How to Make Primitive Spears

Select a "blank" to use for your spear. The piece of wood you choose should be at least 6 feet long and extremely straight. Spears should be light enough to manipulate, but sturdy enough to withstand the pressure of use without bending or breaking. Medium-thick, cylindrical lengths of hardwood trees work especially well. If possible, select a blank which is still relatively green.

Mark the base and tip of the spear with a medium length flat-bladed hunting knife by nicking the bark at the top and bottom. When judging the length for your spear, remember that the finished length should stand slightly taller than head height. Longer spears are easier to balance during use, and by placing the tip above eye-level you minimize the risk of accidental injury.

Score the bottom of the spear. Brace the spear against a sturdy surface and hold your knife perpendicular to the blank, over the mark indicating the base of the spear. Press the blade of your knife 1/4 inch into the blank and rotate the blank, bringing the knife fully around the circumference of the spear. Repeat this process at the tip of the blank.

Carve out the base of the spear. Hold the blank with the short side (below your score mark) towards you, and the tip end of the spear resting on the ground. Using the knife, shave away thin strips of wood, working from the short side towards the score mark. When the knife reaches the score mark, snap your wrist, twisting the knife forwards. The wood shaving will pop free. As you work, rotate the blank, removing wood equally around the circumference of the blank. The short side below the score mark will gradually narrow towards a point and the base of the spear will become a flat surface. Eventually, the area below the score mark will snap free, leaving the butt of the spear clean and flat.

Repeat the process of shaving against the score mark at the tip end of the spear. Hold the spear with the base resting on the ground behind you, with the spear passing underneath your left arm (or your right arm, if you're left handed), supported by your free hand. Shave upwards from the tip of the spear towards the area above the score mark, rotating the blank as before. As you work, the tip of the spear will narrow to a point, and the top section above the score mark will pop free. Hone the tip to a fine point.