Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Flintknapping => Topic started by: jthompson1995 on December 29, 2010, 09:07:20 am

Title: Starting to get it
Post by: jthompson1995 on December 29, 2010, 09:07:20 am
Since deciding to try my hand at knapping a few months ago, I've made some pretty rough, small points. Well yesterday something finally clicked and I was able to make these points without breaking the rock in two. They're not perfect by a long ways and I am still working on thinning some more but they are by far the best points I've made to date and I am very pleased on how they came out.

I am getting better at understanding how the rock breaks and going from a larger blocky piece of rock to a point while keeping length and width from shrinking too much. These were both done with copper boppers and flakers, percussion mainly with pressure finishing/final shaping.

The first is silver sheen obsidian with a really nice streak across the middle. This started as a block about the size of a pound of butter. I was pleased I thinned it down to this point quickly and have some large flakes left for more points.

(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii249/jthompson1995/IMG_0810.jpg)

(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii249/jthompson1995/IMG_0809.jpg)

(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii249/jthompson1995/IMG_0808.jpg)

(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii249/jthompson1995/IMG_0805.jpg)

Next is a turkey tail in keokuk. This isn't as thin as the obsidian but I was able to keep the full length of the spall I started with and the stripe across the tip.

(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii249/jthompson1995/IMG_0813.jpg)

(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii249/jthompson1995/IMG_0814.jpg)

And here's some pics of both together.

(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii249/jthompson1995/IMG_0817.jpg)

(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii249/jthompson1995/IMG_0819.jpg)

(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii249/jthompson1995/IMG_0822.jpg)

Thanks for looking.
Title: Re: Starting to get it
Post by: nugget on December 29, 2010, 09:44:06 am
Way to go. Keep at it
Title: Re: Starting to get it
Post by: warhawk on December 29, 2010, 01:56:08 pm
Thats pretty good and the more you practice it will get better>
Title: Re: Starting to get it
Post by: Sparrow on December 29, 2010, 03:49:17 pm
 Very Nice !  That thinning thing comes with Technique , practice and nerve. (Also, lots of broken bi-faces)  Paleo man Jim's,  you tube video's helped me alot. Keep at it,you are getting there fast.  '  Frank
Title: Re: Starting to get it
Post by: leapingbare on December 29, 2010, 05:00:18 pm
Looking good! You got to stay with it, Knap as often as you can to get better.
practice, practice, practice!

Looks Grate for only knapping a few months!
Title: Re: Starting to get it
Post by: jamie on December 29, 2010, 09:54:27 pm
very good work. like jesse said practice practice. go on youtube and look for a video by paleomanjim. its called isolating platforms. it'll help you out a lot with thinning. just dont start making em too thin its a curse.  ;D