Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Flintknapping => Topic started by: bushman on December 10, 2011, 01:49:28 am
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How long have you been knapping and what was the first thing you ever made? Also if you got a picture of it please post it.
Me, I have been knapping since I was old enough to hit or grind 2 rocks together, so lets see about 18 years giver or take a few. First things I ever made were just sharp flakes to cut stuff when I was out in the bush behind my parent’s farm, after I used them I would throw them away. First thing I ever kept was a ground slate hawk I made when I was about 6. I will take a picture of it and post it when I get a chance.
Bushman
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I started when in 2008 my wife introduced me to the Flintknappingtools website and told me to order a starter kit. I have been collecting artifacts since 1996 in Texas and i really have ever looked back.
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I guess I began my learning process about 18 years ago. When I got a seasonal job I had better access to some teachers (One guy was a rabbit sticker) and did a little more. When my wife got sick and couldn't work I backfilled her position and began to have more time in the Indian Museum and have been knapping several times a week as the work schedule allows. I am still perplexed with thinning. Basic tool - four hammerstones, two smaller antler billets, one antler chipper, one home made copper flaker, two commercial flakers one has a wooden handle(Obsidiandesigns.com, Dr Susan Gleason) and one poly resin handle. Still got lots of learning left to do and hope to glean some useful knowledge from all of the folks here!
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Started watching flintknapping videos on youtube in 2007 and tried it on and off. Got into it heavily in 2008 and almost quit. From late 2008 to late 2009 I did nothing but abo knapping every day for a year. Somewhere in that haze the light came on when I started using indirect percussion. Now I make videos...
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I got started when warhawk gave me a piece of obsidian and a coulpe of copper boppers and a pressure flaker back in June or July, been hooked ever since.
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May 21st is the first picture I took of something I knapped, a piece of floor tile. My first flint points were a couple weeks later, they're very rough. Sometimes I do nice stuff now, sometimes not. Need more lessons. Love it though.
George
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I'm glad I have one of your nice points in my case, George.
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I have 2 beauties of yours too, just need to build a case now. :) I just realized the only one of Patrick' s I brought home was a broken one. I'll fix that next time we're together when he isn't looking. ;) His are paper thin. :o I need to start hitting more of the knap-ins both for pointers and to trade more points for a case. I still stink at pressure flaking. :'(
George
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George, the one thing that seemed to help me with pressure flaking was practicing on slabs. That and I intensely watched paleomanjim on youtube knapping slabs.
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I started a year after I started building self bows in 89 so I guess it was 1990.I started out with glass the first 2 years. Those old junk piles have nice thick bottles lots of 1/4 inch which is perfect for arrow heads. SEAMS older glass was blow at a higher degrees and is way better tempered than glass made later or it's just made of different materal. Killed my first buck with a knapped head in 92.It was made of glass.
I have way to many other hobbies and knapping down the line. But I do a little each year when itwarms up. It good thing I knap for enjoyment because theres a couple people on here that turns out way better work than mine. And they been at it way less time at it than me.
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Here is the pictures of the hawk I made when I was knee high to a grasshopper.
Bushman
(http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae111/bushman2222/DSC00900.jpg)
(http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae111/bushman2222/DSC00903.jpg)
(http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae111/bushman2222/DSC00904.jpg)
(http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae111/bushman2222/DSC00905.jpg)
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I started knapping about 10 years ago. At that time I had no idea there were others with the same interests. I started with glass & eventually graduated to stone. I find it a rewarding hobby , surrounded by some great people. These are a few of my first glass & stone points. Knap-on!
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I think I started in "87. All my 1st points went into a frame that my ex put together and I don't know where they are. Crude and of stone I could scrounge anywhere.Started small and turned them out from flakes and mostly pressure flaked them. Learned percussion and added it to the pressure flaking and started making good ,working points.After awhile,I could copy points I found,a while later,I could make a set the same size for a batch of arrows, I am still about right there. I need to set in some knap ins and get up the ladder a bit farther. I have a knife blade from Cowboy and a large point from Tower, That are as fine a work as I have ever seen. They have inspired me to go farther. So,onward and upward. ' Frank
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I started knappin in the spring of '08. I had been making bows for a few years and wanted to start hunting with stone points. I bought DC Waldrofs book and video The Art of Flintknapping and a box or 2 of pedernales along with some dacite and keokuk. I went mostly abo for a while and got to where I could make good sharp hunting points pretty quick. I really had the bug for about 6 or 8 months then let it go for making bows and WORK :-[ . I didnt really pick it back up until moving to TN back in July when I met SAWFILER at the IBO. Seeing his work really lit the fire back up for me! Oh and then I met Jesse and things really started making sence. THANKS you guys!!
Heres a couple pics from my first couple months of knapping. You can see the "perd" tabs in the background...I wish I would have saved a couple of em now ::) oh well...
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Not nearly early enough in life ;)
All the places I went to and didn't have the spark and could have been collecting rock!
Seriously been at it since 2006, making small game points to shoot squirrels and rabbits at first. Trying to bring down deer with larger points today- hiGhly addictive >:D
Tracy
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Started around 10 years ago. Went to a couple of knap ins in Moundville and N Georgia. Was going broke buying rock so I found a local source, of Tallahatta Quartzite. It worked pretty good but then I was going broke buying tools. Tallahatta will eat a copper or an antler bopper, so I started making my own copper tools and spending more time looking for sheds. It was frustrating at the start but I got a lot better when I learned to relax and smack the snot out of the rock. After all, until I am done with it, it's just a rock.
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Amen , its just a rock. And purddy uns too!
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Spring of '09 was the first try. I played around with pressure flaking glass for about 6 months before I got some tools and started hitting rock.
No pics of the first one, but here's the last five. I made these back in the fall.
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::) Shannon: Your talent borders on obscene! I wear the one pine tree you gave me and really appreciate that you gave it to me! Thanks A/Ho Joe
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Dang the time fly's! Looked back through my old pics and appears i got it in my head that modern man could make a stone point back in March 04. So 7 or 8 years. Got into it heavy for a few years but the last few i have slowed waaay down due to life :).
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Started in the 50s. That was "BC" (before computers) and when there were no knap ins. Finally had help from J B Solberger and a fellow from the University of Idaho, and then from Larry Shoemacher. Larry was fantastic and we used to go to knap ins and to the Buttes. Went to some of D C Waldorf's knap ins and found the elite knappers there to be a tight knit bunch with no interest in helping an outsider. Was never an artist, but managed to harvest about everything but an antelope with points I made. Have really slowed down and only knap as needed now! I really enjoy the pit at Twin Oaks during the Classic as there are some mighty fine artisans there and all willing to show, teach, and share. Last year there was a very young lad there that sure enough beat up on some rocks and made for some good laughs! A/Ho Joe