Free hand or lap knapping?

[Allyn T]

Which do you guys prefer? I thought I would like lap the best but I feel like I get better flake travel with free hand. I am more accurate with lap though.

[Deerhunter21]

I do both but mostly Free hand. I only use a lap pad when im spalling. I also feel like i get a better flake freehanding it and it allows me to control the angle more.

[bjrogg]

I have arthritis in my thumb so I use mostly lap. My thumb really doesn’t like my Knapping habit.

Bjrogg

[Trapper Rob]

I freehand Knapp I do a little on my leg.

[Allyn T]

Any of y'all use punches? Not a lot of knappers on here it seems like. This area doesn't get used much or knappers just aren't that talkative

[Deerhunter21]

Any of y'all use punches? Not a lot of knappers on here it seems like. This area doesn't get used much or knappers just aren't that talkative

I used to be able to expect at least one post a day... now a lot of the knappers that were on this site havent been on here in a while.

I dont use a punch

If your looking for some really cool points and stuff, look up a guy called 1442 on the members list and go look at the topics hes started. hes made some reallllllly nice stuff that are really cool to see!

[Allyn T]

Thanks I'll look that up for sure!

[JackCrafty]

I've always preferred freehand. I can hit the tough rock a lot harder if it's not on a pad on my leg. If I use a pad, I'll put it on the ground. I'll sometimes use a small leg pad for the mid-range nodules.

I always used punches. But I've gotten lots of requests to show billet knapping so I'm doing more of that these days.

[Allyn T]

Do you prefer horizontal or vertical punches for thinning?

[YosemiteBen]

@Allyn - check out indirect percussion videos. Another type of punch knapping.

[Allyn T]

@Allyn - check out indirect percussion videos. Another type of punch knapping.

I've watched a bunch and I really wanna try it. I dislike pressure flaking so the less I have to do of that the better. I made a horizontal antler stick like Marty uses but I need so make different size bits for it. I also wanna make an under the leg one and some copper ones to see what I like the best.

[JackCrafty]

I prefer, and have mostly used, horizontal punches. Never liked the vertical ones. And I don't like using leg pads.

[Allyn T]

Now that you say that I haven't really seen any leg pads in your videos

[mullet]

I prefer free hand unless I'm thinning large spalls. I also made up some large punches from Moose Billets after watching James Parker use them. I have started using very small punches  a lot when I notch points or for thinning the base.

[Allyn T]

I have some horizontal punches in the works. Mullet do you use antler or copper for your notch punches?