Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Flintknapping => Topic started by: sailordad on April 16, 2009, 01:02:17 am

Title: 1st knife
Post by: sailordad on April 16, 2009, 01:02:17 am

well after 2 1/2 months of knapping on my own,i have turned out  a few nice points.
my most recent one was  a fairly large obsidion point.
now i have been working another piece of nice looking obsidion.
its fairly clear with black streaks.it is from a slab that i got at a knapp in a couple months back.
it had a few air pockets or something so i had to reduce it down past them.
it is still fairly good size and the rock decided its own basic shape during byfacing it.
after most all the saw marks and air pockets had been removed it had the basic shape of a knife blade
so thats what it is going to be if i dont bust it in half first.
now i was wondering,as this is a first for me,how much of a shank should i leave on the back end of it for
hafting to a bone when i find one.
thanks

sorry no pics right now,its late and i am feeling lazy.will post some tomorrw maybe

                                                                        peace,
                                                                             tim

Title: Re: 1st knife
Post by: Bone pile on April 16, 2009, 08:36:55 am

Depends on how you plan on fastning the blade ,if you going to use a modern glue a 1/2" will be OK if you going to pitch and sinew wrap you'll need it to be a little longer.The better you can get the notch cut the easier it will be to haft .alot of times with stone there will be different angles to deal with when your cutting the handle.I'm sure you'll turn out a good'un
Bone pile

Title: Re: 1st knife
Post by: cowboy on April 16, 2009, 08:45:55 am

Yup, Tim. I'd go with 1/2" or more. I like to use tb III with a little saw dust mixed in to make it thick and keep it from running out of the joint, then wrap with sinew. Get off that chair and post a pic ;).

Title: Re: 1st knife
Post by: sailordad on April 17, 2009, 01:21:11 am

ok so i managed to get a pic or two today
the shank is 3/4 of and inch long,it is 1/2 inch thick.
is that too thick?
it has a little of the saw marks remaining yet,but i plan on thining it
untill they are removed.i will now need to find a bone for the handle and
i will also have to learn to make pine pitch and process the back strap sinew i have in he freezer.
but that will all have to wait along with the knife as i need to start getting ready for turkey season.
heres the pics

(http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/8070/1000338e.jpg)

(http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/431/1000335p.jpg)

(http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/5381/1000339z.jpg)

(http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/5089/1000343s.jpg)
thanks for looking

                                                                                 peace,
                                                                                     tim

Title: Re: 1st knife
Post by: Pappy on April 17, 2009, 07:41:59 am

Nice work,that will look great in a handle. :)
   Pappy

Title: Re: 1st knife
Post by: cowboy on April 17, 2009, 10:32:42 am

Good starter knife Tim. Don't break that one trying to get it perfect. Your next one will be much thinner with good platform prep and angle of strike. Not that ya want obsidian to be too thin, thicker is most likely better for utilitarian purposes. Allright ramblin, you might just want to get that saw mark off there and put a handle to her. That one will work just fine :).

Title: Re: 1st knife
Post by: nugget on April 19, 2009, 07:53:49 pm

Very cool , keep up the good work

Title: Re: 1st knife
Post by: AKAPK on May 03, 2009, 06:33:42 am

 8)

Title: Re: 1st knife
Post by: Sparrow on May 03, 2009, 08:55:52 pm

Looks great ! Thanks for sharing your work.  Frank