How to Make a Spear

Co-authored by Anthony Porter

Last Updated: November 19, 2024

The spear is one of the oldest weapons used by humans. The first spear was merely a sharpened stick with a fire-hardened tip, but as time progressed we discovered how to forge iron and steel, securing the spear as an invaluable asset in the medieval armory. Nowadays the spear is less common but it can prove useful in a survival setting. Whether you are making a spear out of necessity or simply for recreation, use the following methods with care. Spears are not toys, and should be safely handled.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making a Simple Spear From a Branch or Pole

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1
Acquire a branch and/or pole. When searching for a pole to make your spear, you’ll want something at least as tall as you. Ideally it would be a few inches taller in order to give you a better reach.^{[1]
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- The pole you choose should be anywhere from 1–1.5 inches (2.5–3.8 cm) in diameter.^{[2]
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- Hardwoods, such as ash or oak, are best for this project. To sharpen your spear, find some sort of rough surface such as stone, or a brick wall/ sidewalk. Rub it against the surface and sharpen it well.^{[3]
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- If you are making a spear in the wilderness, search surrounding areas for a sapling of the right size. You can choose to use live wood or a recently deceased tree, whatever is available.
2
Carve a pointed tip for your spear. Using a knife or a small hand-axe, carefully fashion a point on one end of your pole or branch.
- Form the point by using small, even strokes and always cut away from yourself to avoid injury.
- This can be quite a time consuming task. Even with a sharp knife, cutting away at wood can be dangerous and physically taxing.
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3
Build a small fire to “bake” the point of your spear. Once you are satisfied with the point of your spear, hold the sharpened end just above the flames, turning until you see the wood change color. Continue turning over the fire until the entire point is completely “baked.”^{[4]
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- Fire hardening is simply drying the wood out to make it lighter and harder. Moist wood is soft, dry wood is hard. By holding the spear tip over the flames, you are simply removing all moisture from the wood.^{[5]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making a Knife Spear

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1
Find an appropriately sized limb or sapling. When making a knife spear, you want to find a handle that will be easy to cut into but sturdy enough to use as a weapon or tool. Avoid using green wood. Recently deceased trees are ideal.
- Search for a limb that is roughly 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter.
Trim any branches or knobs off the chosen limb and make a clean handle. You may choose to remove some of the bark in order to make the handle easier to grip.
3
Create a “shelf” for the knife. Choose which end of the branch you will be attaching the knife to. Using a sharp knife, cut long, thin, vertical strips off the branch until you are left with a shelf for the knife.
- Creating a shelf lends support to your spear and will aid in securing the knife to the handle.
- Brace the branch against another tree or stump to make this process safer and easier.
4
Attach the knife. Use a length of rope or other available cordage to secure the knife to the branch. Tie one end of the rope to a tree trunk and wrap the other end around the knife and branch. Walk away until the line is taught. Then, using your body weight to keep the line taught, begin wrapping the rope around your knife.
- Wrap the rope all the way up to the hilt of the knife. For extra security make another pass back down the handle. Finish the wrap with a simple knot.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Hafting a Store-Bought Spearhead

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1
Purchase a spearhead. Spearheads can be purchased from numerous blade-smiths online. It may also be possible to purchase a spearhead from a local knife shop if your city has one.
- Purchased spearheads may not come pre-sharpened. You could sharpen the blade yourself if you like, or take it to a professional knife sharpener.
2
Find a suitable haft. The “haft” of a spear is simply the pole to which the spearhead is attached. “Hafting,” is the act of attaching a spearhead to a handle.
- If you spent money on a nice spearhead, chances are you’ll want to shell out the extra money for a decent ash pole.
- Depending on the thickness of the haft, you may have to taper one end in order to properly secure the spearhead. Make sure you only carve enough to fit the spearhead; carve too much and you will have a gap between the haft and the spearhead resulting in a loose fit.^{[6]
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Check the fit of the spearhead. Put the spearhead on the haft making sure the fit is snug. Your spearhead may come with holes in the “socket,” the hollowed end that fits over the haft.^{[7]
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- Using a marker or pencil, mark on the haft where the holes fall. You will be drilling a small hole here to secure the spearhead.
4
Attach the spearhead. You can secure the spearhead with a short nail or a pin. Alternatively, you may simply use glue or epoxy if you do not have access to a drill.
- If there are multiple holes in the spearhead socket, make sure you drill straight through the haft, otherwise the pin or nail will be out of alignment with the socket holes.^{[8]
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- Drive a short nail through the holes securing the spearhead to the haft. Secure one end of the nail using either a pair of pliers or a vice. This is to stabilize the spear while you hammer the other end of the nail.^{[9]
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- Using a ball-peen hammer, tap around the head of the nail until it flattens out, causing a rivet and locking the nail in place. Repeat this process on the opposite side until both ends of the nail are securely fastened.^{[10]
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Expert Q&A

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What other materials can I use as a spearhead?

Anthony Porter
Outdoorsman and Survival Expert
Anthony Porter is a nature educator, archer, and outdoorsman based in South Lake Tahoe, California. He is an Outdoor Survival expert, and educates millions around the world through his social media presence as “Outdoor Anthony”. His videos have turned him into a viral sensation on TikTok & Instagram, where he has over 400k followers. He is the current Communications Director of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association, promoting wildlife stewardship and preservation on print media, TV, and radio. Anthony has also showcased his outdoor prowess as a recurring yearly TV athlete as NBC's the Archery Ninja on American Ninja Warrior. He is also the producer, editor and Host of the Orangutan Podcast, discussing rainforest conservation initiatives with Dr. Gary Shapiro, famous for teaching orangutans symbolic sign language. As a professional educator for the better part of a decade, Anthony has explored 20 countries, and has taught people of all ages across the United States. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Parks and Recreation Management from Northern Arizona University, and earned an MBA from Cal Poly Pomona with a concentration in sustainable Marketing, and is always looking to dive right into the next adventure.

Anthony Porter

Outdoorsman and Survival Expert

Expert Answer

You can also look for naturally shaped triangular pieces of rock. These rocks can be secured to the shaft of your spear using a strong cord, leather strips, or even vines if that’s what you have on hand. The sharper and more pointed the rock, the more effective it will be for piercing. Bones, particularly from larger animals, can be sharpened and tied to a shaft as a natural spearhead alternative. They’re strong and can be carved to a fine point. No matter what material you choose, the key is to attach it securely so it won’t shift or come loose during use. Wrapping it tightly with paracord, leather, or a sturdy vine can help keep everything locked in place.

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How long should a spear be?

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Personally I would say about an inch or half an inch above your own height! That should be the perfect length for your spear.

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What if I don't have a knife?

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Use a sharp rock such as flint or obsidian. If you can't find that, get a large rock the size of a blade, and chisel to make a sharp point with barbs. Make a notch in the stick with the rock, and place it inside out with sap around the side (optional), or you can use vine or rope to secure it.

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Tips

Decorate your spear. Once you have fire-hardened your spear-tip (or attached your metal spearhead) your spear is ready to go. However, you may want to carve some patterns down the haft of your spear. Or, you may want to wrap some leather around the haft where you might grip the spear to protect your hands.

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To attach an arrowhead or sharp stone to a prepared limb or pole, simply use the same method of wrapping as you would for making a knife spear. Rather than making a shelf for the arrowhead, create a notch in the center of one end of the branch. The notch should be in the center of the chosen end and just wide enough to ensure a snug fit.

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An easy way to sharpen your blade is to do it by using a rock that has been broken in half by another rock.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

If knives are not available, you can use fire to sharpen the wood. Place the tip in a fire and let it char for awhile (without catching on fire). Then, rub your stick at an angle against a rock until the charcoal is gone and you have the point you want.
Unless you have more than one, don't throw your spear. Use the spear to extend your arm length, but throwing away your only means of protecting or feeding yourself can put you in danger.
Use alternate items for sharp spearheads like metal garden spades, flint, obsidian, copper, bronze, iron, steel, or any piece of scrap sheet metal.
You can also use a sturdy potato peeler to remove the bark from your spear.

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Warnings

Always make sure that everyone is behind you and out of the way before throwing it at a target.

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Be careful when using knives and axes.

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Spears are dangerous and can cause serious injury or death. Make sure you do not throw it at another person.

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