Copper Question!

[Knotty]

Hey everyone!
It's been a while since I last posted a thread since I'm getting better from a bad intestinal infection..

Anyway,
I was wondering why Copper is pretty much the only material I see in Flintknapping tools..
Is there a Scientific reason for that?
Would any other metal (such as silver) be suitable?

Just a question I had in mind, I hope you guys can take the time to answer me 😊

Thanks in advance!

[nclonghunter]

Hey Knotty, I do not know the true reason but I believe it has the correct tensile strength or hardness. It needs to slightly grip the rock to pull a flake off. Too hard or too soft does not work as well. i also think that copper has different hardness and some will work better than others. Cost of metals with correct hardness may be a cause also.

Antler is also suppose to have a gripping texture or sufficient hardness. I have noticed some of it is harder and softer as well and the harder antler seems to work better for me.

For the little knowledge I have of metals, that's about all I can offer. Maybe someone with more info can help out here.

[Knotty]

Awesome , thanks!

If anyone would like to contribute to the answer, please do!

[mullet]

I read somewhere that it mimicks the gripping properties of antler but holds up longer between having to dress it. I've tried brass and it is too hard, along with steel and bronze. Aluminum is too soft. Horseshoe nails and old, antique nails are made with a softer steel and work pretty good.

[Knotty]

Alright great, thanks for the answers! 👍

[Outbackbob48]

Knotty, copper plumbing caps filled with lead are softer than  the solid copper type billets, I started with the caps and have a hard time with the harder solid heads, Antler can also be effected by humidy and wear on tools, less dressing on copper tools, as other have said steel and brass is to hard, I have seen a few knappers using aluminum but I have no experience with them, also caps have that nice antler dome shape. A lot of tough stone knappers use dense wood billets (dogwood, European boxelder and such) By tuff stone I mean Ryholites and Quartsite and Argualite type materials, Some of the man rock knappers produce amazing pcs with there wood billets. hope this helps. Bob

[Dakota Kid]

I read somewhere that it mimicks the gripping properties of antler but holds up longer between having to dress it. I've tried brass and it is too hard, along with steel and bronze. Aluminum is too soft. Horseshoe nails and old, antique nails are made with a softer steel and work pretty good.

While it is much lighter, pure aluminium is harder than pure copper. It not much harder, just a bit.  I use aluminium from time to time and it performs almost identically to copper, at least for me. I switch to an aluminum point on my ishi stick when I seem to be dressing my copper one too often. I use the old gutter spikes I've twisted and cut to size for my source for aluminum tips. Siding nails seem to be even harder, I'm guessing they're some type of Al alloy.

[Knotty]

How do you guys think Silver would do? (Yes , the precious metal).

[GlisGlis]

try depleted uranium!
they say your arrowhead will be a bomb 

[Knotty]

Hahaha! I imagine so 😊

I'm asking about the silver because I've got some old silver knives and forks laying around that are un-needed, and don't have any significant value, if it's deemed a good knapping material such as copper , I could make use of it too.. At least it won't go to waste.

[caveman2533]

if it is sterling silver it indeed is more valuable than copper, current  price is about 16 dollars an OZ. copper is about 3$ lb.   I suspect it will be too hard, I know when trying to hammer silver to make jewelry it must be annealed every so often as it work hardens.

[Knotty]

Ah , alright, thank you For the answer 😉

[Electricfrontporch]

Probably would be better served selling the silver for scrap price and using the money to stock up on copper.  Noah

[Chippintuff]

Most knappers, including me, will tell you that copper is the perfect knapping tool. It is available, cheap compared to antlers, requires less care during use, and can make any flake that other tools can make. The Indians who had it used it.

WA

[Knotty]

Mhm, but it's not pure silver, probably mixed with other materials.. I don't think anybody would want to buy it.

Thanks to le0n I got a couple copper points to knap with,
And thanks to Eddie, got some rocks aswell!

Thank you all for your answer.