Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Flintknapping => Topic started by: caveman2533 on June 08, 2015, 06:38:03 pm

Title: Broadspear
Post by: caveman2533 on June 08, 2015, 06:38:03 pm
(http://www.paleotube.com/m/photos/get_image/file/06844486820dd6f2bf59cb169113b224.jpg)

This is an authentic Pennsylvania rhyolite Susquehanna broadspear preform. the base is unfinished.
This blade is  is 5.425 inches long
2.44 inches wide at the widest.
.260 inches thick at the widest point = 9.3 to 1 and just north of that the thickest point is .335 inches if using this measurement it is 7.2 to 1..

This is what I am chasing with my reproductions.


Title: Re: Broadspear
Post by: Ghost Knapper on June 08, 2015, 06:57:27 pm
Hope you don't mind, I grabbed a photo of it at Oregon Ridge.  :laugh: Do you have any other originals to show what the base would of looked like when it was finished? Im still trying to get the nerve to work a piece of jasper into one.

(http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b604/joelbookhammer/preform_zps3zfjdtw3.jpg) (http://s1294.photobucket.com/user/joelbookhammer/media/preform_zps3zfjdtw3.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Broadspear
Post by: Chippintuff on June 08, 2015, 07:05:17 pm
That is a nice point. I haven't worked any rhyolite yet, but you have a handle on it.

WA
Title: Re: Broadspear
Post by: caveman2533 on June 08, 2015, 07:25:27 pm
Here is one I made of rhyolite not nearly as long but finished form would be much like this. Banded Rhyolite, used a wooden billet and a peg punch to notch the base.

(http://www.paleotube.com/m/photos/get_image/file/309e672f4c33059707bce3a4be90099a.jpg)
Title: Re: Broadspear
Post by: Ghost Knapper on June 08, 2015, 09:35:45 pm
Tough looking stuff. So the base would of been squared off instead of semi pointed as is on the preform?
Title: Re: Broadspear
Post by: caveman2533 on June 08, 2015, 09:47:07 pm
yes
Title: Re: Broadspear
Post by: Marc St Louis on June 08, 2015, 09:56:33 pm
Why would you think the base is unfinished?
Title: Re: Broadspear
Post by: caveman2533 on June 08, 2015, 10:05:36 pm
Preforms of the finished Susquehanna broadspear were pentagonal. Would have been squared off then angled notches placed into it much like the point I made.
Title: Re: Broadspear
Post by: mullet on June 08, 2015, 11:44:36 pm
Tough looking stuff. So the base would of been squared off instead of semi pointed as is on the preform?

Crappy looking stuff. Get some green or brown, but you did good with that black cryolot.
Title: Re: Broadspear
Post by: Zuma on June 09, 2015, 12:53:26 pm
Pretty ambitious Steve.
Have you seen Scott Silby's
big abo rhyolite blades?
Zuma
Title: Re: Broadspear
Post by: caveman2533 on June 09, 2015, 03:23:54 pm
No I have not seen Scotts blades, are they the green rhyolite?
Title: Re: Broadspear
Post by: Marc St Louis on June 09, 2015, 09:47:53 pm
Preforms of the finished Susquehanna broadspear were pentagonal. Would have been squared off then angled notches placed into it much like the point I made.

Not going to argue with you but the sense I got from looking at that point is that it was done.  It just doesn't seem to have the material left in it to make a point like yours
Title: Re: Broadspear
Post by: caveman2533 on June 09, 2015, 10:52:54 pm
Mark,
No material needed to punch notch the base, It is basically finished except for bringing in the base. these were thinned diagonally from the sloped shoulders. It is hard to get pictures of but all four "sides" were thinned or attempted to from the shoulder. One failed because of a crystal.  Note this is an exceptionally thin piece and is masterful work for this material. the average width to thickness  ratio of these points is 5 to 1.
Title: Re: Broadspear
Post by: turbo on June 10, 2015, 01:17:56 am
No I have not seen Scotts blades, are they the green rhyolite?

I would love to see these too. I have a stash of NC green rhyolite myself.
Title: Re: Broadspear
Post by: Zuma on June 10, 2015, 03:43:44 pm
No I have not seen Scotts blades, are they the green rhyolite?

Lol, me too!
I guess I just thought he had some he discribed from some
digs around the fault line near Great Falls. Sorry, he don't
have them. If I am not misstaken the green is NC stuff.
Your work looks like a pretty good grade of Rhyolite that
can be found near Gastonia? Nice work.
Title: Re: Broadspear
Post by: Ghost Knapper on June 10, 2015, 10:09:03 pm
Cryolot now I like the sound of that.
Title: Re: Broadspear
Post by: caveman2533 on June 10, 2015, 10:23:37 pm
It is a very ambitious goal in rhyolite no doubt and I may never reach it, but I gotta try.