and now for something completely...

[Archie Zietman]

different, stone knives!

Have any of ye ever made them? if you have, I was wondering if you could possibly describe it please?

Thanks,

Archie

[DGentile]

different, stone knives!

Have any of ye ever made them? if you have, I was wondering if you could possibly describe it please?

Thanks,

Archie

32531[/snapback]

 

never made one, but I have seen quite a few made from obsidian... cool things...

something I have to try one day, if I just could get my hands on a piece of obsidian large enough for that purpose

[Jeff Pringle]

It's a process of controlled fracture, using various tools that are usually softer than the stone you are working.

Oftern a two-stage process, where first you take a largeish chunk of material and knock off (with a baton made of antler or copper) multiple series of flakes from carefully prepared striking platforms until it's knife-shaped; then using the tine of an antler & directed pressure, much smaller flakes are pushed off to refine and sharpen.

It takes a lot of practice to get good control, each blow must hit the exact spot at the right speed and angle to get good results.

Lots of tutorials are probably available on line, do a search for "flint knapping"

It's a dangerous and really annoying hobby, but kinda fun.

[Alan Longmire]

I used to play at flintknapping as an undergrad in archaeology, but I was horrible at it. I accepted the technological leap to the iron age and am much happier here!

 

My local smithing guild had as guests a while back a couple of knappers who made beautiful knives from obsidian, flint, agate, jasper, and novaculite, hafted in wood or antler with resin and sinew.

 

You can knap anything that displays a conchoidal fracture pattern, up to and including toilet porcelain, which is known as "johnstone" in the hobby...

[DGentile]

I used to play at flintknapping as an undergrad in archaeology, but I was horrible at it.  I accepted the technological leap to the iron age and am much happier here!

 

My local smithing guild had as guests a while back a couple of knappers who made beautiful knives from obsidian, flint, agate, jasper, and novaculite, hafted in wood or antler with resin and sinew.

 

You can knap anything that displays a conchoidal fracture pattern, up to and including toilet porcelain, which is known as "johnstone" in the hobby...

32540[/snapback]

 

Darn I knew there would have been a purpose for *that* old toilet

[tsterling]

Now you guys are finally talking about something I understand! Let me introduce myself to the forum - I'm Tom Sterling, wood carver, flint knapper and wannabe bladesmith who's been lurking here for a while, sponging up all the good information. I just set up my forge and finished my first forging (a hawk) – lots of fun, and not as easy as you all make it look.

 

Here’s a picture of one of my knives made from obsidian (the blade knapped by Joe Higgins). I can make blades of this size (3 inches) about two out of three times, but Joe makes prettier ones, and about 99 successful ones out of 100, and much larger as well. Joe generally makes the blades and I make the handles.

 

Here’s a link to a percussion knapping tutorial on my web site. Percussion is just what it sounds like – hitting the stone. The other type of knapping is pressure flaking, using a small tipped flaker of antler or copper and “pushing” the flake off.

 

sterlingsculptures.com

 

Here’s a link to a good tutorial on pressure flaking to make an arrowhead from a beer bottle. This is an excellent way to start knapping. Also look around in your locale and you're likely to stumble over a knapper who will be happy to help. It's a very fast growing hobby in the US.

 

Beer Bottle Arrowhead

Edited October 11, 2005 by tsterling

[Archie Zietman]

thanks!

[Alan Longmire]

Good links and nice stuff, Tom! Welcome aboard!

[lwrhea]

Very interesting. I will take a look around there. Good stuff! Lin