Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Flintknapping => Topic started by: sleek on February 19, 2017, 11:50:04 pm

Title: Knap nightmare
Post by: sleek on February 19, 2017, 11:50:04 pm

Obsidian.... everyones favorite point material. You couldn't convince me it make a point. I cant pressure flake it, or precussion. With pressure flaking,  i get short flakes. With percussion, i get crumbly dusty mess. I abrade fyi. I cant get the stuff to shoot flakes. It may make a flake, but steps and hinges.

I can knapp glass, and some rock sometimes, and milk glass is my favorite as well as jadite. Obsidian, it doesnt make a point. Not for me.

Title: Re: Knap nightmare
Post by: Dakota Kid on February 20, 2017, 02:52:16 am

Try hitting it lighter when using percussion and flattening your angle when pressure flaking. If it starts to step you have to clean it up before proceeding or it just gets worse.

If that doesn't work, you may have just gotten some crumbly obsidian. I've noticed that some pieces just want to disintegrate. I've had the worst luck with mahogany where the black is more prominent.

Title: Re: Knap nightmare
Post by: Zuma on February 20, 2017, 12:10:06 pm

X2
Zuma

Title: Re: Knap nightmare
Post by: jeffp51 on February 21, 2017, 12:18:52 am

If it is all you can get your hands on, you figure out a way to make it work--at least somewhat.  Since I have never worked anything else besides bottle glass, I can't tell you how to treat it different than harder materials.

Title: Re: Knap nightmare
Post by: gutpile on February 22, 2017, 10:27:08 am

make you a callahan pad for pressure flaking....gut

Title: Re: Knap nightmare
Post by: loon on February 22, 2017, 08:13:50 pm

uh... indirect percussion?... ...

Quote from: gutpile on February 22, 2017, 10:27:08 am

make you a callahan pad for pressure flaking....gut

A what?

Title: Re: Knap nightmare
Post by: Dakota Kid on February 23, 2017, 02:31:07 am

I'm pretty sure it's a pressure flaking palm pad with a cut out groove to allow for unimpeded flake detachment. Basically your flake detaches into empty air. A regular pad could dampen the force resulting in a step. I've never used one, but the idea is sound. Maybe next time I make up a new pad I'll try one out.

Title: Re: Knap nightmare
Post by: gutpile on February 23, 2017, 09:41:20 am

exactly... works like a charm.... can achieve long flakes with it...gut

Title: Re: Knap nightmare
Post by: gutpile on February 23, 2017, 09:45:32 am

google 181 pressure flaking pad...easy to make...

Title: Re: Knap nightmare
Post by: YosemiteBen on February 27, 2017, 10:26:56 pm

well Sleek - come on out for a visit - I can work with ya!

Title: Re: Knap nightmare
Post by: sleek on February 28, 2017, 02:06:22 am

I am going to tey the sugestions here and report back.
Ben, I very may well take you up on that sometime this year. Probably during off season.


I get frustrated with things and have to put them down sometimes when they get me to the point my body temp rises and I want to throw whatever is in my hand, but cant cause I like it. So I am taking a break to do some oaper airplane building.  Its a hobbie I started as a kid and I am perfecting now.