a question for the knappers

[tnmudman]

i picked up a bunch of flint when i was out the other day trying to pick ones that could be used to make points out of .is any of this good material to work with its apparently what the natives here were using the points i find are made of this mostly

 

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[monsterrack]

That size is what you need to start to learn with. It will be very hard to make an point out such small stuff, but you can learn how to take off a flake with that size. The biggest mistake that people make is trying to start with large pieces of stone and end up with a thick crud item and a bunch of broken small flakes. You have to learn to be able to remove a flake 1st not matter the size and then you can move up the larger pieces. Get yourself a good flintknapping kit and read all you can on knapping. Just remember you have to break a lot of stone, get a lot of cuts and hit yourself a few 1,000 times. Just don't give up ,if you keep doing it and pay attention to what you did when something went wrong, you will learn this. flintknapping is not something that comes to everyone over night. I have taught a number of classes and folks pay $200 for the weekend class, 1st day is in the class room going over the styles and the mechanics behind it all. The 2nd day they get to break stone and I walk around an try to help out by giving pointers. We take a lunch break and 75% won't come back, they thought it would be much easier, their leg hurts, fingers are soar. If you need some pointers PM me and I'll do the best I can to help you.

 

[monsterrack]

On the material that you picked up, the ones that have a shine to it will be better to start with. If the stone looks grainy or has what looks like fish scales on it keep it for last. That is some nice stone and you need to find where it came from. It has to be a out cropping of some where in driving distance. Look online for a geo. map of your area that will help.

 

[Jon Stewart]

X 2 what monster wrote. You can also spend some time on you tube and watch many free video instructions. After you get the hang of percussion work on the glossy rock I would heat treat the grainy stuff to make it easier to work.

 

[tnmudman]

i was really thing more of giving this material away to someone would either of you like to have some of it also i think some of this material comes from the creek bed which surrounds the feild where i found it this is the same site that i posted about recently showing a whole case full all from that site also the killer hamilton i just found

 

[tnmudman]

if someone could post an example of what would be the right size piece of material i would know what to keep i was just thinking this may be different from what may be normally available for some knappers to work with some of it is a red color the pics dont do it justice its pretty flint

 

[monsterrack]

if someone could post an example of what would be the right size piece of material i would know what to keep i was just thinking this may be different from what may be normally available for some knappers to work with some of it is a red color the pics dont do it justice its pretty flint

The best size to start with would be about the size of your palm. From what I see in the photos most of it has a outside cortex on it, which tells me they were using cobbles/nodules of stone. To work a piece down to a good point since most stones are thick an oval shaped, it helps to start with a larger rock. Most of the time they would knock off a good size flake from a larger stone and then make a point/tool. What you are showing is what they could not use for what they wanted, it was waste.

 

[Jon Stewart]

As monster wrote you have mostly debitage or waste flakes from percussion work. You run into a source spot or where that rock come from I would be interested in some larger, softball size or bigger pieces. I would of course pay the flat rate shipping costs.

Thanks for your offer for the above rock.

 

[tnmudman]

i think the source for most of this is the creek there are a lot of them softball size its like a round ball with flint in the middle surrounded by white material which you can see remnants of in a lot of the points and tools that i find there i always called that whitish material chert but i guess it is not from what i have learned lately but i will be glad to send you some if you send me your address i guess thete is a private msg funtion if i can figure out how to use it

 

[tnmudman]

i would think some of the smaller flakes i have could be used look at these tiny points they made out of it

 

[PaDirtDigger]

I didnt read a thing i wouldnt agree with... Sent a pm as well. I had about 30" of snow this week.... I hate snow right now. Lol....just had to say that

 

[tnmudman]

padirtdigger please resend that msg i read it then it dissapeared