I made a Mayan eccentric dagger today !

[seminolewind]

What I know about knapping would fit inside a sunflower seed shell and rattle around like a BB in a boxcar....but I imagine one of the keys to knapping something like this would be supporting the material properly. 

Can you tell us a little about how you approach a project like this?

I sure can, heres my attempt at describing the notching part after getting the biface roughed out and thinned...Anything outside of the place where my tool makes actual contact with the flint i keep suspended in the air off of the pad. I make sure the edge of the pad is dead even with the area where my tool is making contact with the stone.  everything else past where I have notched into is free floating. With a lot of the delicate work if I did not keep it off the pad they would make contact with it and break. I know some guys use punch notching for elaborate notches but I have never tried it and have only used pressure. Once I make entry into the notch I work it from underneath, all these notches are done from the underside allowing me to curve them around. The most important key for me to not stall deep notches is to work the edge from one side until it is almost flush with the other side. I abrade a little with my tool, flip it over and take as big of a thinning flake as possible, I then work the edge almost flush to the other side, flip and repeat. If you flip too early and have your edge stuck in the middle between each face of the point you are most certainly going to stall it out.

Hope that makes sense, I know there are other ways and I am by no means a pro but thats my two cents ~

[Stringman]

Having myself, tried several eccentrics, this makes perfect sense. Your attention to detail is spot on, and I always enjoy the work you display. Occasionally, here on PA we are treated with some amazing talent. People whose skills shine bright and it's a joy to see. I'm looking forward to meeting you at the classic and shakin your hand, for your service, as well as for the chance to rub off some of that crazy rock shapin mojo! KNAP ON BROTHER!

[seminolewind]

Thanks Stringman! I won't be able to make it to the classic this year after all I've been gone too long and have tons of stuff to catch up on. It's just too soon after I return. Next year I am hoping to make it. Everyone on here is just too good of people, I gotta meet y'all soon!

[mullet]

No Classic?, Crap, time to shift gears.  Man, I was sure hoping you could go. I've been married longer and I'm sure I know where you wife is coming from, I'll be spending my 37 year anniversary in Tenn. Coors will still be in the Fridge, though.

[seminolewind]

No Classic?, Crap, time to shift gears.  Man, I was sure hoping you could go. I've been married longer and I'm sure I know where you wife is coming from, I'll be spending my 37 year anniversary in Tenn. Coors will still be in the Fridge, though.

Yeah I just bought some land and am gonna be building me and Lisa's house we have been wanting for years, that will start in a couple months. I also start school on MacDill AFB  May 5th. And the second week of May I gotta go up to Destin FL for a good buddies bachelor party/deep sea fishing trip. The bachelor party alone got some snarky remarks from the old lady trying to fit in the Classic would probably be another headache....oh I wear the pants !

[Del the cat]

That just blows my mind....
When we can make stuff like that with our hands there is still hope for mankind.
Don't let the government see it, they'll find a way to prohibit or tax it
Del

I hear ya on that ! I hear they tax you guys in the UK to watch tv is that true?

We pay a TV licence fee which pays for the BBC TV channels which doesn't have adverts every 5 minutes like all the other channels, and is theoretically very independent and unbiased.
I've just looked up how much it is. It's £145 a year  ... I didn't realize it was that much... Mrs Cat pays that one.
Del

[Peacebow_Coos]

Dang!  Nice work dude!

[PrimitiveTim]

How do you mount that? 

[seminolewind]

How do you mount that? 

Well, for you Tim I would have you grab the sharp head part and squeeze reeeeal hard ! Lol

[Marc St Louis]

That sure is incredible.  I just wonder how comfortable it is to use

[mullet]

Probably not but you'd be the coolest, Dude on the Mayan Pyramid.

[Sidmand]

That is an awesome thing to see there, great great work. 

P.S. got the stuff we traded, thanks a bunch, those shemaghs will be well used!

[seminolewind]

That is an awesome thing to see there, great great work. 

P.S. got the stuff we traded, thanks a bunch, those shemaghs will be well used!

Great man thanks !

[seminolewind]

That is an awesome thing to see there, great great work. 

P.S. got the stuff we traded, thanks a bunch, those shemaghs will be well used!

Great man thanks !

[cowboy]

Elijah, man I've been watching your work and am amazed at your abilities/short tenor knapping. Still gonna get that box to ya, I know you'll do em justice.