Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Flintknapping => Topic started by: Lee Slikkers on September 06, 2011, 07:12:38 pm

Title: Knappable Rocks? (pics)
Post by: Lee Slikkers on September 06, 2011, 07:12:38 pm

Hey folks, I am a total newb when it comes to knapping and especially when it comes to identifying rock/stone from my locale that might work out for knapping.

Here are a bunch of pictures that I hope are decent enough to help make an ID and tell how well they might work.  I am located in lower southwestern MI and these collected from a local stream bed.  All of these stone have a "crust" or rind of some sort.  They also appear to come in colors ranging from light tan, medium gray on up to very dark gray coloration.

Thanks for the help & for looking~

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-riyyaDgCqSo/TmZK5OZdm_I/AAAAAAAADeQ/bVDMKXErqbE/CIMG1915.JPG) 

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-mqIulHvGWPs/TmZSRFShZQI/AAAAAAAADeY/aP55Ki85YUY/CIMG1917.JPG)

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-byWhUaZqahY/TmZScAAJ54I/AAAAAAAADec/toi5MSMzTMc/CIMG1918.JPG)

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ocBqn7JbSu4/TmZSh1eSGlI/AAAAAAAADeg/2UDANmYzNWg/CIMG1919.JPG)

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-l3FH74Sjb0g/TmZSnmGobrI/AAAAAAAADek/BmSnGRhu0VU/CIMG1920.JPG)

I know this one isn't going to knap but I have found the occasional cyrstal pocket in these also...figured this example might help with an ID as well.

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-6kYEop4OD1Y/TmZSvUR1J2I/AAAAAAAADeo/-q_1bM2Kbh4/CIMG1921.JPG)

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Q2cx2TcCGc4/TmZTZ8kpeOI/AAAAAAAADes/oNsMKVxELx0/CIMG1923.JPG)

Title: Re: Knappable Rocks? (pics)
Post by: Lee Slikkers on September 08, 2011, 12:06:37 am

Anyone????

Title: Re: Knappable Rocks? (pics)
Post by: mullet on September 08, 2011, 12:23:48 am

 Is it some kind of Slag? I know some of the guys that live up that way have talked about picking up slag from the iron or copper smelting areas.

Title: Re: Knappable Rocks? (pics)
Post by: Lee Slikkers on September 08, 2011, 01:07:55 am

No idea Mullet...is the crust why you are thinking slag?  Would slag come in a variety of colors like that on the core?

Maybe I'll get to find out, a fellow PA'r PM'd me and ask to try some heat treating on it to see what it flaked like so hopefully (no matter what it is) it will work ok for him/me.

thanks~

Title: Re: Knappable Rocks? (pics)
Post by: mullet on September 08, 2011, 09:36:53 am

 Lee, yea, that's what made me think of slag. But then I realized that it was all shiney from being wet. It kind of looks like a silicified chert and heat treating will probably help.

Title: Re: Knappable Rocks? (pics)
Post by: blackhawk on September 08, 2011, 10:05:37 am

Hey buddy...I have no clue either. As I never recalled seeing anything like that growing up,just a bunch of sand,mud,clay,n gravel beds. And I spent my share o time in the woods. Was this found not to far from your house? Im perplexed you even found something like that where you live. I wouldn't be if it was from further up north or in da u.p. eh :laugh:

Anyways,yeah if you don't find out,hit some thin spalls off of it and heat treat it and see if it'll flake for ya. Its hard to tell from photos but it kinda looks like it might,or might not...not sure...hard to tell.

Maybe locate a local geologist and show them.

Title: Re: Knappable Rocks? (pics)
Post by: Outbackbob48 on September 08, 2011, 01:18:38 pm

Doesn't look like the factory slag that I have seen, If it is slag it's already been heat treated ;D. The second to last pic looks like some of the surface fractured stuff that is everywhere at flint ridge, I,m dang sure no authority on this stuff. :o

Title: Re: Knappable Rocks? (pics)
Post by: cowboy on September 08, 2011, 01:37:33 pm

Hmm, not sure why I didn't see this earlier Lee. I don't have a clue what kind of rock that is. Looks pretty tough and grainy but some of em look like they might work. I'd go with everybody else - heat some spalls and see what happens. I'm moving to a job just West of Grand Rapids next Tuesday. Know of anything knappable up there?

Title: Re: Knappable Rocks? (pics)
Post by: Lee Slikkers on September 08, 2011, 09:36:16 pm

Thanks guys, I'll see what this stuff is like after it has been heat treated and report back  ;D

Cowboy, I not currently aware of anything local in the GR area but I was going to try and locate a geologist at a local college here in Holland and get his thoughts on this rock and I could certainly ask him about the GR area.  I'd love to meet up with or something in GR if you have a free evening, I got some Flint shipped in from Texas from a friend this week and could drag some of that along if you wanted to knapp a bit or we could always have ya over here for an evening meal or something.

Title: Re: Knappable Rocks? (pics)
Post by: cowboy on September 10, 2011, 12:24:55 pm

Sounds good man! I've got plenty of rocks to hit on in the truck right now. A wide assortment or stuff from TX to TN :). If we get a chance to hook up we'll do some knapping..

Title: Re: Knappable Rocks? (pics)
Post by: Lee Slikkers on September 10, 2011, 11:13:53 pm

Sounds great Cowboy...I'll drop you a PM with all my contact info so you can call or whatever if you get some free time on one of the evening.

Title: Re: Knappable Rocks? (pics)
Post by: Bill Skinner on September 13, 2011, 11:06:25 pm

A couple of those looked like ryolite.  Could a glacier have drug it in one winter?  Bill