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!
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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.
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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.Last edited by Jason Fry; 01-24-2017, 01:14 PM.
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Originally posted by Jason Fry View Post...........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.....
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.
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Originally posted by Jason Fry View Post........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..........
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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.
I began flintknaping in 1980 using aboriginal tools similar to what stone age cultures used. In the 1990's I transitioned to modern tools such as copper which is the preferred tool for the majority of modern day flintknappers. Over the past decade I have transitioned back to abo tools (hammerstones and organic tools) in an effort to more closely approximate ancient techniques and strategies. My goal in posting these videos is to demonstrate some of the tools, techniques and thought processes that were used by our ancestors. Early mans ability to work stone enabled him to better survive his environment and resulted in a shift from gathering to hunting. Making tools and hunting required more complex thought processes. This was our beginning. DVD's of some of these videos are available on my website at http://www.flintknappers.com/store.php?sid=Ng%3D%3D Check out my other Youtube channel: The Curious Nomad https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-KG7sUUfJjl92U4PgjTTNw
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