North Carolina or nearby knappers

[Bud B.]

I went to the Uwharrie National Forest today to do some scouting for trail building for mountainbiking. (One of my other passions)

Anyhoo, they did some logging on one of the trails called Supertree. In cutting the road bed for the logging equipment they unearthed some rhyolite ( I'm pretty sure it's rhyolite). As far as I can tell you can remove minerals from Uwharrie. You can even still stake a gold claim in some parts.

If you're a knapper and are looking for some material to work it may be worth a trip to Uwharrie just off 24/27 in Montgomery County, NC near the Lake Tillery dam. Vehicle access is limited. Take your backpack or wheelbarrow.

If this isn't the right place for this Mods, please accept my apologies.

A small sample.

 

[J-dog]

Have ya tried knocking a flake off that? I aint no rock expert. Interesting though, I am trying to learn but only succeeding in sutures.

J

[Bud B.]

Originally posted by J-dog:
Have ya tried knocking a flake off that? I aint no rock expert. Interesting though, I am trying to learn but only succeeding in sutures.

J

Not yet. I did on a few pieces down at the logging road but rock on rock chipping hurts    

I don't knap anyway. There's some even better samples on some land just east of there near Biscoe. Haven't gotten any of that. Looks more glass-like than this one but this stuff looks better than what I can find on my land.

[Bud B.]

I just knocked off what I could with a (gasp) ball pein hammer. Dang razor sharp edges on what I got knocked off. I don't know what I'm doing but I could easily see how the flint heads of times past tore through hide and flesh. That stuff is scary.

The piece i brought home was not much larger than my hand so knocking off a good flake probably isn't going to happen. But it appears to flake well and with one piece good and thin that might be made into a point.

Just a heads up for you knappers in case you might want to head down there on a day trip.

[Pat B]

NC rhyolite makes some very durable hunting points and knife blades. It is very hard to work and around here it is called cryalot. I don't knap but most of my local friends that do make great hunting points for me with NC rhyolite.