Attaching tanged arrowheads
How would tanged arrowheads normally be attached to wooden shafts (not bamboo or cane)? Would the shafts be split then bound with sinew? or would a whole be drilled somehow?
I am mostly thinking about arrows such as would have been used around the 8th century in central Europe/Asia, but any info would help.
Thanks,
Evan
I am mostly thinking about arrows such as would have been used around the 8th century in central Europe/Asia, but any info would help.
Thanks,
Evan
Certainly not by splitting. The one's IK've seen were drilled to take the tang.
A red-hot tang can be repeatedly plunged into a smaller starter hole in the shaft. The tang can be then dipped in glue, inserted and the shaft bound with sinew for a couple of inches under the arrow head.
Adam
Adam
Another way is to drill a "pilot hole" while turning the shaft and repeatedly aligning the shaft. A square tang is then inserted into the pilot hole and used as a drill to enlarge the hole for a perfect fit.
Using hide glue will induce rust if that is desirable. Modern glues will not. A very few ancient arrows had a ferule, (not a farrell) a metal tube ring to prevent splitting. The vast majority had sinew lashings.
An old style bullet point, which was thin and hollow is another perfect solution to lashing.
This sinew lashing is a weak spot for target archery as the sinew is soon damaged.
Using hide glue will induce rust if that is desirable. Modern glues will not. A very few ancient arrows had a ferule, (not a farrell) a metal tube ring to prevent splitting. The vast majority had sinew lashings.
An old style bullet point, which was thin and hollow is another perfect solution to lashing.
This sinew lashing is a weak spot for target archery as the sinew is soon damaged.
ok, thanks for all the info everyone.
Evan
Evan
In Chengdu, the arrow maker used wires with wooded handles that were stuck in holes in a little charcoal brazier. When the metal was hot enough, a hole was burnt into the end of the shaft. In Europe a similar technique was used in mediaeval times to pre-drill holes for nails. Sometimes the wire had to inserted several times to bore the hole.
The Turks used both binding with sinew and small horn or bone washers to reinforce the shaft. When sinew was used, it was generally wrapped down the shaft to the same distance the tang was inserted. The shaft was generally tapered before the sinew was put on.
Heating the tang directly might cause carbon to adhere to it and form a barrier to later gluing.
Experienced craftsmen used a drill held between the feet and rotated the shaft in their hands to mechanically drill a hole. This system was used in the recent past to make holes for wooden pipe stems in Middle Eastern countries.
The Turks used both binding with sinew and small horn or bone washers to reinforce the shaft. When sinew was used, it was generally wrapped down the shaft to the same distance the tang was inserted. The shaft was generally tapered before the sinew was put on.
Heating the tang directly might cause carbon to adhere to it and form a barrier to later gluing.
Experienced craftsmen used a drill held between the feet and rotated the shaft in their hands to mechanically drill a hole. This system was used in the recent past to make holes for wooden pipe stems in Middle Eastern countries.
How are tanged arrowheads attached to bamboo canes, for example pseudosasa japonica which I hear is relatively thin walled? Does it require a hardwood insert? I believe I haven't seen foreshafts on japanese arrows.