Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Flintknapping => Topic started by: Outbackbob48 on March 10, 2010, 01:11:22 pm

Title: Help Rock ID
Post by: Outbackbob48 on March 10, 2010, 01:11:22 pm

I just got a rock from a friend that hikes out west. I took a spall off one corner an man is this stuff hard. Colors are a blueish green grey an dull black, This rock was picked up in Utah, an its hard hard hard :o  I believe it will knap but I may have change up my tools a bit. Any ideas or help greatly appreciated. I got an idea as to what it is but I'll wait on some western input. Thanks Again Bob

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Title: Re: Help Rock ID
Post by: Ryan_Gill_HuntPrimitive on March 10, 2010, 01:28:07 pm

I will take first crack at it.  looks similar to the basalt we have here in MT.   so thats my guess. Utah Basalt

Title: Re: Help Rock ID
Post by: jamie on March 10, 2010, 01:40:47 pm

fine grained basalt?

Title: Re: Help Rock ID
Post by: Pdwight on March 10, 2010, 02:25:09 pm

prairie agate ??

if you go here these guys can tell what anything is;

Title: Re: Help Rock ID
Post by: mullet on March 10, 2010, 04:05:33 pm

 I'd say crappy Basalt or crappy jasper.

Title: Re: Help Rock ID
Post by: Pdwight on March 10, 2010, 04:35:05 pm

Why do you say crappy agate ??

Im not being sarcastic, I used to do quite a bit of rock tumbling and any agate would always polish great.....I know nothing about knaping

Title: Re: Help Rock ID
Post by: Hillbilly on March 10, 2010, 05:28:30 pm

Looks like some kind of metabasalt. The greenstone/metabasalt stuff in Virginia that they make the peck-and-grind axes out of looks similar to that, and it'll flake with wood.

Title: Re: Help Rock ID
Post by: DanaM on March 10, 2010, 06:09:03 pm

Looks like fun to me, happy knapping eh :)

Title: Re: Help Rock ID
Post by: brian melton on March 10, 2010, 06:18:17 pm

I would go with a anchor weight ;D

Title: Re: Help Rock ID
Post by: Outbackbob48 on March 10, 2010, 06:44:41 pm

Brian , I'm going to have to go with yours. I took a potato sized hammer stone an gave it a heck of a wack an my wrist, elbow an fillings are still rattling. I thought it was some kind of ryolite but don,t know if they have it in Utah. I got a pc of reddish ryolite that was from NM. or Ariz. an it's pretty hard an I've hit a few pcs from North Carolina. HillBilly will a pc of english box elder work for a billet on this hard stuff? Maybe an ole fart like me should just trade it off to some youngster thats all musculed up an don't know anybetter ;D or I could just go fishin >:D Thanks for all your help with this specimen. Bob

Title: Re: Help Rock ID
Post by: sailordad on March 10, 2010, 07:24:00 pm

i like tough materials

but to me that looks like leaverite

Title: Re: Help Rock ID
Post by: mullet on March 10, 2010, 09:00:03 pm

 PD, didn't say, Crappy agate. I said crappy basalt or crappy jasper. Or as Claude VanOrder used to call it, Leaverite.

Title: Re: Help Rock ID
Post by: Pdwight on March 10, 2010, 09:28:06 pm

Im just curious , can you knap agate and jasper ??

I know both are very hard compared to obsidian

Title: Re: Help Rock ID
Post by: sailordad on March 10, 2010, 09:30:35 pm

Quote from: Pdwight on March 10, 2010, 09:28:06 pm

Im just curious , can you knap agate and jasper ??

I know both are very hard compared to obsidian

yup

Title: Re: Help Rock ID
Post by: mullet on March 10, 2010, 09:35:28 pm

  Looking at it more, it's probally Gneiss, even crappier Basalt. ;D

Title: Re: Help Rock ID
Post by: Hillbilly on March 11, 2010, 02:05:03 pm

Bob, english boxwood makes great billets. This stuff I was talking about isn't really "knappable-knappable" as in making nice points, but knappable enough that you can rough out a celt or axe blade by knapping and save a lot of pecking and grinding.

Title: Re: Help Rock ID
Post by: jamie on March 11, 2010, 02:11:51 pm

looks better than the stuff i have here. bob just hit it harder!!!  ;D