Main Discussion Area > HowTo's and Build-a-longs

Heat treating rock (the old fashioned way)

(1/5) > >>

cowboy:
OK, moderators or admin. Could you please delete that first one? I kinda hit enter or something and it went before it's time :).
  Allright, I have sent this to several of you folks - thought I'd share it with everyone. I took a series of pictues for a friend that's into knapping to help explaiin how to treat his flint - this is what I came up with through my trials and tribulations. Just a side note - I tried a toaster oven (it didn't work). 
   This is all TX stone that I have worked with (pederanales)- think it should work with most flints or (cherts) but don't think it'll work with novaculite.
   To start out: You need a good bed of sand, or sandy soil (works best if you have powder dry dirt). Acually not for sure if you NEED sand, but that's what I have and it works.
   This is gonna be short due to lack of room (the pictures will help). You'll want a bed 1" deep, take your spalls and wriggle them into the bed. Hoe a bunch of dirt on top and then start working it around until you have what resembles a volcano (with a rim). Pack your dirt down, by walking on it. Measure the dirt covering the rocks - you want somewhere between three and four inches after packing (the rim of the volcano just holds the coals in later). I start my fire at dawn, keep it going HOT AND STRONG until sunset. Don't even think about digging them up the next morning, let em set for two days or so, and if they didn't blow up - you'll have some nice (glasslike qualities but much tougher) flint to work with. Hope this helps some of ya'll ;).



[attachment deleted by admin]

cowboy:
Few more.

[attachment deleted by admin]

Justin Snyder:
Thanks Paul, I need to heat treat the rest of that Texas stone I got.  I tried making a point out of the untreated stone the other day.  Man that is a lot of work.  Justin

Roger:
Excellent post Paul....Them sure is some purty points!

R

cowboy:
You bet Justin - I know ;D. Hopefully you have good results on your first attempt - if your like me, you'll have a lot of good knappin stone and some blowed up s$!& ;D. Let us know how it turned out whenever ya get the chance - if you need more to play with?............
   Hey Sparky! good to see ya here!!! Yep, them's some killin points allright. Made em whilst I was cookin nother batch. Friend came over and made me have some beers, so tha knappin stopped right there - well, right after I broke the next one ;D. That one on top is Brazos river chert, you can find plenty of rock in there if ya look - and once it's heat treated It'll work as well as any.
.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page