Metal points

[chase]

Here is a frame of a mix of trade and Indian made points. This era had a very short time span. With the introduction of guns the shift was swift. However What seems apparent is that when the gun became useless it was cannibalized and used for a variety of purposes. One of which would have been metal arrowheads. Like stone artifacts the base telles me weather it was Trade or Indian made.

[Caveman79]

That's incredible! What was the chain used for?

[Hotrodmom]

So neat!!!  What some great finds!!

[chase]

Caveman79 wrote:

That's incredible! What was the chain used for?

It was the chain mail (spelled wrong) of a Spanish bridle.

[gregszybala]

Like that frame Too!

[2ndoldman]

Great finds and I like the way you used the chain to frame the points. Well done Chase.

[arrow719]

Those are great! Trade points are rare as hens teeth in the Great Basin. Dean (pointblank) found a real nice one a couple months ago while hunting with me at one of my spots. It was the first one he ever found, I've only found one myself.

[chase]

arrow719 wrote:

Those are great! Trade points are rare as hens teeth in the Great Basin. Dean (pointblank) found a real nice one a couple months ago while hunting with me at one of my spots. It was the first one he ever found, I've only found one myself.

I am glad Dean, found one. He has an awesome collection. I enjoyed my visit with him. They are rare.

[Kyflintguy]

Awesome frame Chase!  I'd agree on that part about NA repurposing steel into points. If I can dig it up, I have a piece of metal off a wagon (imo) that was found In context with historic era artifacts, including Hamilton points, that was being hammered to make points.... I'll  try to find and post.

[2ndoldman]

Chase I just saw a post on another forum and i thought you might be interested in this pic.

[Indiana74]

SWEET!
  ..........

[CMD]

That's a nice schematic of how the kettles were salvaged. They also made points as seen here. Could make two from one square of brass/copper. Once cut, the shaft would be notched at the appropriate angle so the point could be hafted with the tip pointing forward. I wasn't sure about this 17th century point, until an article in the Mass. Archaeological Society Journal described a similar find from Boston Common and explained the technique.

[11KBP]

2ndoldman wrote:

Chase I just saw a post on another forum and i thought you might be interested in this pic.

  Interesting drawing Bruce with good information.
The drawing shows points were made from the heavier gauge handle lugs but I believe that would vary from one vessel to another as some of the brass lugs were too thick for that purpose. I would say many more brass and some copper points made from recycled vessels were made from the vessel body itself. Quite a few of the recycled points I have found are very thin but adequate to kill bison.

[CMD]

I've only found two metal points surface hunting. The first one, with a broken tip, shows the "guide lines", for want of a better name, that I often see on these. I have several triangles from 17th century Seneca sites as well. Every one, plus the small one I found, is extremely thin. What always puzzled me about the broken one is that it is a noticibly thicker piece of metal. Thin enough, certainly, but nothing like the others. So I am thinking perhaps the schematic Bruce posted explains that difference. The broken one was found in a field and the small one was in the water, on a sandbar in the Providence River. I guess under those conditions, I'm lucky it didn't deteriorate completely.

A group of 17th century points from NY sites. In the middle row, 3rd from right looks like it was cut from a square like the smaller of the two I found......

Photo of the edges of my two triangles, small one on left. Notice the difference in thickness of the two. The small one is typical of all the other such points I've seen or owned. The thicker one is atypical in that respect, and I had some doubts it was an actual point for that reason, when I found it. ( "I thought metal points were thinner then this???") But everything else about it said "trade point", and I can now definitely see how it could have been made with a heavier gauge metal, as Bruce's schematic indicates. Very cool to learn this!

[chase]

Thank you! Bruce, Charlie and 11KBP.
I have always been amazed on how historic trade goods got purposed. The one thing I have noticed is there was very little wasted. Even the guns got cannibalized after the ammo ran out.