tips for a noob please

[jayman448]

howdy. i am having a heck of a time thinning and making a nice sharp edge. any tips? could a dull flaker hinder my thinning?

[TRACY]

Read through the post above thinning with pressure by tower.



Tracy

[Chippintuff]

Howdy to you too. It sounds like you might be a Texan. Are you anywhere near College Station/Bryan? If so, we are having a knappers' get together at my house tomorrow. If not, there are other knappins happening in various places around the state from time to time.

WA

[PrimitiveTim]

Abrade abrade abrade before you try to push off a flake.  Also when you're pressure flaking put a lot of pressure and push in.  Get some cheap material to practice with like glass and just keep at it.  You'll start to get it figured out.  Also don't be afraid to try different things

[Sasquatch]

Yep read the thinning with pressure above,by Tower.  But really you might not understand it completely.  Watch paleomanjim on YouTube about isolated platforms.  I will be at the CS area knapp in along with Tower, and many other knappers form Paleoplanet.   But if you want more answers to your question. Tell us what the flakes are doing or elaborate.

[jayman448]

ill look at all those resources for sure. ive really just been winging it. i have made a few points but they are few and far between. as far as thinning goes im pathetic. in fact ive never thinned anything really substantially.

as for being a texan, i am farthest from that i can be i think. i am from the central interior of British Columbia Canada. The closest town is a Village and out here if you aint a logger or a trucker your a rancher XD so in that aspect perhaps I am close to a texan XD haha

[jayman448]

would an ishi stick do the job better then a flaker? im going through glass like a mad man and all i seem to ber doing is getting crappy little flakes and lots of shards in my foot XD im lucky to send one flake half way accross. ive been watching videos like crazy and am just at a loss for what im doing different XD

[iowabow]

Read through the post above thinning with pressure by tower.
X2


Tracy

[iowabow]

Search my posts. I posted my journey as I was learning. You will have many of the same questions your path to flint knapping will be very similar.

[JackCrafty]

Flintknapping is a sport.  Welcome to the team.  We'll show you the game but you've got to practice to get good.   

And by practice I mean LOTS of practice.

[Parnell]

Flintknapping is a sport.  Welcome to the team.  We'll show you the game but you've got to practice to get good.   

And by practice I mean LOTS of practice.

That's funny Patrick. 
My 2 cents - Platform preparation is key.  Pressure flaking...think of pressing parallel with the blade first (In), then down to pop it off.  Push instead of pry.
For percussion, how you hold the blade in your hand is about as important as exactly where you hit it the platform and at what angle.  Picture your holding point (pressure point for where you hold it) being opposite the blade from where you'll strike and hold on loosely under your point of impact.

Order the Whittaker Flintknapping book and study it...

[crooketarrow]

 Jay there's only one thing I can say and that is keep going keep those little chips flying. Everyone on here has went through the same thing.

  No one knowing what there doing starting out. I've been knapping 25 or so years. I still have big trouble thining.                       

 Before long those little flakes will get bigger,and bigger. Before long you'll be over running those flakes.

[le0n]

im going through glass like a mad man and all i seem to be doing is getting crappy little flakes...

show us the glass and the tool you're working with. also, show us an edge that you've worked.

from what i've found in my experience (which is minimal), is that some glass knaps differently than others. and when you get to working bottle bottoms, the concave/convex surfaces add another dimension of complexity.

keep at it though, because your technique will come with a little perseverance.

...
 Before long those little flakes will get bigger,and bigger. Before long you'll be over running those flakes.

i can't stand it when that happens. i've lost a few points that way.

[Jodocus]

I'm by no means a more than intermediate level knapper, but one thing that hasn't been said: Knapping is very susceptible to negative emotions. Don't try to learn it in one go. When you get frustrated (and I believe to hear a hint of frustration in your post  ) put it away for a while (weeks, not hours). There will be an noticeable step up when you get back to it.

[jayman448]

I'm by no means a more than intermediate level knapper, but one thing that hasn't been said: Knapping is very susceptible to negative emotions. Don't try to learn it in one go. When you get frustrated (and I believe to hear a hint of frustration in your post  ) put it away for a while (weeks, not hours). There will be an noticeable step up when you get back to it.

didnt realize you could sense that through the screen XD haha might be a good idea to rest a while... after this last one.. haha