Just forging 100 arrowheads

[Knecht]

I'm in the middle of forging 100 arrowheads for a big arrow order. Also shown it on G+ and got more guys interested, so 100 won't surely be the final count...if someone here wants couple of them, just let me know. It's really boring, but on the other hand, I'll get pretty good at this by the end. I see progress in quality and working speed already.

[Cedar]

Those are nasty!! In a good way. 
Good job on those. Soon I will be hanging out with 4-5 blacksmiths and I might have to give one of your arrowheads a go.. they look interesting to make, and I am pretty sure I will NOT be posting my arrowhead LOL.. But would like to try the technique.

Cedar

[archer]

oh nice, what is the process to make them??? that would be cool to learn/have a few of..

[Knecht]

Come here and I'll show you (but seriously, if you were traveling my way, feel free to stop by)

Ok, very simply: just take a piece of 6mm wire, heat it, hammer the end into a trapezoid of sorts, using the nose of your hammer a lot. Reheat and scroll it into a socket. Can help yourself with needlenose pliers, but I just use hammer. Having a small conical spike attached to your anvil is helpful to form the socket round once it's roughly scrolled. Now use your cutaway anvil attachment (or cut it by other means) and cut the material about 20-30mm behind the upper end of the socket. This short piece is enough to form the actual point. Just forge it into square crosscut and draw it into a point and you have a bodkin type head. Or flatten this point and further process it for various types of broadhead blade. You can make a cut on each side to form a barbed point, too.
That's about it...use a file for final shaping/sharpening. Drill a little hole in the socket for a small nail or pin (or drill it through for a riveting pin if you prefer). You can punch this hole while the socket trapezoid is still flat as well.

[archer]

Come here and I'll show you (but seriously, if you were traveling my way, feel free to stop by)

Ok, very simply: just take a piece of 6mm wire, heat it, hammer the end into a trapezoid of sorts, using the nose of your hammer a lot. Reheat and scroll it into a socket. Can help yourself with needlenose pliers, but I just use hammer. Having a small conical spike attached to your anvil is helpful to form the socket round once it's roughly scrolled. Now use your cutaway anvil attachment (or cut it by other means) and cut the material about 20-30mm behind the upper end of the socket. This short piece is enough to form the actual point. Just forge it into square crosscut and draw it into a point and you have a bodkin type head. Or flatten this point and further process it for various types of broadhead blade. You can make a cut on each side to form a barbed point, too.
That's about it...use a file for final shaping/sharpening. Drill a little hole in the socket for a small nail or pin (or drill it through for a riveting pin if you prefer). You can punch this hole while the socket trapezoid is still flat as well.

i i ever go to Krakow for work, i'll stop by

[Knecht]

That might work, I live very close to Polish border. Get around Wroclaw and I'll tell you what then

[machinisttx]

As someone that intends on starting blacksmithing, I'd be interested in seeing how that's done. I can sorta get it from your description, but a few pictures would help a ton.  Might have to go check youtube.

[Knecht]

Sorry man, right now I can't really slow my work by taking pictures or vids. Some other time maybe. You need to find out yourself, anyway. That's what you must go through when self-teaching to forge.

[Knecht]

I'm done, 100 arrowheads ready to go. Now I'll start making shafts and fletching.

[archer]

cool.. i definitely want to see the finished product.

[Cedar]

I'm done, 100 arrowheads ready to go. Now I'll start making shafts and fletching.

You ought to stick a measuring device in there, like a ruler. They look pretty sweet..

Cedar

[Knecht]

I always put a 5cm measure to pics of my finished products (check the gallery on my site). Thit is just a quick photo right from the smithy.

[machinisttx]

Sorry man, right now I can't really slow my work by taking pictures or vids. Some other time maybe. You need to find out yourself, anyway. That's what you must go through when self-teaching to forge.

I need to fix the antique hand crank blower I have, and find a source for coal or charcoal before I can get started.

[Knecht]

Ah, hand crank blower. Never tried one of those, let me know how it works for you. I have one antique pedal-powered heart and one bigger with electro-powered blower. Don't use it the latter much, unless I make some large items that need lots of heat.
I'm using black coal, over here it's called just "blacksmith coal" and it's generally the best grade of black coal. Some guys I know actuly use charcoal and many swear it's better. I tried it couple times and didn't see much difference myself, other than it smells better.
You can use pretty much any coal, though the better grade you have, the longer it lasts and the higher temperature you can achieve. For small items and for first learning experiments, you can even use hardwood.