ABO techniques, processes and tools.

[PeteDavis]

a hard quartzite removal-wood initiation

[PeteDavis]

further along intermediate form



finished form



PD

[lebhuntfish]

Marking this one. I've gotta give knapping a go!
Patrick

[iowabow]

further along intermediate form



finished form



PD

Pete that is awesome. ..can you post a picture of the wood tool.

[Stringman]

That looks just like the crap James Parker had Will and I beating on at the classic this year. No joke, that gritty stuff will make a man out of ya!

Pete you did good with it!

[PeteDavis]

James mighta brought some of mine (Va.)

Large billet for core removals



Final go-round kit. Elk billet, punches and small wood billet and a few tines. Hammerstone to set things up and clear stall-outs.

[iowabow]

Thanks! Kinda nice to see other peoples tool kits.

[iowabow]

Now we need a video of you swinging that thing.

[nclonghunter]

I thought ryholite was the true beast until I tried that Virginia Iron Rock. Pete and them men are amazing with it. It's a different technique with some different rules to setting up platforms and breaking them. I brought some back from the House Mountain and haven't gotten the nerve to have another go of it yet...lol
That's another great point Pete!

[Zuma]

Good stuff Iowa and Pete.

Ben,
"The problem with looking at this in preform stages is that the paradigm might not apply.  To give an example, the Lamb site Clovis preforms look like ugly hammerstone made preforms.  They would draw no attention in modern knapping circles.  But, the Lamb site points are spectacular.  Yet, they are almost the same size as the preforms."

I would find it hard to make this assumption.
I will explain. Perhaps the reason the preforms are still preforms is because they were rejects and not used for that reason. And they were surface finds??
Also the (spectacular point) may not have been touched up finished.
I think finding used points would give a better example of a finished product.
I do think the fluted point may have been punch flaked. Especially if you notice the deer hoof print like dip in the lower left near the tip. I am pretty sure that was caused by a hinge removal from the center not the edge. Very rare in abo knapping. Also the wide platform removal spaces.
I am not trying to be critical. I just thought it interesting.

[iowabow]

Good stuff Iowa and Pete.

Ben,
"The problem with looking at this in preform stages is that the paradigm might not apply.  To give an example, the Lamb site Clovis preforms look like ugly hammerstone made preforms.  They would draw no attention in modern knapping circles.  But, the Lamb site points are spectacular.  Yet, they are almost the same size as the preforms."

I would find it hard to make this assumption.
I will explain. Perhaps the reason the preforms are still preforms is because they were rejects and not used for that reason. And they were surface finds??
Also the (spectacular point) may not have been touched up finished.
I think finding used points would give a better example of a finished product.
I do think the fluted point may have been punch flaked. Especially if you notice the deer hoof print like dip in the lower left near the tip. I am pretty sure that was caused by a hinge removal from the center not the edge. Very rare in abo knapping. Also the wide platform removal spaces.
I am not trying to be critical. I just thought it interesting.

that deer print has an impact mark in the center for sure. My guess is a punch popped it off.

[iowabow]

The flute looks likes it was impacted 4 times. At first I thought 3 but then realized the two center flutes are merged.

[iowabow]

Here is a preview of the last 7 days work. I have knocked out about 20 small preforms. I broke maybe 10 more for various reasons. Don't you just love it when your hands get tired and you drop points and they break. All you can do laugh about it.

[iowabow]

Just a couple thoughts here about tool use. My Dad would always bust on me as a child about tool abuse. He said things like use the right tool for the right job or match the tool to the project. That mode of thinking must be pretty old. I remember bending screw drivers to pry on things and using a wood saw on metal (that made him real mad lol) ...kids. anyway I got all jazzed up by Bowmo's punch video and had this bright idea to use my ulna bone to punch a stack. This was tool abuse. It knocked a good flake off the bone and not the stone.

[Stringman]

^^ ouch!