Alternative Broadhead Material

I was just goofing around when I made this point out of a piece of cow leg bone that I got at PETCO as a dog chew. What I ended up with is a point that’s as sharp (or sharper) than my flint points and every bit as hard. Has anyone experimented using bone points? I’m going to mount it up and see how it performs on a medium sized hog this year.

Edited to add that it’s legal in Texas.

Nice! In for results.

Cool looking point. Did you cut it out with a Dremel?

Yes. A Dremel with a carbide cutter bit for the flake scars and a small round file for the serrations. They’re loaded up, wrapped with sinew, and almost ready. I just have to fletch and stain them. The angle of the pic makes them look kind of crooked but they are centered and straight. They have a perfect thickness taper from the base to the tip and the correct convex shape towards the centerline.

Looks great. Go test it on a pig.

In for the pig pics

Will the serrated edges reduce penetration?

Looking good, in for the pig test

Looks good. You should make one out of the pig bone you shoot and kill another pig with it.

Only thing I'd be concerned with is the weight. I imagine they are pretty light. Might affect your balance forward of center of the arrow....so be sure to shoot them some.

My knapped points vary in weight (depending upon the material) but aren't too far off of traditional steel (cut on impact) broadheads.



I like serrated points.....but I think you will find the deep furrows you put in the points will tend to catch hair and perhaps impede penetration.

If you were to keep with a smooth lenticular shape (side to side) and taper them rear to front (as per normal flint points) then you could still serrate them deeply enough to catch lung tissue and veins while giving the best chance for good penetration.

They are good looking points....no doubt about it. IF your total arrow weight is sufficient and your bow poundage good then none it might matter. You just need to get to the far side of the animal with your point. A bilateral pneumothorax will be fatal every time.

On thin skinned animals like Whitetail deer....I have found it inconsequential.

But when we move to Feral Hogs, hair density, length, matted hair, fat layer underneath....can vary greatly one animal to another. But on average....you'll have more resistance to penetration on hogs than on a similarly sized deer (Chest Cavity).

With deep serrations the point can indeed 'grab' the hair IF the arrow strikes such that the point is perpendicular to the 'lay' of the hair.

IF the point strikes oriented such that it is lined up with the the lay of the hair, it will slip through without much resistance. The value of serrations (once inside the animal) is that they tend to grab and tear lung tissue and veins. But I would stop short of saying they kill any quicker (in my experience).

While it is fun (and novel) to shoot hogs with arrows and points made by your hands....I quit doing so many years ago. Because if you don't get a complete 'pass through' (as is common on deer) the hog runs away with your arrow sticking out one or both sides and is SURE to break your arrow shaft every time.

I don't care about the points. I can knock out a hunting point in 30 minutes or so, but it might take me days to make a good straight arrow shaft.

Awesome.

Thanks to everyone for their comments. This is a representation of the arrows in my moose hide quiver. I shoot a 68” longbow. Those of you that shoot similar bows know that they aren’t real particular about what they feed them. Mine shoots points from 100 grains up to 150 grains with no appreciable difference. It’s not like I’m shooting some crazy 300 fps screamer. ✌🏻The steel point is a Wenzel Woodsman that is the king of penetration. They are my go-to pig points but I’m going to give the bone a shot or two. The stone is Georgetown flint. The bone is…bone. 😁

Good looking points. Looking forward to the pig pic's!

I love this. Time to get some blood on there!

Love some Georgetown Blue for material.

That is about the only thing I miss about living in Austin (grew up and went to school there)....is easy access to good knapping material.

Best of luck on your hog hunt. Hope to see some pics.

Just catching up on the archery side of this forum for the first time in a long time, and I thought the other post I responded to showed some amazing stone (and bone) work. The display in this one has it beat. Truly amazing artistry, guys. Not only that, but the arrows themselves look perfect from what I can see, and I'm sure getting the end aligned with the broadhead is no small feat either. I'm humbled.

I fashion the groove in the arrow-shaft (to accept the point) in a tight taper. So I can wedge the point in it. Then 'spin' the entire arrow on a hard surface, adjusting the point until the arrow shaft spins perfectly with NO wobble. At that point I apply any adhesive and wrap with binding material.

If you don't do this....your arrow will not fly straight (or as straight as it can).