Need some advice for peck and grind

[Ryan Jacob]

Well I ain’t getting any more bow wood for 2 years so I decided to try something new. Quick question, what thickness do y’all shoot for when making axe heads? I’m guessing around 3/4’s of an inch?

[Eric Krewson]

I have some originals (actually I gave them to my son) about 5000 years old, they are closer to 1".

[DC]

Did you make them Eric? Just a guess from you "too old" post.

[Ryan Jacob]

Ah crud, guess I’m starting over

[Eric Krewson]

Interesting story on the artifacts. I was looking a a village/mound site in the 70s (no laws) some one had dug a post hole sized test hole looking for a "arra" heads. They didn't know what they were doing. They had thrown a couple of mud covered rocks out of the hole but it had rained the night before I got there and washed off two beautiful ground and polished celts.
 

[Stoner]

I made an adze and an axe head from some Washington basalt left over from a job I was working on. First attempt and I think they came out OK. John

[Stoner]

Washington Basalt

[Stoner]

This is my first attempt with a rock I found on a bridge job I was working on here in OK. It was in the general shape when I started. John

[Hummingbird Point]

I don't think you can wrong on size.  They made some that seem too little, some that seem too big and lots inbetween.  I think smaller is better for a first project.

I like your ax, especially how you left the non-working end natural.  A lot of modern guys would try to make that look neater by making it more symmetric, but the old timers that actually used them couldn't care less.

I do think you maybe over ground the bit.  The angle is too acute and should be more arched, see:

[Ryan Jacob]

Well, haven’t thrown it out just yet so I’ll keep at it. Now that I think about, what rock have I been hitting?

[Stoner]

Hummingbird Point, What is the book you referenced ? I had and still have no clue what I'm doing with this pecking thing. I used an old broken bench grinder stone to abrade / sand / grind. The model I used were from other members here and on the Leatherwall. They sent me pictures of found heads with rulers laying next to them. Just trying to match what our ancestors did. .....so easy even a cave man can do it! Or maybe an old stone carver. John

[Ryan Jacob]

Well, what I’ve been figuring out so far is that if something isn’t working, hit it harder

[Hummingbird Point]

Well, what I’ve been figuring out so far is that if something isn’t working, hit it harder

From this book:


https://www.amazon.com/Primitive-Technology-Book-Earth-Skills/dp/0879059117/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3T22NJ5Y5XU94&dchild=1&keywords=primitive+technology+a+book+of+earth+skills&qid=1601319556&s=books&sprefix=primitive+tech%2Caps%2C140&sr=1-1