Thinking about trying knapping

[muzzlebrake]

Yep, there is lots of pancakes down around San Antone. BTW, good rootbeer pancake is about my favorite nodules to beat on. Love me some Georgetown blue and black as well. I get some really good stuff from these people. http://www.ebay.com/itm/25-Lbs-Texas...item3cdae8b13e

[SwampGhost]

Just watched a YouTube video and the guy used antler tines for tools and was knapping heads out of beer bottle bottoms. Got plenty beer drinkers around and plenty scrub bucks to in my shop to make tools!

[wilded]

Just watched a YouTube video and the guy used antler tines for tools and was knapping heads out of beer bottle bottoms. Got plenty beer drinkers around and plenty scrub bucks to in my shop to make tools!

Get a box of bandaids

[stinkbelly]

Has anyone found any videos that explain the process to you? If so post a link. I have only seen lots of videos where they make a point and you watch. I heard one guy saying something about centerline and preparing a platform. There was another one where the guy pressure flaked at different angles. I think they were 20, 30, and 45°. I dont' know why though.

[muzzlebrake]

The book that comes with the mega tool kit describes all of the procedures and terminology with pictures so you can see and understand what a platform is and how to create it. Basically a platform is the high point or ridge of a flake that you want to remove and that the point of contact(where you strike or place the nail tip) is below the horizontal centerline of the piece. The angle of the strike or pressure flake point determines a great deal on how far across the stone the flake will extend.

[muzzlebrake]

Using glass or Obsidian which is nothing more than volcanic glass will cause cuts that you can't even feel until you notice that things are turning red and getting slippery. I use leather gloves and still need band aids. The gray rough out gloves are the longest lasting but the soft yellow mule skin gloves have better feel.

[dmcm33]

This has absolutely no value at all, but I read that title as "thinking about trying kidnapping" and I was really concerned about all you guys.
Good luck!

[banzai]

There is a store called Nature's Treasures in Austin that sells obsidian by the pound and it is not too bad from what I remember. Around 4 or 5 per lb dollars unless my memory is way off. They probably have regular flint, too, but the softball-sized lumps of obsidian in their bulk sales area outside is all I can think about.

[wilded]

Be sure and wear protective glasses when knapping obsidian and if possible with chert or flint. Old Arkansas whet stones make great pieces to knap. Also any of the thick plate glass and some tile.

[4dog]

this is debitage after 1 full yr of knapping..it started at the flower bed..what you dont see is six 5gal buckets full of the same..lol

[muzzlebrake]

Dang, you still have lots of good material layin there. I could use a couple of 5gal buckets of the good stuff.

[stinkbelly]

I started to try to knap this past weekend. I started on a beer bottle I found along the road. It was going good until I rushed it. I then broke it in half. I went from there to some obsidian. I destroyed about half of my chunks before I got something I thoght I could work with. I made one that looks ok, but it is really thick and not sharp. I then went to flint. I had one that looked pretty good, then I broke it in half. I also destroyed about half of my flint chunks. I played around for about 3 hours. I ended up itching really bad all over. I assume it was the little pieces getting in my jeans and on my arms.

Last night I went and bought my wife a bottle of wine. I picked it out based on the color of the bottle (blue) and the flatness of the bottom. She thought it was odd when I brought that home, then I told her I got the bottle when it was empty.

[4dog]

yeah muzzlebrake,i really need to sift through and keep the stuff big enough to finish out...but...that would be work so...im avoiding it.