Granite knapping?

[Chris Grimbowyer]

Hey guys I know this maybe a little off topic for here please remove if it is too off topic. I just found a hunk of granite about 5 inches across up and down and I was wondering if you can knap granite like you can flint? Im a begginer to flint knapping.

[1oldbowguy]

Not very well.  You need to find some good chert, such as Burlington or Novaculite or something like, Flint Ridge which you have in Ohio.  One good thing to start off with is glass from an old fish tank, it knaps well.  Most lithic material is some what pricy.  Obsidian is great for the beginner but you much be very careful with it, super sharp flakes, and I do mean sharp.  You can cut yourself without even knowing you are cut.  There are some good books and videos out about knapping, they will help lots.
P.M. me and I will get you some fish tank glass if you want some and I will loan you a couple videos on knapping if you wish.

[TroutGuide]

Why fish tank glass is it tempered differently.  I think I heard someone say television glass as well I have a dead tv in the garage.  Also in Oklahoma regular chert rock and not actual flint will work or should I look for flint.

[1oldbowguy]

TroutGuide, the glass on the fish tank, for the most part isn't tempered so much just cheep and real easy to work with.  As for old tv's well real hard to find the old tube type and not real safe when you try to brake up to work with.  They want to explode and all.  The chert is best as in the U.S.A. we really don't have real flint, all a chert family.  I have seen, not worked real flint from Europe, man it is tough stuff, even harder then Novaculite which we have tons of here.  Texas has loads of great stuff.  Texas Georgetown, Texas root beer,Texas Tortilla the list goes on.

[GREG IN MALAD]

I kept the glass insert when I threw out the old coffee table in case I wanted to try knapping points. How do you think it will work?

[1oldbowguy]

Depending on the thickness should be a problem at all.  When working with glass, you don't have to use as much pressure so try to keep that in mind.  That way you will not break it as often and will not push flakes across the point.

[scrub-buster]

I stopped in a local glass store and asked them for some thick glass pieces.  I explained that I was trying to learn how to flint knapp.  They gave me a whole bunch of scrap pieces and told me to come back if I needed any more.

[hova]

i dont see why you wouldnt go to the goodwill and get ceramic or some bottle glass or something.


stuff should be cheap , or free , or youre doing wrong...

[1oldbowguy]

I have tried some ceramic before and just couldn't get it to flake, to soft just wrong make up. The problem with ceramic is it is most clay not glass.  You can file it to shape a point though, that I do know.  It wouldn't hold up to much pressure though.  The bottoms of bottles work well though. There is so many things that will make a good point, old scrap metal, bone, wood the list goes on.  The Native Americans even used shell or slate.  Filed it to shape and worked.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

I've got Missouri Flint, or Burlington Chert to be more exact. I'm not much of a flint knapper myself, but some are. I think your granite that you mention is something like Rhyolite that your hoping for, but I am not that fluent with my rocks. I'm no geologist by any means, but we have lots of granite around here and I've thought the same thing as you.

[1oldbowguy]

If it is Rhyolite, that knaps rather well.  It is a form of granite, less quarts and not as hard.  I have or had some that was fun to work with, Rhyolite that is.  You can always find out by trying to take a flake off.  Find a good platform, stay below mid line of the stone, and give it a go.  As with all stone, set up your platform first then take the flake.  Be sure to grind your edges so they will not crush on you.  Kind of like rounding the edges of wood to keep splintering down.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

So true Phil, and that my friend is the secret to being a good flint knapper. Which is also my downfall. I try and try and try to set up a good platform and end up with only bloody fingertips to show for it. LOL

[1oldbowguy]

Chris, so true, Been there, DONE THAT!  One of the best tools a knapper can have is a good supply of band-aids.

[Roy Steele]

Glass is cheap but brittle. Anything free is good to learn on. I found out that old glass works different than glass now days. When ever I out hikeing I always check out anyols dumps. Bottoms of old jars or bottles work good. Any glass 1/4 or so is best. I even use to get glass from a stain glass shop.