from small two inch long ones with 1/4"diameter sockets, to one eight inches long found in a castle moat in the Midlands. Other bodkin arrowheads that have been found are the Square, Conical, and Fluted Bodkins, all designed to pierce the body armour that was worn at that time.
The one arrowhead that does not fit neatly into either group is the Type 6 Forked arrowhead. It was a quite common arrowhead of the medieval period and much speculation has been given as to its uses. One of the theories is that it was used to cut rigging on board ships. If this is so why were none found on the Mary Rose because she was putting out to sea to fight a ship battle. If it was used for this purpose then the rope would have to be very taut for the arrowhead to cut it . Also the arrowhead would be spinning and the chances of it hitting the rope at just the right angle would be rather low. I would be interested to hear if anyone has carried out any tests of this nature and the results they obtained. Another theory is that it was used to shoot at the hind legs of the horses to cut the tendon and bring the horse down. This is not practical for the same reasons as the rope cutting and far more difficult to achieve. I think that the most plausable uses for this arrowhead are as follows:- 1) It was used for shooting at small game and birds because the two points would make it less likely to bury itself in the grass or undergrowth if the archer missed the target, or skid off the feathers of birds which ordinary points have been known to do. 2) In war it was used to shoot at the horses to inflict as much pain as possible to the animal which would then unseat its rider and cause confusion. I say inflict pain because as this arrowhead strikes it would tear the flesh which causes pain, unlike a broadhead which would cut like a sharp knife without causing immediate pain. This has been noted by hunters using broadheads who have shot deer which have continued eating after being hit, showing no sign of being struck by the arrow.
Further ballistic testing of arrowheads and the results can be found in the book "longbow" by Robert Hardy.
© Hector Cole December 2001