Author Topic: Best spoons for spoon arrowheads?  (Read 3200 times)

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Offline EdwardS

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Best spoons for spoon arrowheads?
« on: April 08, 2020, 08:15:49 pm »
I'm looking to make some spoon arrowheads for my new arrows, and I know that they're correct for Seminole arrows, having been taught to make them by family members and seeing them on some of Pop's old arrows.  I know his were carbon steel spoons, as they were starting to rust, and I have no idea as to how to find something so I'm guessing hard to find.

I want to do this to honor my past and keep some traditions alive, so I'm gonna do the old "pound them out on a rock with a hammer" from my childhood.  I know how to put an edge on them and haft them, I just want to know if anyone else has tried this and if I'd just be better off getting cheap stainless spoons from Wally World than trying to find the right ones.

Offline Hawkdancer

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Re: Best spoons for spoon arrowheads?
« Reply #1 on: April 09, 2020, 12:02:49 am »
Probably anything you can find at yard sales, etc!  However if you have a problem in your area with werewolves or vampires, you would want to go with a silver point on an oak shaft! >:D >:D (lol)!  I would think feathers from the greyleg goose would also be appropriate, if they come from Merlin! (lol) (lol) (lol). Btw, how did the bone points work out?  The dogs are busy chewing more!
Hawkdancer
Life is far too serious to be taken that way!
Jerry

Offline Pat B

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Re: Best spoons for spoon arrowheads?
« Reply #2 on: April 09, 2020, 08:34:28 am »
Old silver plated spoons had steel spoons under the silver plating. Most spoons today are stainless steel but they will work too.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Black Moshannon

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Re: Best spoons for spoon arrowheads?
« Reply #3 on: April 09, 2020, 05:06:36 pm »
I use heavy stainless steel spoons from Goodwill they work great.

Offline Hawkdancer

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Re: Best spoons for spoon arrowheads?
« Reply #4 on: April 10, 2020, 01:02:48 am »
Maybe we should all try to do it the way we were taught!  Use what is available, or figure out how to repurpose something!  I am just old enough to remember the massive recycling effort during WWII, practically nothing went into the trash!  Cans were cleaned and recycled, the Boy Scouts held paper drives, rags were recycled to paper or lower grade fiber, and even in the city, some people had chickens for eggs.  Good go, Edward!
Hawkdancer
Life is far too serious to be taken that way!
Jerry

Offline Ricardovanleeuwen

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Re: Best spoons for spoon arrowheads?
« Reply #5 on: April 13, 2020, 03:00:11 pm »
I used a Saw blade wich they use to cut concrete blocks for sidewalks, its verry good quality steel, also made my drawknife from it, bit therefore It was better if It was thicker

Offline Deerhunter21

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Re: Best spoons for spoon arrowheads?
« Reply #6 on: April 13, 2020, 07:02:23 pm »
well, spoons, any type will work but you really want the thicker, doesn't bend easilly, cost a dollar, spoons. spoons work really well
Life before death. Strength before weakness. Journey before destination.

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Best spoons for spoon arrowheads?
« Reply #7 on: April 14, 2020, 02:01:52 pm »
Not all spoons are stamped equally. Most are incredibly cheap steel and would be a total bear to get and stay sharp. 
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline EdwardS

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Re: Best spoons for spoon arrowheads?
« Reply #8 on: April 14, 2020, 03:39:50 pm »
I noticed that with cheap Walmart spoons.  Anything I should be looking for?

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Best spoons for spoon arrowheads?
« Reply #9 on: April 15, 2020, 11:36:40 am »
I would skip spoons and go right to old circular saw blades.
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline osage outlaw

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Re: Best spoons for spoon arrowheads?
« Reply #10 on: April 15, 2020, 01:12:27 pm »
Depending on the level of quarantine in your area your best option might be ebay.  I did a quick search for vintage spoons on there and quite a few options showed up.  If you are wanting to make points from spoons for historical accuracy I think you should use the oldest spoons you can find.  Using a brand new "made in China" spoon from walmart doesn't seem right.   

If you ever want to make some from modern steel I would suggest picking up a large used bandsaw blade from your local steel supplier.  I have got several blades and made trade points and scrapers from them.  I prefer bandsaw blades over circular saw blades.  The steel is very hard and holds and really holds an edge. 

Please post some pictures of your points when you are done with them.  It would be cool to see a spoon harvest picture this deer season.
I started out with nothin' and I still got most of it left

Offline EdwardS

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Re: Best spoons for spoon arrowheads?
« Reply #11 on: April 15, 2020, 07:49:33 pm »
I'm gonna try to do a buildalong.  I've made these since I was big enough to hold the hammer without smashing someone.  It's a zen kinda thing.  I make them heavy since I use long arrows.  Besides, I read the Ashby report on EFOC.  Sometimes I even weight the tip end.  36" draw makes it work just fine.

Offline Buck67

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Re: Best spoons for spoon arrowheads?
« Reply #12 on: April 17, 2020, 05:32:25 am »
This is an option.  I have been making arrowheads from the steel bands off of old whiskey barrels.  Often they are laying on the ground around the remains of an old half barrel that was used as a planter.  They are good thick metal.  5 minutes with a hacksaw and some file work and you have another arrowhead.  They take and edge and don't break if you hit a rock.  One barrel will make a lot of arrowheads.