Western VA lithics....

[JustinNC]

Got a fella I know in Western VA telling me he has "flint" all around his hunting camp. Any idea what might be found there?

[Bill Skinner]

Ask him what color it is.  There are several types of knappable stone in that area, within about 100 miles, it could be an outcrop.  Bill

[JustinNC]

He says "white"....but Ive also got guys Im asking for rhyolite in Central NC calling that white flint too......so I dont know haha


Bedford County VA is where it is.

[Hillbilly]

Hard to say unless you can get him to bring you a piece of it. There is some ridge-and-valley chert in southwestern VA, but most of it is black or gray. There are a few other types of chert around there, but I've never seen any white. Could be some, though. The old-timers around here in western NC called white quartzite "flint rocks."

[Bill Skinner]

Yep, same problem, most of the rocks used to make points aroud here are referred to as "flint".  This includes but is not limited to: Talahatta quartzite, quartz cobbles, Tuscaloosa gravel, jasper, Ft Payne, Dover, Bangor, Tennessee River cherts, Coastal Plains chert, Flint River, Buffalo River and Horse Creek chert. 

If anyone ever found a point, no matter how crude, that type of stone is refered to as "flint".  I have heard all of the above and some imported stone all called that.  Bill

[JustinNC]

well considering the source, it's entirely possible that it is quartzite. At these early inning of my game though, tonnage counts and any cheap/free source is a perk lol

[BOXTOP]

Justin; I live in goodview, which is in bedford county. I"ve never found or seen any (white) flint here. I knapp with another guy Steve who has been at it for some years now, he says he never heard of it as well. We get together with Dr.Errett Callahan and he never seen that as well. lots of quartz around here, and have found points made of quartz in my yard...I think thats what might be. Gordon

[JustinNC]

Must be what it is. Oh well. Didnt know much about the area and figured it was worth a shot.

[Bill Skinner]

Quartz is knappable, some of it is more knappable than others.  It is really bad about frost crazing, when you hit it, it has cracks all through it.  It is hard finding a solid piece, but when you do, it is pretty good for percussion, not so good for pressure flaking.  Bill

[JustinNC]

Quartz is knappable, some of it is more knappable than others.  It is really bad about frost crazing, when you hit it, it has cracks all through it.  It is hard finding a solid piece, but when you do, it is pretty good for percussion, not so good for pressure flaking.  Bill

We'll Id have to have him gather it and pay him to ship it to me or make a 4-6hr trip one way to get it.....plenty of it around here if I looked and wanted it lol

[jamie]

justin get a wood billet, like dogwood, and start hitting the quartz. once you get used to it it is a good material. hell it makes stuff like rhyolite seem easy , so when you get to work on the easier material it'll be a cake walk. i love working with quartz because its everywhere up her. when i bust a piece i dont get upset cause there is plenty more to bust up.

[JustinNC]

might have to get some. I cant put that rhyolite down though