Breaking rock (pun intended)

[gstoneberg]

I've had a rough beginning to the holiday weekend.  Got a chance after lunch to do some knapping.  I did terrible.  Broke the first 3 spalls I worked on, should've stopped then.   Then, stupidly, I worked on a flint knife that was almost ready to haft.  I didn't like the edge on it so I did a little thinning.  The tip was a little thick so I took one last hit out there...



I put that one down and grabbed a new spall, thin and good sized so I could try another knife blade.  The thinning on the ends went so well I took it in and showed it to Mary.



When I went to work on it some more I decided it was too short to be a blade and ought to be a point instead.  For the first time, Mary came out to watch me knapp.  On the third or so hit, the punch slipped and I hit about a quarter inch in on the preform and...



She asked if I did it on purpose...good grief.  But, it was such pretty stone I didn't want to give up on it.  I took the larger piece and went for a bird point.  Stalled a notch right off the bat...man I need to go spend some time with Tower.  Came out better than it had a right to.





Hope my luck is better tomorrow afternoon.

George

[bowtarist]

I'm right there w/ ya gstone, I start a nice long point and end up w/ a short decent point.  Keep it up, it's bound to get better.  I got the kids going to the grandfolks today, so I'm hoping for the knapping elfs to give me a hand today.  I need to go put some jerky out for them now.    Bowtarist used to say, "string music played daily", now I need add "band-aids put on daily".

[YosemiteBen]

It is a holiday weekend time to take a break from everything! I have been having one of those weekends too! I did get some things done - will try to get some pics this am and post them later.

[nugget]

Been there done that. Keep at it, dont get discouraged

[mullet]

 I have a bunch like that also. I'm told that's how you get better.

[gstoneberg]

That's what I hear too.  Can't say I've experienced it much yet.   At least it doesn't seem like it just yet.

George

[PeteDavis]

Keep hitting. Perverse fractures are proof that you aren't afraid to break your pieces. Necessary to learn. At Flint Ridge this weekend one of the boutique agate dealers came by a knapping tent with a big, pretty pressured piece from a fancy slab. No one even looked up at it, he left and walked away. Those guys in the tent all earned their percussion skills and percussion is hard. I don't think big slabbed things do much for them. PD

[criveraville]

Jorge did you break that one on accident??? Oh es top it 

You still got a pretty point out of it.

[gstoneberg]

Well, my streak continued today.  Decided I'd make a neck knife for a friend.  Had made real good progress on a thick spall, but the real hard whacks I was making to thin the thing were too much when I got out in the middle.  Really surprised me as it was still quite thick.



Then I proceeded to leave 2 spalls too thick.  Finally, on the third try I got what I wanted.  I didn't intend for it to look like a point, and as always I broke off the corners notching it.  But, it sure looks like a point to me.  It was a very thin spall with a huge lump on one side.





George

[blackhawk]

George...I've been quietly watching your progress since you started and it gives me hope.    looks a lot better than my first try today and my first two. Looks like I just gotta keep at it like you are and persevere thru the learners curve. Thanks for posting all your stuff so far and keeping us updated on your progress learning how to knap. Its neat. 

[criveraville]

Looks like a point to me. I would be proud to hunt with that point.

[jamie]

geo, look on you tube for paleomanjims video on isolating platforms. usually breaks like yours occur from striking to high or too strong of a platform. could also be how its being held too. your progress is coming along fine. i like that last point too. definitely a keeper. jim also has a video on horizontal punching. its very similar to a method i use and once you get the hang of it it is an incredible skill to use . it removes the need for precise hand eye coordination when working a thin biface.

[cowboy]

Some days your the bug . Knives are fun but them points turned out mighty fine George. Tonnage .

[gstoneberg]

...jim also has a video on horizontal punching. its very similar to a method i use and once you get the hang of it it is an incredible skill to use . it removes the need for precise hand eye coordination when working a thin biface.

I think that's how I'm doing my points, using Patrick's indirect percussion method.  It's done with the punch captured under your knee where Jim does it on his lap.  I think it's the same process though.  It is much easier for beginners like me to make functional points using that method.

What I've been practicing on the last few tries is thinning thick spalls.  What seems to work the best for me is direct percussion until the biface is thin enough to work with indirect percussion.  Of course, a couple errant percussion strikes at the thick stage is usually the end of the spall.  But, I'm getting better at it though slower than I'd like.  I have a lot of thin spalls and can usually get a point out of them.  Purposely I've been avoiding them except for this last "knife blade" that'll likely end up on an arrow.  I still struggle driving a flake past halfway.  It seems I go too shallow or get a step fracture.  I suspect my platforms are too weak still.  I'm afraid Paul is right, haven't paid my tonnage due yet.   However, it's fun enough to keep going back to even in the failures.

Got some lovely cane shafts in yesterday.  Gonna take a short break from chipping to cook up some pitch glue and make arrows for this season.  Probably should shoot a little too.

Thanks guys for all the help and encouragement.  I'll check out those videos Jamie.

George