teach me

[bowmunky13]

he guys... i have been bitten by the knapping bug too so i guess i need to ask for some terms.. descriptions and nuggets of wisdom in the stone world... teach me please

[cowboy]

Depends on what terms, nuggets, and descriptions your looking for . All can be found in some kind of knapping publication (the terminology I mean). The art of flintknapping by DC Waldorf comes to mind, the only one I've ever looked at (plenty of pictures and descriptions) - and their are plenty of other fine one's out there.
 The main thing is to get some rock that's knappable and get started. Sitting down with someone more advanced at making points is just the right thing to do also if possible . A few of the basic terms to learn are platform (the point at which you will strike the stone), angle of percussion - also works when pressure flaking, well theirs lots of others. Bottom line - you gotta hold your peice at the right angle, with a stout enough platform and hit it to knock off the flake ya want. If I had some pictures right now I'd show ya.

[bowmunky13]

i can figure the patterns.... as far as what to do with the stuff... i cant buy publications.... tight budget... and i guess the descriptions i need are for the tools.....

[D. Tiller]

Best to look up the knapping videos on youtube under the heading of flintknappingtips and paleomanjim Those will get you started and probably teach you more than you ever wanted to know. Also, start knapping and breaking a lot of rock! A) its addictive and B) you will break a couple tons of rock before you become proficient at knapping.

Its one of those things thats a life long learning experience! There is always something new to learn.

David T

[cowboy]

For tools you'll need percussors - stone, antler bases, wood, copper. Abraiding stone - sandstone, grinding wheel. Ishi stick - length of wood (maybe a broom handle about 18") with copper wire inserted into end. Hand flaker - more or less a short Ishi, can use copper or antler tip. Hand pad, leg pad, glove, glasses. Pretty much, everyone uses what their taught with and can get their hands on and evolves from there. Need to look at books, videos, or best of all get with someone in person . Here's the tools I use..

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[D. Tiller]

Dang it Paul! You have more tools than Carter has pills!!!! 

[mullet]

  Carter doesn't make pills anymore.

[D. Tiller]

Dang it!!!

[mullet]

 

[bowmunky13]

thanx guys... i have what i need now... i have a few items to acquire for sure... but i have the knowledge that i was lacking

[nugget]

Did someone say Nugget?

[cowboy]

Did Carter make pills? I thought he was into peanuts .
 That's good bowmunky - post your work as ya go and we'll help as best we can . Thier's little nugget's everywhere .

[bowmunky13]

i made a nugget of lead with my blow torch and some dammaged fishing weights from my cast net... was thinking of using some clay to make a form for lead blunts... sound good to you guys?.... wow i have no straight line of thought when it comes to bowyering

[leapingbare]

i don't know much about lead or copper but i think plane lead is too soft , lead might work on obsidian but too soft for much anything else i reckon.

[cowboy]

bowmunky, if your talking about lead blunts for arra's I would'nt know about that. But if your talking about pure lead boppers for knapping - like leapingbare said, it's too soft. A lot of people use copper boppers with the ends filled with lead though. I made some up one time but with the rock I work I was through the thin copper and into the lead within a few days.
 If your interested in making that type of bopper: Go to hardware store, HD, Lowes. By some copper end caps (whatever size) and swedge them out to a hemisphere (I peened em out with a rounded steel rod). Sweat a short peice of copper tube to the cap (about four inches), and fill the cap up with lead. Or you can glue a wooden handle onto it after youve added the lead.