Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Flintknapping => Topic started by: Jeremy Holden on June 29, 2014, 10:58:52 am

Title: Heat treating?
Post by: Jeremy Holden on June 29, 2014, 10:58:52 am
So I've practiced on a few glass bottles trying to make some points.  Not too succesful but enough to make me think I know what I'm doing.  So I bought some flint pieces and am awating their arrival.  My question is this, for the purpose of hunting with a flint, stone, point I've seen/read about heat treated points.  Do all points need to be heat treated, and if so how does one go about that part of the process?

Thank you!

Jeremy
Title: Re: Heat treating?
Post by: Zuma on June 29, 2014, 11:54:07 am
It all varies. Different silica's require different treatments.
There are several websites that have a plethora of information
 all laid out with charts for most any type rock.
Also, many flints/chert's need no treatment.
Zuma
Title: Re: Heat treating?
Post by: Jeremy Holden on June 29, 2014, 04:59:59 pm
Thank you Zuma, will do a little more reading...
Title: Re: Heat treating?
Post by: Stringman on June 29, 2014, 07:07:23 pm
If you let us know what you purchased, we can probably help a little.
Title: Re: Heat treating?
Post by: Jeremy Holden on June 30, 2014, 07:40:23 am
Well, I guess I'm not sure 100% what I'm getting.  I bought some "flint" from Mr. Berger off of his website.  It shows it as flint, are there different types of flint?

-Jeremy
Title: Re: Heat treating?
Post by: Dalton Knapper on June 30, 2014, 03:26:52 pm
Jeremy, if it is English flint that you purchased it will be just fine without heat treating unless it is an extremely low grade. If it is really dark (almost black) with a white or chalky cortex (skin) it will be English flint. We call our materials over here chert and the British folks call their flint.

For future reference too....it is the rock that is spalled or large flaked into usable pieces that are heat treated. Only after heat treating the spall is it knapped and turned into an arrowhead.