Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Flintknapping => Topic started by: ColtSmith on April 07, 2015, 09:23:41 pm

Title: Can I Knap this?
Post by: ColtSmith on April 07, 2015, 09:23:41 pm
I am new to flint knapping and was wondering if this rock I found in missouri is good for knapping. I can get tons of this stuff and also can some one lead me to a video on how to bust this thing open?(http://i62.tinypic.com/wjseg.jpg) (Im not sure if the picture will work sorry)
Title: Re: Can I Knap this?
Post by: Trapper Rob on April 07, 2015, 09:25:40 pm
Should knapp might need to heat treat it.
Title: Re: Can I Knap this?
Post by: Zuma on April 07, 2015, 09:31:59 pm
From my time searching for rock in MO,
I would think any rock there is knappable.
Zuma
Title: Re: Can I Knap this?
Post by: ColtSmith on April 07, 2015, 09:38:44 pm
Thank you  :)
Title: Re: Can I Knap this?
Post by: TRACY on April 07, 2015, 09:39:39 pm
Should knapp might need to heat treat it.

Plus 1
Title: Re: Can I Knap this?
Post by: nclonghunter on April 07, 2015, 11:47:05 pm
Just get a harder rock and whack it on the edges to see what's inside...would like to see it again when the inners are exposed.
Title: Re: Can I Knap this?
Post by: Patches on April 08, 2015, 08:08:48 am
Colt,  what part of Missouri you from?  I am in Warrensburg, SE of KC. 

That looks like some rock I have picked up in down around Springfield.  If it comes out of the ground below the freeze line it works pretty well.  The stuff laying on top of the ground has a lot of freeze cracks in it and crumbled when I hit it.  I have not tried to heat treat any yet. 

Neal 
Title: Re: Can I Knap this?
Post by: cowboy on April 08, 2015, 08:45:54 am
I'd bust it up and see what's in there, looks fractured. Like patches said, might wanna dig deeper to get to the more solid stuff.
Title: Re: Can I Knap this?
Post by: StevenT on April 08, 2015, 10:32:03 am
What size is it? Hard to tell from the pic if it fits in the palm of your hand or if it's a five pounder? That could make a difference on if it can be knapped or not.
Title: Re: Can I Knap this?
Post by: ColtSmith on April 08, 2015, 05:38:29 pm
I found this about an hour away from springfield in a ditch, it weighs 15-25 pounds and is very hard to break(http://i61.tinypic.com/5ba8ae.jpg)
Title: Re: Can I Knap this?
Post by: cowboy on April 09, 2015, 08:54:21 am
If you can spall that and heat them I'm sure they would yield some fine points. Plenty of utubes on how to spall, I like paleomanjim. $15.00 turkey roaster from Wal Mart works very well for most rocks.
Title: Re: Can I Knap this?
Post by: DavidV on April 09, 2015, 10:27:04 pm
I'm just starting too and that first rock looks exactly like what I have. It seems easy to flake raw but it's also gritty and crumbly.

I'm in Strafford, just east of Springfield.
Title: Re: Can I Knap this?
Post by: ColtSmith on April 13, 2015, 10:42:33 pm
I bought a turkey roaster that goes up to 450 will that work for this rock and other rocks? Thank you for all the replies! :)
Title: Re: Can I Knap this?
Post by: cowboy on April 14, 2015, 07:05:29 am
There ya go, yep. Try to keep them an inch or thinner, roughly. 200 for a day to dry,ramp up 50 every four hours, hold at high for a day, ramp down same way. That's the safe way, I've done loads faster but have lots of rocks. I always pack wet sand around lid to seal after drying time, not sure that's necessary.
Title: Re: Can I Knap this?
Post by: caveman2533 on April 14, 2015, 07:53:57 am
remember to remove the pan and put the thinner pieces near the corners where it will get hottest. Cover it all with sand like Cowboy said. do not open it until the temp is below 150. Get at Walmart one of the turkey frying thermometers and stick it thru the lid into the sand, don't let it touch rock if you can help it. remember that the temp on the dial will be ahead of the stone. The stone temp will lag behind the dial setting, so don't panic and raise it  trying to keep it up with the dial. If you have a piece of pink insulation laying around place some on top of the sand, under the lid, without the paper.