Ancient? Tine based Technnique?

[Ghost Knapper]

My first whack at it.

[Hummingbird Point]

Ghost Knapper,

How are you using the tool?

FWIW, I've found that using indirect from the begining is really inefficient.  Both straight and horizontal punching works much better for me once I have an established preform, say from a mid-stage preform on.  That more or less follows the model laid out by Cushing in The Arrow as well.

Zuma,

No joke, I wish I had your discipline.

Keith

[Ghost Knapper]

I just put it on the platform and smacked the end of it.  The punch was fairly vertical to the platform. I agree with you when it comes to when uses a punch could be beneficial I dont have any preforms right now that I want to experiment on. and possibly have undesired results.

[caveman2533]

I was using one the other day in a manner similar to one of Ben's photo's. I started with a obsidian spall, not large maybe 4 inches long. Had fairly square edges and I holding the piece clamping it with my thumb and holding the punch with to of the fingers on the edge opposit my thumb was very difficult. It's near impossible to hold the biface still. We all know that movement causes energy loss and it's near impossible to hold it still.  It would be even harder to hold it like a tripod like in the one photo of a Lacandon knapper is. The was using a hammer stone to strike the biface and wondering why don't I just use the hammer stone to do this. Would have been much faster and more efficient. Ancient man was not stupid, they were logical thinkers just like us and Indont think they would have made it more complicated than it has to be. I am beginning to wonder if some of these early pictures weren't along the same lines as the hot rock and cold water flaking method.

[JW_Halverson]

I am beginning to wonder if some of these early pictures weren't along the same lines as the hot rock and cold water flaking method.

Thank you for the laugh, I needed that!

[Zuma]

Zuma,

No joke, I wish I had your discipline.

Keith

LOL I have been more or less censored into it.
Sooner or later if you hang by the camode you will
be peed off or sucked in.