Bodkin point

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A bodkin point is a type of arrowhead. In its simplest form it is an uncomplicated squared metal spike, and was used extensively during the Middle Ages as a means of penetrating plate armour. The name comes from the Old English word bodkin or bodekin, a type of sharp, pointed dagger. Bodkin arrows complemented traditional broadhead arrows, which continued to be used for hunting, as the sharp, wide cutting surface of the broadhead caused more serious wounds and tissue damage than the focused penetration of a bodkin arrowhead.

The bodkin point is an uncomplicated design, and its origins are lost in history. Although the bodkin came into its own as a means of penetrating armour, it is equally likely that it was originally designed either for extended range or as a cheaper and simpler alternative to the broadhead, and that its armour-piercing properties were a welcome side-effect.

Whatever the case, it was swiftly determined on the Medieval battlefield that a bodkin point could penetrate armour more effectively than a broadhead point. The broadhead tended to distribute the force of its impact over a greater area of armour, whereas the bodkin concentrated the arrow's kinetic energy on a single point. Furthermore, the cutting edges of the arrowhead acted as a brake whilst passing through the armour, wasting some of the impact force in order to cut a wide rend in the plate. Finally, the broadhead was relatively fragile, and would often break against armour or simply deflect off, as plate was designed as a glancing surface.

The typical bodkin was a square-section arrowhead, generally up to 4 1/2" long and 3/8" thick at its widest point, tapered down behind this initial "punch" shape in order to concentrate mass at the head of the arrow. The ability of the bodkin to penetrate armour was nonetheless limited by the skill and strength of the archer, and it could only defeat high-quality plate armour at short ranges. Such armour was relatively rare, however, and the majority of armoured soldiers fought in chainmail, leather, or even simple reinforced cloth brigandine. The bodkin point was also heavier and slightly more aerodynamic than a broadhead point.

The bodkin point fell out of use during the 16th and 17th centuries, and archery with it. The effectiveness of plate armour was increasing beyond the ability of archers to penetrate it reliably. Instead, firearms were beginning to dominate the battlefield, and would make armour itself obsolete.