flint knappers!

[J-dog]

Been interested in trying flint knapping and jumped into it today with bothfeet. Now my hands are bandaged, luckily no stitches but bleeding to death was a real possibilty. typing really hurts as well, but never been to good at it anyway. LOL

Loving it seriously though having a blast and just trying to learn the mechanics of it - have made nothing but rubble but agan having a ball. Anyone else do this?

J

[bushytail]

I tryed it.I broke about 4 rocks to nothing before i got something that kinda looks like a arrowhead.I have trouble getting them thin.I broke some up into small pieces (by accident)and made earrings out of some small arrowheads (about the size of a dime)for my wife.Turned out pretty nice.Made a knife blade for a coyote jawbone knife.The blade turned out to be a little shorter than I wanted.But it turned out OK.I also drew blood a few times.Some guys realy got talent when it comes to flint-napping.Maybe some of the guys can show pics of their art work.  

[huey]

Yea I'm with ya on the rubble, about half a day worth. Keeping the rock where it can be thined in the middle is tuff. So far I have not been able to make the rock small and thin.

[outbackbob48]

J Dog , I,ve been knapping for 4 yrs. now an you need to put bandaids an superglue in your tool kit 8^). If you can get to a knap-in it can reduce the learning curve alot also lots of good short videos on yutube. Careful it can be highly addictive as well. It got above freezing in Pa. today an I had to sit out an knock out a point today. Check out Primitive archery site lots of real good knappers over there an helpful as can be, Good Luck an enjoy the ride, hope to see some of your points in the future. Later Bob

[J-dog]

Yeah it is addictive and I been going for only a couple hours today. Luckily my office at the fire house is tucked away so in the lulls I got time to practice. __

Gonna get a DVD to see how it is done a little - plus I been watching the youtube shortys.

J

Yeah the thinning part is tough?

[ishiwannabe]

Get some preforms, and practice pressure flaking on them. By varying your pressure and angle you can get the rock to do certain things.
Learn to knap into a notched leather pad, or even an old tire section. The idea is that it will catch the sharp slinters and save your digits.

Always knap onto a blanket or into a bucket. Others do not like finding shards with their feet...oops.

[outbackbob48]

J-dog, I got a dvd from Mark Bracken(flintknappingtools.com)that I thought was real good.He has 2 differnt tapes both in my opinion were very good, one is a begineers tape an the other is about how to knap square edges an turtle backs both that you will run into almost every time you knap. Everyone has problems getting them thin when you first start    Just keep after it an give it time. This is a hobby of tonnage an the learning cuve is not reached over nite, Again good luck Later Bob

[vtmtnman]

I've been trying my hand at it.I've busted alot of stone,but I think I'm getting the mechanics of it.I wish there was a knapper close by I could learn from.I hate trying to learn off books and videos.

Thinning the middle is an impossible task!            

Even though I've busted up alot of good stone,it's still fun and I'm learning.One day I'll get it.One day..  :rolleyes:

[outbackbob48]

Vtmtnman, The weekend before Labor day there is a large Knappin at Letchworth State Park in Ny. Just south of Rochester,Ny.You can learn more in a weekend at a knapin than any book or dvd, lots of vendors an helpful knappers. In order to get the middle thin you have to be able to percussion flake at least half way or more so that when you come from other side to center or past it gets thinner. If your flakes stop short of center from both sides it leaves a hump or ridge in middle. Hope this helps. Bob

[kestimator]

Yes!  My 6 year old son and I have just started.  My 4 year old is also included, but in reality we are letting him do what he can, so as not to be excluded.  It is addictive and we all have hand wounds.  Safety glasses have prevented eye injuries.  We've produced some decent heads      

We got our starter kit from Kustom King.  The simple DVD "dumbs down" the process for beginners.  It was much less intimidating than other DVD's and on-line videos.

[eric101]

The key to thinning a piece of flint from a spall or bi face is to get the platform right.That is the key to thinning i mean always keep your platform above the center line of the edge of the point when pressure flaking push in and out when you feel the flake wanting to break free.Always stay with a ridge for your platforms and you will pick it up pretty quick if you have questions just email me and i will answer best i can good luck and wear safety glasses.

[fido dog]

WEAR GLOVES AND PROTECTIVE EYEWEAR!!!!!!!!!!

[Neutron]

Ha! Jay Dog, now you are going to wind up with hundreds or maybe thousand of pounds of rock stashed around your place.  Unless you are lucky enough to have readily available chert of decent quality you will have to try to explain to your wife, friend, yourself how it somehow makes sense to spend good money on buckets of rock.  You will bleed and not waste money on band aids but just start wrapping some of that medical tape on your finger tip and keep on smashing rocks.  I would warn you to stop now but once you inject little micro particles of silica into your fingertips its too late!  Check out knappers r us on the web.  It may be knappers-r-us.  If you cannot find it let me know and I will get the address.  Find someone who knaps in your area and hang with them.  Go to knap-ins.  If you want to see some amazing points go here  http://www.mcleandesign.com/knapping.php

[getstonedprimitivebowhunt]

...try using "JOHNSTONE"  Find a old tolet tank and break it up into smaller pieces. Cheap way to start knapping.

[J-dog]

Great help guys, yeah needs some med tape. "JOHNSTONE" that is good right there! plenty of that around.

Turtlebacks! that is what they are called??? - yeah I ran into them yesterday and yeah they are tough - main reason I cracked so many rocks. I have been to that guys website - am placing an order there today and will get his DVDs and book - Thanks.

I like any hobby I can sit around the shop out back and mess with - and this is just a blast. Yeah there are no ready supplies of flint or good stone here but will not mind dropping some money on poundage!

Keep em coming yall.

J

[Pat B]

To help you understand the mechanics look for FLINTKNAPPING Making and Understanding Stone Tools   by John C. Whittaker
 This is an excellent book teaching the correct route to take to understand stone tools and not just stone arrowheads. Easy to read, easy to understand and lots of pics and pencil drawings showing the processes.

[JEJ]

I read or heard this somewhere, and I have been doing this for a couple of years now, and it has worked for me. Start with your whole enchilada pile of rocks and go through all of them making “pre-forms” (I think that is what they are called) using percussion flaking. You will learn on your biggest rocks all about grinding platforms, the correct angle to strike, where to strike, etc. to get that flake that runs across the rock. What you will end up with is a smaller pile of pre-forms that are now ready for your more advanced knapping skills. Go through these smaller, better shaped pre-forms again this time using smaller percussion tool, and you will be able to “shape” them according to what you want to end up with, and what the rock tells you. Once you get them to this stage, you are likely ready to start pressure flaking them. Along the way you have used your biggest rocks to “learn” on, and they are (in my opinion) easier to see and work with. Good luck, and I agree with Neutron about using the white tape. Also, knap outside where there is a breeze to blow away the dust. It is not dust, but real, real small pieces of your knapping material that you don’t want your lungs to get introduced to. Have fun, and post some pics when you get some finished.

 

[Ed Isaacs]

I've been collecting rock and knapping dvd's for a couple of years now, not to mention a gigantic pile of rubble I've knocked off spalls and preforms... and cuts.  It is indeed addictive.

[vtmtnman]

Originally posted by getstonedprimitivebowhunt:
...try using "JOHNSTONE"  Find a old tolet tank and break it up into smaller pieces. Cheap way to start knapping.

I like cheap.Good tip there,thanks.  

[outbackbob48]

Vtmtnman, If you like cheap material to start out with you can knap bottle bottoms beer, wine, yeagermeister green bottle bottom, plate glass if you can find thicker stuff,tv screens just make sure an wash off the dust thats inside   :(  Here's a little tip on getting bottle bottoms off real easy. Make sure an wear glove for protection, drop a 20D nail in bottle an place hand over top an shake it up an down until bottom pops off nice an clean. Works just like you had it cut off. Have fun an becarful. Bob