glass question.

[triggerfinger]

I was thinking about learning to knap, ive always been super interested in it, and used to use found arrow heads on arrows when I was a kid.  I dont however have access to the rock.  I know that glass is a good material but kinda hard to find in a thick enough piece.  So i was wondering if anyone ever tried melting it into billets?  Glass melts at 1720 on average, a simple home made foundry can melt cast iron at 2000+ degrees so it should be fairly easy to melt,  and it could be cast into sand or clay.  Or am i justway over thinking the whole thing.


also, where do you practice so nobody ever steps on he sharp flakes

[bubby]

you can go to a gem shop, obsidion out here goes for $1.00 a pound, or you can get some on ebay, try and find someone local that knapps and get with them, they can help with finding rock, Bub

[jamie]

beer bottles, wine bottles, yaeger, just gotta empty em first. not sure how glass would be effected by the heat but im sure melting it into chunks of slag would work. if the colors blended it would look even cooler.

[triggerfinger]

you should be able to mae mixed color blocks. thats how marbles are made, by mixing various colors of recycled glass.


also could ouuse the lass tles from lowes...or ceramic tile for that matter, it is very brittle

[mullet]

We have melted glass in a kiln and blended colors.

[Tower]

I cut my teeth on glass ,so to speak. Check your local bar for some colored glass. I know some knappers who blend colored glass & some of it is pretty. I knapp in my back yard.

[triggerfinger]

mullet i may have to make that 4 hr trip for a lesson or two...and some of those oysters i saw on another thread

[crooketarrow]

  I mealted glass it makes it really brittle for knaping. I always in my travels check out old dumps. SEAMS OLD GLASS IS ALOT THICKER AND NOT AS BTITTLE most are 3/16 to a 1/4 just right for knapping SOME GLAS IS TEMPERED IT'S GREAT. But theres lots of different rock that you can get just a couple more steps to learn and way better than glass. But glass is a great way to learn and get started.

[Bill Skinner]

Old TV screens are about 7/16" thick, watch out for the stuff in the tube.  I break the tube with a .22 pistol, then carefully pick up the glass after it has been rained on several times.  Get a painters' canvas drop cloth and knap on it, when you are finished, pick out the larger flakes, the fold it into 1/3'rds, the fold it in half, all the chips will go to the middle.  Then take it over to a trash can and hold one end, the chips will fall out the other, a few shakes and you can fold it up until the next day.  Bill

[mullet]

triggerfinger, I've got some of that old Deco Glass that was on buildings in the thirties, it knaps real nice and easy. I'm heading for the Alexacarrie Plantation, hog hunting with Chris Cade and Hillbilly the weekend of the 15th of July. I'm suprised Chris hasn't asked me to stop by and pick up that Contender 44.

[triggerfinger]

mullet,

Ill be out of town that weekend.  In holly co after some prairie dogs.  And i think its traded to somebody, i dont know their real name though.  I hate to give screen names in case they would rather keep it private.  But normally i wouldnt have an issue with it.  If i were in town id let you boys toss a cot in my office, its not the hilton but would save hotel bills and has all the comforts of home....range included

[mullet]

Chris is Mechslasher. I appreciate the offer for a place to stay, but the Alexacarrie is a 4 star place.

[triggerfinger]

4stars, lucky you!!!  When i go hunting id generally be satisfied with 4 walls.  You must be in good with your wife if shes lettingyou do that .