Heated IL Kaolin Flint

[ToddsPoint]

I was digging through some boxes and ran across some kaolin preforms I made a while back. These are all cooked and are translucent. Kaolin is only found in Union Co IL and was used sparingly until Mississippian times when it was utilized for farm and wood working tools plus some ceremonial objects. Kaolin flakes were also made into gem quality arrow points at Cahokia. I don’t chip anymore but have a lot of leftovers.

 

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[ToddsPoint]

I’ve been doing a little lapidary work utilizing the heated Kaolin. It polishes up nicely. I need to find some gold mounts to glue on these for necklaces.

 

[SD51]

Very Nice Gary!

 

[Blackfoot58]

Great looking work!

 

[newnan man]

Very nice workmanship & colors.

 

[dognose]

very nice.
they are attractive

 

[ToddsPoint]

Here’s more lapidary using one of the Kaolin preforms. Just finished this today. About 10 hrs total.

 

[ToddsPoint]

 

[dognose]

thats very attractive
the gloss on it is nice
you are skilled

 

[ToddsPoint]

Here’s a frame I made from heated Kaolin. Fluted point makers rarely used Kaolin. Most all of it has to be heated to flute and the paleos didn’t heat flint. I have two more frames of Kaolin I’ll post soon.

 

[newnan man]

Beautiful points, you have a great talent.

 

[ToddsPoint]

Another Kaolin frame.

 

[ToddsPoint]

Beautiful points, you have a great talent.

Unfortunately my talent has slipped away along with the strength. I’m 70 now and can just barely make a serviceable 2” corner notch dart point. Twenty plus yrs of knapping wore out my shoulder, elbow, and wrist/hands.

 

[newnan man]

I'm only a couple of years behind you. I haven't been "bullet proof " in decades!

 

[ToddsPoint]

This is a frame of 60 Kaolin cahokia points I made for a collector of modern flintwork from AL. I got $1200 or $20 ea for the points. These are from around 2001. This was a 35mm pic that I took a digital pic from. When I was at my best I could make one of these in 30 min if I started with a perfect shaped flake. Thicker flakes took 45 min.

 

[Oldrvrrat57]

Here’s a frame I made from heated Kaolin. Fluted point makers rarely used Kaolin. Most all of it has to be heated to flute and the paleos didn’t heat flint. I have two more frames of Kaolin I’ll post soon.View attachment 2132004

Wow you are an amazing flint knapper!!!

 

[tamrock]

Thats some very beautiful works of art there Toddspoint.

 

[newnan man]

Really good knapping, amazing.

 

[ToddsPoint]

This is the first frame of Cahokias I put together before 2000. My early points are not near as good as my later ones. All but 10 or so are made of Kaolin. I still have this frame. Unlike many modern knappers, I kept a good portion of my work. I have around 500 points I made.

 

[ToddsPoint]

These are from the above frame. This is Rio LaPaz jasper from Honduras. A friend was in the military and stationed there and sent me some of the local rocks to knap.

The one on the left is from a tektite. Tektites are formed when an asteroid hits a deposit of sand and turns it glass like. This tektite was found in N GA by a knapper. He brought it to a knapin and spalled it and passed it out. The one on the right is fancy Jasper from India.