Well, here's my first EVER!!!

[Easternarcher]

For some reason, I decided tonite was a good nite to break into knapping. I had some johnstone that I found so I started beating  on it with a copper bopper. I broke out two decent pieces and worked the larger one for a time with percussion, but the smaller one caught my eye.
It took over an hour but I managed to pressure flake this test head out of it. Not very thin and not even close to the pretty stuff you guys make, but for my first ever I'm proud of it. It don't represent any particular style since I'm not very familiar with different head style other than clovis and cahokia maybe....also as I worked I could see possibilities before em and I wanted to try flaking some ears, so I did....then I decided I'd try my hand at notching, so I did. Sure was fun but I noticed my good hand seemed to be stinging alot for some reason. In the last pic you can tell I sit behind a desk most of the time. I'll wear gloves next time.

[mullet]

Excellant, first point.  The one good thing about trying to learn on Thunder Chert or Johnstone, is it won't take you long to find something nicer to beat on. 

[Easternarcher]

Excellant, first point.  The one good thing about trying to learn on Thunder Chert or Johnstone, is it won't take you long to find something nicer to beat on. 

YA mean there's easier stuff to make heads out of???

[ricktrojanowski]

Nice, let the addiction begin.

[cowboy]

Yep, excellant first point and yep - that thunderchert is some tough stuff. That blister is proof of that . You aughta find some glass to work on for awhile, and maybe wear the gloves or you'll be leaking all over the place. What kind of flaker are you using, and hand pad?

[Easternarcher]

Yep, excellant first point and yep - that thunderchert is some tough stuff. That blister is proof of that . You aughta find some glass to work on for awhile, and maybe wear the gloves or you'll be leaking all over the place. What kind of flaker are you using, and hand pad?

I guess being so new at this I don't know the differnce!  I got some various glass here, but figured the stone was easier to start on...maybe not huh? So the glass will flake easier? Really??? I got antler tines(didn't try those) small copper flaker and an ISHI stick
( compliments of Wolfwatcher BTW!) Thank You Sir!!!!
I got an industrial rubber mat with a notch carved into it.

[Timo]

Classic pressure flaker blister for shore! You'll learn how to hold things later, and how to incorperate your leg pressure.

Good first point.Stay at it bro!

[sailordad]

for a first point thats a nice one

as far as the blister go,i am an auto tech my hands are all callosed and a spent 4.5 hrs knapping on obsidion one day with a
homemade hick/copper pressure flaker and i got 4 blisters out of the deal.nice thing is they were all in callosed areas so they
didnt hurt and the skin under it was like normal skin no tenderness.
if i were you(and i do do this)put all of your first points away,and when you look back at them you will see your progression of skill
i have only been doing this since janaury and wow can i tell the diff from then to now
good luck with the rest of your normal life now,this is addicting if not more so than making bows

                                                      peace,
                                                            tim

[Easternarcher]

Sailordad, yeah I plan on keeping this one for sure.If nothing else, something to look back on and say I did that!
I certainly see the advantage of the ISHI stick too...made things easier by far.

Yeah I know it ain't very good, but we gotta start somewhere right? Come to think of it, when I was a kid I used to grind on slabs of shale and slate to get an edge and haft them onto a lance/spear whatever. Played like that for hours...I was always like that. Doin' stuff that nobody else cared to try.

[mullet]

  When you start using the glass, put you a tube of Super-Glue in your kit.

[Easternarcher]

  When you start using the glass, put you a tube of Super-Glue in your kit.

Gotcha! Loud and clear...

[DanaM]

Good start and yeah try some 1/4" plate glass or bottle bottoms, make sure ya stock up da bandaids and superglue to stop the leaks

And don't worry about them babysoft office hands after a few weeks knapping they will be tough as boot leather

[Easternarcher]

Good start and yeah try some 1/4" plate glass or bottle bottoms, make sure ya stock up da bandaids and superglue to stop the leaks

And don't worry about them babysoft office hands after a few weeks knapping they will be tough as boot leather

  at least I got THAT to look forward to Dana. Thanks.

[cowboy]

Well sounds like wolfwatcher set ya up with a good starter kit. Now you just need to practice. The glass will flake better, just beware of the tiny razor blades . Might check out some of the knapping youtubes or better yet find someone you can sit and watch.

[mullet]

  Another good supply for material is W mart. Brian melton buys those $1.20, real pretty, red, green and blue plates for chipping.They make pretty points.