Knapping, all around general discussions.

[bassmatt72]

Just thought with all the knappers and arrowhead collectors we have a general discussion thread on knapping would be appropriate. Ask questions, answer questions, show your work, ask questions, give advice, seek advice, pass along compliments. Plan knapp-ins, individual informal lessons, and possibly share some materials!

[bassmatt72]

Here is the tread that got this idea rolling. Jason Fry started it so credit goes to him!

http://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=626471

[bassmatt72]

A thread I posted on some artifacts I found with some general knapping discussion in it.

http://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=629672

[bassmatt72]

Ok! Here we go! These were two of my very first points, from bottle bottoms. There is a cool way to pop out the bottom of a bottle using a big nail or bolt.

[Jason Fry]

Here are a couple of things I had a hard time figuring out....

I grew up calling all arrowhead-ish rocks "flint." Within the knapping context, most of it is more properly called "chert." Academic, largely, and the words seem to be fairly interchangeable, but chert is more often the correct term.

You should read about Ishi. In the early 1900's, he came out of the hills and joined civilization. Much of what flint knappers now know regarding aboriginal techniques came from Ishi. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishi

A "platform" is the spot you hit or push in order to remove a flake off of the piece you are working. You'll hear this word a lot, because identifying and preparing good platforms is one of the critical skills to be a good knapper.

A "flake" is just about any small piece of rock that you chip off. There are multiple kinds of "flakes", and the nerds can tell you by looking at the flake what technique was used to produce it.

A "spall" is typically a large flake knocked off of a larger rock or "core". When you decide to buy rock from a knapping supply place, it often comes in spalls.

[Jason Fry]

Here is a set of progress pictures from a point I did on my lunch break. Start to finish, maybe 30 minutes. This material was from a cobble in the county road in front of my house. Small axis antler billet percussion and a copper tipped Ishi stick for pressure flaking.

Original spall, after just a few flakes to thin off the bulb of percussion.



After a bit more thinning.


All thinned out and shaped, just prior to notching.


Final result, both sides. Not a particularly well refined point, but quick and easy when you start from the right size and shape of flake.




Final point is about 2" long by 1 1/2" wide.

[Flint knapper]

If anyone knows of a place for a bunch of Knappers to get together during the spring or first part of the summer, I'd be willing to show up and bring some Obsidian!

[bassmatt72]

If anyone knows of a place for a bunch of Knappers to get together during the spring or first part of the summer, I'd be willing to show up and bring some Obsidian!

Cool! I'll see what I can find.

[bassmatt72]

...........I grew up calling all arrowhead-ish rocks "flint." Within the knapping context, most of it is more properly called "chert." Academic, largely, and the words seem to be fairly interchangeable, but chert is more often the correct term.....

I asked a knapping pro, he really is a pro and knows more about rocks and knapping than twenty average knappers!! Anyhow I asked him to "dumb it down" for me and this is in a nut shell what he explained. Very much like Jason said, Flint and Chert are basically the same. He mentioned that flints are actually a type of chert. He said basically for knappers cherts are a little more "grainy" and flints are much smoother and glassy.
The finer "flint" can be seen towards the outer ring in these nodules and the "chert" is towards the center and is alittle more cloudy in color.

[Jason Fry]

Pretty material. Georgetown?

[bassmatt72]

........A "platform" is the spot you hit or push in order to remove a flake off of the piece you are working. You'll hear this word a lot, because identifying and preparing good platforms is one of the critical skills to be a good knapper..........

A picture of two different platforms. One is outlined in yellow and both have a black dot for approximate location to strike or hit it. Knapping is all about angles (conchoidal fracture, example when a BB hit a window glass) and pressures. There are things that you have to do to get the "platform" at the correct angle and strong enough to handle the pressure that you are getting ready to put on it!

[bassmatt72]

Pretty material. Georgetown?

Yes, I believe it is. The knapper I know sells a lot of Georgetown.

[Jason Fry]

Paleomanjim has a whole bunch of knapping videos on youtube. If you're a beginner trying to learn knapping from the internet, you've absolutely got to start here.

https://www.youtube.com/user/paleomanjim?feature=autonav

[bassmatt72]

Anyone knapping today? I have several things to do but I may get out and break some rock later.

[White Falcon]

When and y do you cook cheat or flint or do you?