Ricochet;
Just keep at it. And remember to abrade the heck out of it. I have finally gotten to where I can make a decent point now, but it takes me forever, and just today, I had a really nice, 1 3/4 inch long, by 3/4 wide arrow head out of obsidian, and as I was putting the finishing touches on it, it broke in half! Plus as I was putting that back in the bucket, I noticed that I had sliced the tip of my left index finger, with a flake stuck in the leather pad. That and the little pieces that flew off and stuck in my inside right inside middle joint of my index finger. A bit of blood, makes you appreciate what our ancestors went through to learn this art. Afterward, I found another piece of obsidian, and actually made a decent point out of it. Just keep at it, and remember your mistakes. I didn't keep the first piece protected so it would not break, and put too much pressure on it, at that point while pressure flaking. But the next one I was a bit more careful. I was actually making more long furrough type of flakes, than I had been before. Still not consistent, but better than before. If I had my leather glove on, I probably wouldn't have cut myself, and I could type a little faster without my index finger tip being sliced. Just don't get in a hurry. And don't smash the rock to bits after it breaks, or refuses to be thinned out. The Lithic Gods are just testing you, to see if you will be a good steward of the rocks spirit. Unfortunately the ones in my rock have a great sense of humor! " Ok, keep the flakes small, and when he gets to the middle, give him a big flake, and lets see his expression, as it takes a big chunk out of it, and ruins his arrow head, and then as he tries to make a smaller arrow head out of the remains, let it break! "
Wayne
