Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Flintknapping => Topic started by: zenmonkeyman on February 11, 2010, 02:37:10 am
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Has anybody tried knapping points from these decorative glass pebbles you can get at the dollar store or craft shop? Any reason not to? Would it be ok to use a point made from this for deer hunting? Need to start learning some knapping, and I think this might be my best source of raw material.
(http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j191/zenmonkeyman/IMG_3746_1.jpg)
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... Would it be ok to use a point made from this for deer hunting? ...
Well, the deer might be p..... anyway when you shoot a hole into him. ;D ;D ;D
I (still) don't knap, but I keep inspecting your guys doings over here, and some of the points I have seen that I liked the most where knapped from glass!
PS: Obsidian is volcanic glass, isn't it!?
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idk about what your talkin about but glass makes some really nice really sharp points. i strongly suggest getting ahold of an old tv or computer screen or some kind of square alcohol bottles. they work really well. ;D
im not a verry good knapper, but because of that i have spent alot of time on glass lol. ::)
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i know the glass bobbles your talking about
the only problem i see is the size of them.
about the time you get them worked down there wont be enough size to them to get a point
that would be considered legal in most states.even though the ancients used small(by modern standards)points for large game
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Yeah, those would be knappable, but too small to get usable hunting points from.
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If I see an old T.V. at the dumpster it's mine they have really thick screens that are good for knapping and I don't have to buy them. I also grabbed a computer monitor that I'm gonna check out.Ron
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Make sure if you knap any tubes you wear a mask ..the silica will cause cancer and or respiratory problems.....
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Yep that would be true with just about any knapping material.
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I tried knapping those same items and they are all right its hard to get even a decent little point from them. I would tell you to try glass from bottles.
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I guess the problem is it's hard to set up platforms on the round corners? They're mostly 1 1/4 to 1 1/2" across, so there's a decent-sized point in there if one could liberate it. What about a tile nipper? does that work for cutting out a triangle? Anybody tried it? Appreciate all the input so far guys! You're a generous bunch. I too have been watching flintknapping with interest without taking the plunge.
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I only see two problems with those.
One is that the glass isn't the best quality.
and
Two is than you want a "sharp" edge to hit for the best flake and those are almost round.
I would suggest that you either "punch" the edge with a thick tip antler tine struck with a hammmerstone.
Or try to split it with a good hard stike to the centerline. ;)
If ya get a point out of it please post a pic! I hope it works,good luck! ;D
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You need to start with a much bigger piece than the final point size. I make most of my hunting points in the 2 1/2" long by 1" wide range. to get one of those I usually start with a rough spall the size of the palm of your hand. The bottom of a beer bottle will make a decent point.
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HEy Zen,
Yeah, those should work. They look to have bubbles in the glass, and that might pose some problems, but I don't think it would be enough to keep you from making a point out of it. Start chipping that stuff and show us your results!
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I`ve tried those things & all I can say is good luck getting a platform to start from. I even tried a tile saw to get a square edge for starting,
unfortunately the saw makes chips all along the cut line that are hard to get past. Look around your area & find a glass shop where they cut
glass for windows in commercial buildings. Most of that will be 1/4" to 3/8" thick and is very easy to cut with a normal glass cutter.
I hit my local glass shop & they agreed to save me a few pieces of scrap to try out, no charge since they throw "drops" in the dumpster
anyway so it`s just wasted if no one can think of a use for it. After I got used to pressure flaking from a square edge (gets a nice flake
pattern to start with) it was easy to thin & shape for points &/or blades.
If you try bottles (beer bottles work good) get large bottles to start with, like a 32 or 40 oz. The bottoms are plenty thick enough to
get your convexity & will make nice hunting points. Be sure that you have some decent safety glasses if you don`t wear glasses. Glass shards
sometimes fly where you don`t think they will & 1 in the eye will stop ya quick. Also, as has been mentioned, ventilation is a must. I use a small box
fan on low blowing across my knapping area in the basement. Mine blows from slightly behind me from right to left. The breeze should keep the silica
dust out of your lungs (I hope anyway).
After I made a few points I gave them to the employees of the glass shop & made some new friends. They even call me if they don`t hear from me
for a couple weeks to see what`s up... that`s when you gotta watch out though, they like nice sharp pointy things. Last time I was there they sent me
away with enough glass to keep me busy for a month & the stockpile grows faster than you can knap at times.
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Here are a couple I remembered to get pics of
[attachment deleted by admin]
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Cool work Lobo! Thanks for the advice and encouragement, everybody. I thought I might be able to knock some edges off one of these things by scoring it with a glass cutter and hitting it just right... It shattered into a potential emergency room nightmare. I still think it must be possible to break off the edges and have nice platforms, but it will require some trial and error. I've been watching the dumpster for glass bottles, but it seems everybody's going to really thin glass. Rumor has it beer bottles destined for drinking establishments are made of thicker glass? But what I find in the parking lot on Sunday morning is pretty thin.
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I go to old dumps that I remeber seeing in my youth. Most old farms dumped stuff in the nearest ravine or gully . You can get some nice glass out of these places , I really like the old clorox bottle bottoms, an don't forget nice blue mason jars. I'm so old now have trouble remebering yesterday let alone my youth ;D Later Bob
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Zen, my two cents worth would be to echo that you should give up on the little disk. Especially since you are just learning. Those things come with all kinds of special challenges that a person just stating out would have no idea how to work them. Go with the other suggestions provided for sources of glass.
And to answer another question that was asked.... computer monitors (CRT types) work just as good as old TV tubes. There is another thread that outlines the precautions with the phosphor coating inside the screen.
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I have had luck with old beveled glass out of mirrors I just started knapping and the glass is very forgiving I could send a few pieces if you can't find any ;D
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I just finished off a nice square bottle of Amaretto liquer, and the glass seems quite thick, so I may have some good starting material here. ;)
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if you decide to whack one of those again. stand one on end with a soft flat stone as a base, hold it by the edges, wear gloves (good ones) and glasses. and hit it with a sharp blow on the top with a soft hammerstone. chances are it wont work because of the imperfections in the glass but if it does work it should split in roughly two pieces giving you an edge to start work ing on. its the same method used to split river cobbles.
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glass makes a good point. just ask my fingers
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You guys are great!
You offer to send me materials, you offer good advice, and you make me laugh. I love the company I'm keeping around here.