Rocks for knapping, were to find around Kamloops

[bushman]

I was wondering if anyone knows if there are any rocks around Kamloops, B.C. that are good for knapping? Right where I live, there is a lot of basalt, and other types of lava, but I haven’t seen any obsidian around here, not sure about Kamloops though. There is agate around here, was planning on tryin out some that I got. Kamloops is in the bottom of an ancient lake so most of the hills around it are all made from the silt from glaciers, there are a few places where lava came out of the ground, under the water. I’m a lot higher up from the silt hills. Higher up there are places of bedrock (not sure on the rock but its big grained) that is flat and you can see the lines on it is places from the glacier that was here at one time. I did read something about there suppose to be limestone near Ashcroft B.C. but I’m not sure if there is any there, I’m goin to look into it and see if there is any flint in that limestone. There’s got to be some flint near here because you can find lots of Native American arrowheads near Kamloops Lake that are made from flint, that is if that natives didn’t trade for the flint, a few of obsidian heads, and some quartz heads. Hope that’s enough information on what’s the rock like around here so if you have any ideas or know of any places to look I would greatly appreciate any replies.

[Bill Skinner]

You can knap basalt.  Where you are, you will have to worry about fractures caused by freezing.  You may have to dig below the frost line for good rock.  If there is construction or road building, check out what they dig up.  Bill

[bushman]

Bill Skinner, I did hear that the natives used basalt, but it is pretty brittle I hear, was lookin for other types of rock but if that’s all thats around here then I geuss I will have to use it.
There is a lot of a rock that I belief is a form of lave but I’m not sure what it is. Higher up in the mountains along bush roads you will find small to boulder size type of rock that on the out side are light brown and on the inside are a some what shinny black, almost like graphite in your pencils. There are sometimes pockets of different types of crystals in it. Its grain is most of the time like granite but the odd time you do find a smaller grained peace but I don’t think from the looks of it that it would knap, never tried it thou. Any ideas as to what it is?
Also for that agate that I got, should I heat treat it and if so what colour to get it heated too?

[Stoker]

Hey Bushman I have some rock like you speak of it's a quartzite as I'm told it'll make a point like nov challange
have a look
Thanks Leroy

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[Bill Skinner]

Basalt is tougher than obsidion.  If it has frozen and thawed, it will have lots of micro fractures in it.  When you hit it, it crumbles.  That is why you need to go below the frost line, or out of a river or lake that doesn't freeze down to the bottom.  The agate needs to come from the same places.  Agate heat treats at a pretty wide range, depending on how glass like it is.  I would start at 400, try knapping, next batch-450 and so on.  When it either crumbles in the kiln or starts acting very brittle, go back 50 degrees.  Bill

[bushman]

Leroy, that rock you got there, the outside of it looks like the same as what is on the rocks I have seen. Expect the rocks that I got is way more black and little bits here and there that reflect the light and more grainy. I’m not sure if it is the fact that the rocks are all close to the service and have had the frost acting on them, but when they built the road, the rocks broke all at sharp angles, not a smooth brake like what you got on yours. Its hard to describe the rock with out a picture but its hard to get a picture when all of the bush roads to get to the rocks are under snow and you can’t drive on them.

Bill, I guess I can see why basalt is tougher then obisdion. I was wondering since there is lots of basalt around why is it you never find many native tools or arrow heads made from basalt that are not broken, the ones made from flint, obisdion, and quartz you find more often unbroken? Maybe they used the basalt ones more because there was more of it around? I guess I while have to go find some and dig it up. Thanks for the info on the heat treatin, I will have to give it a try.

[Bill Skinner]

Without seeing the tools, I will make a guess.  The basalt tools were the heavy duty tools.  The other stones were used for finer work, or not used at all.  The pretty stones may have been a form of wealth or status.  This is just a guess and may be completely wrong.  Bill