Although some primitive folks used the small end for the point end, most didn't. I use the big(heavy) end for the point end. A weight-forward arrow flies better and the natural taper makes the arrow less spine sensative. You can just sharpen the heavy end or make it bulbous to use as a blunt.
This is a set of red osier Plains type arrows I made a few years ago...
![](http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/primitive%20archer/Minutemansarrows003.jpg)
The 2 center arrows in this set are sourwood shoot arrows. The 2 outside ones are hill cane arrows. Same weight-forward set up for both materials...
![](http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/primitive%20archer/09huntingarrows001.jpg)
...and these are full tapered ash arrows. They were doweled shafts that bI had tapered full lengtyh to mimic the natural shafting arrows. The same principles apply here too.
![](http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/primitive%20archer/taperedasharrows003.jpg)
A full tapered shaft is not as spine sensative as straight doweled arrows plus the weight-forward aids in the arrows flight.
Here are a few ideas for target/field points for cane and hardwood shoots. For the cane a 16d common nail with a cone shaped blob of braising and for the hardwood shafts a small piece of steel fitted and glued into a slot cut in the tapered point end of the shaft with a sinew wrap to help secure it.
A duplex nail with the second head ground into a point is another option for cane shafts. I don't have any pics of the duplex nail heads.
![](http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/primitive%20archer/targetpointsforprimitivearrows002.jpg)
![](http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/primitive%20archer/targetpointsforprimitivearrows003.jpg)