Indirect Pressure Percussion

[nclonghunter]

I want to say this is "Sorta New" because I have learned so much from so many. I am constantly trying to figure out how to blend both pressure flaking with indirect percussion. I truly believe that is the combination to consistent overshot flaking and accurate thinning flakes. I recently made what I call a "Magnum Ishi Stick" and figured out how to apply either light pressure or heavy pressure with my leg. You can even pull your leg towards the preform while pressing down against the preform. The preform is resting on soft leather wrapped around a flat stone or anvil.
Mike Dothager has the cord tied to his punch and uses a foot lever to apply pressure. His technique of using his foot also applies a slight pressure. The added pressure against the preform makes the follow through and "ripping" a flake off more effective.
Give it a try and see what you think.

[mullet]

I think it looks like it ought to work.

[iowabow]

Can't wait to see your results I am going to try that with my old ishi.

[nclonghunter]

Iowabow, I have made a few small points and am excited about the possiblities. I only have small flake preforms left and need to get some new rock. You can adjust the antler high or low on the preforms edge and get thin flakes or heavier flake removal. The key is keeping the pressure against the preform. I actually tried my small antler Ishi stick first and liked the results so I make it bigger. The small one may give better flakes and aid in notching. Anyhow I was excited and wanted to share. Time will be the test. Good Luck

[Hummingbird Point]

Lyman,

Is your blow landing on the antler or the wood?

Keith

[nclonghunter]

Keith, I am striking the antler. Narrow window but I had a short piece of antler. Also wrapped the wood around the antler with hemp cordage to strengthen it. Couple strikes on the cordage and it will cut it.

I see some great potential for fluting with this.

[turbo]

Nice, this is a version of what I would call a composite stick punch like Marty's. I look forward to seeing your results, thanks for sharing.

[nclonghunter]

T

Nice, this is a version of what I would call a composite stick punch like Marty's. I look forward to seeing your results, thanks for sharing.

Thanks Turbo, It is a composite but I am not certain Marty could apply the pressure with his technique. If you had strong thigh muscles you might even take a flake with this technique. The only real difference is positioning of the stick but that seems to make a difference. It is also closer to horizontal than the vertical standing technique I have seen, which also makes a difference I think.

Lyman,

Is your blow landing on the antler or the wood?

Hey Keith, I also had been thinking about striking the wood but in the urgency to make one I used really soft wood I had laying around. Since I am liking this technique so well I dug out a piece of hickory I had laid away for a bow. It is now a magnum Ishi stick..lol
I will try striking the wood with the hickory to see how it goes.

The pictures are small points I made with this technique. I have done pressure flaking to further shape and detail the points so they do not show the early flake scars. They are all nicely thinned and some from some thick pieces to start with. I also added the new hickory Mag Ishi Stick.

[Hunts with stone]

This looks very clost to Marty's style's. The springy stick type to. It most surely it very effective in any mode of change. Lyman I very much like the method you showed me. That is a hole new way to me and  simplifies a lot of the holding problem . The free hand preform hold is one thing I really like there. A almost reverse mode on the support end of things. I think a string tensioner is a fantastic concept also. I haven't knapped very much since early fall as then all efforts are on hunting. I hope to get back at it soon and post some of my findings adopting this technique.

[nclonghunter]

This looks very clost to Marty's style's. The springy stick type to. It most surely it very effective in any mode of change. Lyman I very much like the method you showed me. That is a hole new way to me and  simplifies a lot of the holding problem . The free hand preform hold is one thing I really like there. A almost reverse mode on the support end of things. I think a string tensioner is a fantastic concept also. I haven't knapped very much since early fall as then all efforts are on hunting. I hope to get back at it soon and post some of my findings adopting this technique.

There are similarities, no question about it. You have done great hunting this fall so it was worth laying off the knapping...;-)


I tried the hickory composite stick and had some quick results. I will admit I broke a couple preforms I had hoped to take pictures of after working the Sonora. The overshots in the Sonora reduced an already small piece of chert but I just wanted to show the potential. I was sitting on the floor for this session.

I also did not like striking the wood, seemed to lose a lot of energy at least in a big piece of hickory.

[StevenT]

What type of antler are you using as the tip in your giant ishi stick and as a hammer?

[nclonghunter]

What type of antler are you using as the tip in your giant ishi stick and as a hammer?

Hey StevenT, it is the base of a whitetail antler. Where it is cut off the skull. I use a hatchet to chop downward and remove the burls around the base. Then cut it as long as you like. There's usually so much curve in a whitetail that I can usually get around 3-4 inches thats fairly straight.

[Hunts with stone]

Nice set of pictures and showing the platform's. The overshots show your getting as much tranfer of energy as one would ever need.  Honing in on Striking forces will be a new skill set to  acquire . Kudus on the work up.

[Hummingbird Point]

I think it is similar to how Marty is doing it, which is similar to how I'm doing it and both are similar to how Patrick (JackCrafty) is doing it.  At this point I think is like looking at a flat piece of wood and saying it was made using a saw.  The exact kind of saw and how exactly to use the saw we can figure out as we go, but at least we can say it is not a slab split out of the log with a wedge, nor a rough hewn timber done with an axe.

Keith

[Hunts with stone]

True Kieth . ABO should hold true to all aspects not just the knapping. Primatial work should  prevail throughout the workout from procurement to manufacture