Today I had the great pleasure of visiting cowboy (aka Paul) and breaking some rock with him. You know you're at a knapper's place when the decorative rock around the trees is all flint.
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7065/6991274821_616d1715ae_z.jpg)
I drooled over his debitage pile (and even more the georgetown pile behind it):
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7185/6845150280_b6b57b4469_z.jpg)
I came to learn to run the ishi stick, but I think the lesson on thinning was even more important. He thins his preforms effortlessly. I kept missing the mark and knocking width or length off mine.
![Embarrassed :-[](http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/Smileys/default/embarrassed.gif)
He made a thin little knife blade I took home and then worked on a really pretty point.
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7203/6845147014_53c802e5ff_z.jpg)
Here's his first point and mine (not quite done - on the left)...did I say Paul is FAST?? He did 2 in the time I took to get mine partway done...
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7195/6845148764_3fda54c25c_z.jpg)
He had some beautiful point displays in his house.
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7181/6991276583_60a3940553_z.jpg)
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7050/6845153894_5c4b3cb591_z.jpg)
I'd still be there, but my wife called to say we'd been invited to a crawfish boil and it was starting in an hour (I was nearly 2hrs from home). I made it just as the first batch hit the table.
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7178/6845204216_4102880d4d_z.jpg)
What a wonderful day! Thanks Paul. I'm so glad we finally got together for my lesson. I'll be out practising tomorrow.
George