getting frustrated

[Mike_H]

Ok, so I have been trying to work that stone I picked up a few weeks back and I have managed only one point out of it and that was hard.  I may have to give it up.  My hammerstones crumble when I work this stuff (I'm prerty sure it is keokuk) but they were great when I worked the stone jackcrafty sent me.  I'm at my wits end here.  I thought when I got good stone that I would make some good points, even a few knives.  Just don't know what to do.

[papoints]

Keep going!  Keokuk can be hard.  Learn how to run a few flakes on glass.  Maybe try some copper tools to shorten the learning curve.  Nothing against abo but I hear its tough.  Don't give up

[Mike_H]

Keep going!  Keokuk can be hard.  Learn how to run a few flakes on glass.  Maybe try some copper tools to shorten the learning curve.  Nothing against abo but I hear its tough.  Don't give up

Been knapping for about four years now.  Been woking glass and got good.  Justg moving back to MO and working that stuff is killing me.  Might call Marty Reuter and see if we can get together so he cab show me what I'm doing wrong. 

[papoints]

Lol I realized that laying in bed last night that you aren't a beginner.  Sorry about that man.

[TRACY]

Got a turkey roaster to heat it first?

Tracy

[Outbackbob48]

Is your Keokuk  properly heated, Raw Keokuk can be tuff stuff to work. When done right works very well. Bob

[Dalton Knapper]

Keokuk, even properly heat treated can be a bear to work and I discovered that though two rocks may more or less look the same, they can be different grades. I was complaining about it just last week on the "other" website (link below). I have however worked out a deal with the rock and it seems to be cooperating now, but I use a 1.5" copper bopper. I have messed about some with a hammerstone to see if it worked better.

All I can tell you is to prepare the edge with light hammering, grind very well and lay the rock on your leg pointing up at least 45° and whack into it like you are trying to get to the middle of the rock. It is tough rock and some people say it is good beginner rock, but if that's true, then I am a beginner after a 30+ years of knapping. Like I also said, there are different grades and in the material I am using, the lighter stuff with very thin veins seems to be a lot tougher than the stuff with bacon like veins in it and generally more orange in color.

You can read about my complaint here: http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/56630/Keokuk-Question

[Mike_H]

I use a crockpot with the insert taken out and I have tried treating this stuff.  Doesn't work, at least not well..  Just gotta see what I can do with this stone.  Glass still works and I got some dacite coming to me.

[Dalton Knapper]

Folks are telling me it takes 600° and sometimes more to heat treat Keokuk. I bet it's nasty hard .

Good luck

[Mike_H]

Folks are telling me it takes 600° and sometimes more to heat treat Keokuk. I bet it's nasty hard .

Good luck

That's what I've heard too.  Raw, it's extremely tough.  At least it is on the hammetstones I use.  Might just need to getsome new, harder stones.

[caveman2533]

Heat it to 675 if you can, it will work like butter. I have never had keokuk to be hard to work. It shouldn't be so, unless it is not heated right. 600 is too cold.

[Mike_H]

Heat it to 675 if you can, it will work like butter. I have never had keokuk to be hard to work. It shouldn't be so, unless it is not heated right. 600 is too cold.

And that is the problem, I don't have the needed equipment to heat properly.  Guess I'll stick to glass'for now.

[JackCrafty]

Mike, a natural fire can heat rock to 600 degrees without a problem.  There are a couple of threads here by Iowabow that detail his methods.  Here's one:  http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,40945.100.html

In the meantime, while you are trying to figure out how to cook the stuff you have, get some really hard quartzite hammerstones.  Granite and other stones may seem hard but quartzite is the hardest.  Then make some moose antler punches, warm them up to 150 degrees for a couple hours to dry them out (or any temperature below 200), and then go to town on that rock.  It will take a lot of force but tough rock can be knapped.  It won't be pretty but it will be sharp.

[Mike_H]

Mike, a natural fire can heat rock to 600 degrees without a problem.  There are a couple of threads here by Iowabow that detail his methods.  Here's one:  http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,40945.100.html

In the meantime, while you are trying to figure out how to cook the stuff you have, get some really hard quartzite hammerstones.  Granite and other stones may seem hard but quartzite is the hardest.  Then make some moose antler punches, warm them up to 150 degrees for a couple hours to dry them out (or any temperature below 200), and then go to town on that rock.  It will take a lot of force but tough rock can be knapped.  It won't be pretty but it will be sharp.

I know the abo way but it's not possible where I am at.  Too hilly and I don't think my parents (staying there for now ) would lime to do that.  But I do appreciate the advice.  Might talk to them at least abou it.

[JackCrafty]

After I wrote that I got to thinking about a better way to dry/harden the antler:  put them in my food dehydrator!  I'm going to do that tonight.

Of course, you can always try to heat up the rocks and drip water on them.     Can you believe I still get people who claim that is a legitimate way to knap?