Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Flintknapping => Topic started by: Stringman on August 18, 2011, 10:12:16 pm
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Finally feel like I got a handle on this rock cooking thing. I went over to a creek in western Illinois and picked up a couple buckets of decent stuff and figured I'd give it a try this last week. Wife and I went on a camping trip last weekend and I took some raw stuff. It worked ok and I was able to make some points, but after pecking around on this cooked stuff the difference is pretty obvious.
Did this in the ground and built a fire over it with hard wood. Went at it a little slow so I wouldn't heat it too fast, but after I had her warmed up I really poured it on! After letting it cool for a day I started opening it up and only had one that shattered. The color change was impressive. Not striking colors like horse creek or that stuff that Tim is working with, but I like it knowing where it came from and how it came to be.
The 2 on the ends are treated. The second from the left is a piece I got from Tim (can't remember the name,) and the third is uncooked.
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Really nice, looking points. Heat treating marginal rock really makes a difference and gives you more to work with. I bet the Woodland man that figured this out was as famous as the guy that made the Thermacell.
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Well all you Knappers drive me nuts with all these really cool points...I have no doubt that trying to learn and manage doing this myself yet this year before deer opener is dang near impossible. I have it as my 2012 goal, to learn how...to have my kids learn how. Very, very nice work.
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Wow, I'm w/ Lee. Don't think I'll be doin' that kind a work w/o a lot more practice. I made some small ones, really small, from some already spalled Burlington and they came out ok, but Wow...your's look sweet.
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Really nice job there Scott! But.....You gotta get yourself a kiln someday! ;)
That rock you got from me was called Keokuk.
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Them are some good points. A kiln , turkey roaster. Your house oven, ya can treat stone lots of ways.
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Those are some killer points - nice job! That heat treating is one of those aha! moments :).
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Stringman sorry we could not connect at the end of the summer I had foot issues. Anyway you live so close you should come over and help me bring a load of rock up from the creek we will load the kiln and fire it and afterward I will send you home with a half a kilns worth. I have this kiln in the backyard I have been wanting to test.
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Them are some good points. A kiln , turkey roaster. Your house oven, ya can treat stone lots of ways.
If you use your house oven, how long should you cook it and at what temp?
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The temp depends on the type of stone your cooking. The duration is about 10 - 12 hrs. Depending on the stones thickness. Start out at 200- & slowly go up. To the desired temp hold it for 1 to 2 hrs & slowly decrease . Let cool before taking them out or they can break. I'm not an expert in this I usually heat in the ground. I did it this way a few times W/ good results.
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Thanks guys for all the comments (and Tim for the rock ID.) I'm no expert, but i'm enjoying the process.
Iowabow- I like the way you think. I'm currently putting alot of effort into a hunting trip I have planned for Sept, but after that we should really get together.
As for cooking methods...you all must not have gotten the memo that I hate wasting money! So cooking it in the ground really appeals to me from that regard (also, not sure if I could get away with borrowing the kitchen stove for cooking rocks...) I'm sure a kiln would be more effective/efficient, but I ain't there yet... maybe one of these days. ::)
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The woodfired kiln is made from kilns that were electric kilns so the cost was 0. the only thing you will need is a temp gauge. A flint kiln would be much easier to kiln to convert. we can talk after you see mine in action.
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Very Nice!! I like the side view shot especially. :)
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This is way more heat than nessesary but kinda gives you an idea how cheap it can be done in a kiln. The kiln was a trashed electric kiln converted to use wood. I plan on sticking a gas burner in it to cook flint.
(http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/m559/iowabow2/downloadfile-1.jpg)
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Holy gee wish bat man that is one biggem fire there wish i had me some kind of thinga ma jig to heAT THEM ROCKS IN THE SAME WAY. oH I HOPE YOU HAVE SOME FIRE RETARTANT CLOTHES. NICE PIC.