How did the Indian make his flint arrowheads?

Holding the flint in his hand, the arrow-maker chipped off small flakes with a bone chipping tool until the flint took the shape that he wanted it to have.

The American Indian fashioned arrowheads of stone for use in hunting and warfare.

Flint was valued because it is no hard that it chips in smooth, curved flakes.  But other stones, such as quartz and obsidian, as well as bone were used to make arrowheads.

Smooth Flakes

To make a flint arrowhead, the arrow-maker selected a piece of flint the size he needed.  With a piece of leather to protect his hand, he grasped the flint tightly between the palm and fingertips of one hand.

Using a chipping tool made from bone or antler, he pressed sharply against the edge of the flint.  This caused a small flake to chip off.  He continued to chip until the flint took the shapes that he wanted it to have.

He then bound the arrowhead to the wooden shaft with thongs or leather or sinew.  Feathers were then fixed to the other and of the shaft to make the arrow fly straight. – Dick Rogers

• Posted in: Bone Chipping Tool ♦ Curve Flakes ♦ Small Flakes ♦ Smooth Flakes
• Tagged: American Indian Fashion, Antler, Arrow-maker Chip, Bone Chipping Tool, Curve Flakes, Fingertips, Flakes, Flint, Flint Arrowhead, Hunting, Leather, Obsidian, Palm, Piece of Leather, Quartz, Sinew, Smooth Flakes, Stone Arrowheads, Thong, Warfare, Wooden Shaft