Kegan
Everyone adapts to their own style and tools, I started using abo tools and beat my leg blue and my elbows stayed sore doing percussion using moose billets and antler flakers, I then switched to copper tools and it was like going from a chevette to a mustang, my skill accelerated very fast and my learning curve got straighter... I think it's more of a personal thing , you know different strokes for different folks.
The main thing is that your percussion tool bites into the stone you are beating on, using hard percussion tools will cause fractures, not flakes.........The same with pressure flakers, you need something that will bite into the stone so you can build force and remove the flake,, A nail will work and will work even better if you heat the nail and let it cool slowly, makes it even softer, aluminum gutter nails work good also.
You need also to have good hand eye contact, and set yourself a technique, the way you swing your billet needs to be consistent, keep your platforms below center (main thing in knapping) learn to knap on your leg first then learn to knap freehand,,, Knapping on the leg I like to swing my billet in an arch, and with freehand it's almost straight down, no arch.
Have yall ever seen anyone knap? I have a couple videos and will send you one to watch if ya want, just send it back when you get done.
wvflintknapper
