Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Flintknapping => Topic started by: gstoneberg on May 07, 2012, 03:37:04 pm

Title: Baby Steps
Post by: gstoneberg on May 07, 2012, 03:37:04 pm
I didn't have a lot of time to knapp this weekend, but I spent the time I had working on thinning with percussion and some on ishi stick flaking.  I started with dacite (not sure where I got that) and got a point.  Then  I broke several more before finally getting a teardrop point last night out of something I'm sure I picked up off the tarp at Cross Plains.  Not sure what it is, but it's a pretty pink with some pretty lines through it.  That dacite is really nice to work with, I had a nice big preform about done and tried one of those basal thinning flakes.

(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8167/7146326155_b97a6cf6e3_z.jpg)

There was enough left in the larger piece that I was able to finish out a 130gr hunting point.  I used the ishi almost exclusively.  I can see why so many youtube videos feature dacite as it works so nicely.  I stalled a couple flakes toward the end.  Then the last point is the first time I was able, with regular percussion, to thin a biface thin enough to finish.  It wasn't a large preform, but it was a thin one.  Was a little gun-shy on the base thinning so it was too thick there. I confess to using indirect on that one as I was so sick of breaking stuff by then I just wanted to get done.  Need to work on symmetry.  Normally I first see symmetry issues when I'm taking pictures of the finished point.  This was no exception.  Stalled out the notches badly on both of them.

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7104/7007081178_3029c24ed6_z.jpg)

Making progress, but sloooooooowly.

George
Title: Re: Baby Steps
Post by: Tower on May 07, 2012, 03:52:34 pm
Lookin good George. Both are nice points. The pink may be Burlington.
Title: Re: Baby Steps
Post by: Bevan R. on May 07, 2012, 03:58:06 pm
They look good to me. At least you are taking baby steps. I'm not even crawling yet.
Title: Re: Baby Steps
Post by: iowabow on May 07, 2012, 04:23:41 pm
man!!!!!! you just keep getting better and better!
Title: Re: Baby Steps
Post by: Sparrow on May 07, 2012, 04:47:14 pm
Nice points and they look arrow ready.  '  Frank
Title: Re: Baby Steps
Post by: Stringman on May 07, 2012, 04:52:16 pm
You're definitely using your time wisely. Nothing I hate worse than seeing someone do honey-do's when they could be making gravel!!   ;D

Nice job on them two, George! That pink rock is burlington and came from a creek in western IL (i believe.)
Title: Re: Baby Steps
Post by: Gus on May 07, 2012, 05:14:22 pm
Yes Sir George!!!

Those points Look Mighty Fine to me!

I picked up some of that Dacite and Burlington from the Debitage Pile out at Cross Plains as well...
Have some pretty decent Preforms made up but the two points I finished (Argggg!) were Baseless as I kept loosing length trying to wrangle Basal Thinning...

ARGGG!  :)

-gus
Title: Re: Baby Steps
Post by: jamie on May 07, 2012, 06:51:26 pm
Very nicely done George.
Title: Re: Baby Steps
Post by: cowboy on May 07, 2012, 07:12:13 pm
I don't see nothin wrong with the symetry on that black one George - looking darn good! If that pink ain't burlington then it's some of that Kay county that byron had.
Title: Re: Baby Steps
Post by: iowabow on May 07, 2012, 09:47:57 pm
Shhhhhh I thought we were not tell anyone lol. 

You're definitely using your time wisely. Nothing I hate worse than seeing someone do honey-do's when they could be making gravel!!   ;D

Nice job on them two, George! That pink rock is burlington and came from a creek in western IL (i believe.)
Title: Re: Baby Steps
Post by: Stringman on May 07, 2012, 11:46:06 pm
Hehe, I mean eastern IL...  ::)

anyways I remember pickin that piece up cause of the wavy lines in it. Only rock that I've seen with those "contour" lines. Glad you made it pretty George!!
Title: Re: Baby Steps
Post by: gstoneberg on May 08, 2012, 12:42:58 am
It was a straight sided cobble about the size of my fist.  I was hoping to get several large flakes out of it to make more points from, but nearly all the thinning flakes broke into multiple pieces.  I ended up getting two spalls I think might still have points in them.  They are marked better than the point I made was.

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7088/7155524936_c3ed3f9d30_z.jpg)

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7072/7155526030_e59837f2b2_z.jpg)

I might take those 2 over to Eddie's later this week.  Maybe one of the Florida guys can make something special from them.

George