Video: Lacandon three finger punch lever method

[AncientTech]

https://youtu.be/CfQUFERvPxI

https://youtu.be/YFrUPVrblO4

The top video, around the :50 second mark shows a very sophisticated lever-punch technology, used by the remote Lacandons, around 1950.  And, my video shows the technology reproduced.

After studying this clip off and on for several years, I had an epiphany.  The strike that looks like a "bad strike", is not a bad strike at all.  It is designed to cause the opposite end of the punch to pop upwards, when struck.  That is why the blow is not a forwards blow.  Rather, the blow is a glancing downwards blow, that drives in but then, by pulling down, the movement causes the other end to pop up.  The reason that this works is because the middle of the punch rests in a fulcrum, made with three fingers.

The second video shows my initial reenactment of the technology, with virtually no practice at all.  Obviously, I am not striking nearly as hard as the Lacandons strike.   Nevertheless, the little flaker pops up, and sends a flake flying with great speed. 

My understanding is that this technology is used to create microblades.  But, I do not know what else it could be used for.  Also, I do not know the scales that are possible, with the technology.  It is a sort of "lever punch" technology.

What I finally realized while analyzing this, today, is that this process captures the best of both worlds.  The direct drive pushes the punch into the platform.  But, the downwards pull causes the opposite end to "pop up", and pull away from the platform.  And, the results of these two aspects of the striker motion can be seen in the arrowhead blanks, and long microblades, that are produced.

[le0n]

Cool

Thanks for sharing.

[AncientTech]

You are welcome. 

I tracked down the other footage, two years ago.  And, I always assumed that the knapper was using a forwards drive, to detach the blades.  It never occurred to me that he was using the punch as a lever.  As a result, whenever I saw the closeup shot around the :50 mark I thought that the strike was simply unsuccessful, and he the end "bounce" of the punch was incidental. 

But, the other day, I was watching this, and I realized that the swing does not drive in to the tool.  Rather, the swing is carefully designed to pull down, after impact, really hard.  And, I realized that he would not be doing that if he were trying to trying to drive off blades, as I assumed.  Then, I had to ask my self, is the way that the punch end bounces up, around the :50 mark, actually deliberate???  If so, why???

From there, I started using a regular pen in the crotch of my three fingers to simulate what would happen with a forwards, downwards blow.  Sure enough the other end pops up, just after pushing in.  Then, I tried to find an antler tool to experiment with.  But, I do not have many, of the right size, and shape.  So, I decided to start with a steel cylinder, 2.5 inches long.

The arcing blow causes the forwards drive common to "vertical punches".  But, the arc of the blow also causes lateral movement, common to "horizontal punches", while the punch tool pivots in the crotch.  The process brings together the best of both worlds.  And, the effects can be seen in the arrowhead blanks, and the microblades, produced.