Tallahatta Sandstone and Tallahatta Chert

[HoBow]

I talked to a Geologist at a local university today and got to discussing local knappable rock sources.  He pushed me to the following websites:

http://www.geoarchaeology.southalabama.edu/tal-sand_distribution.html

http://www.geoarchaeology.southalabama.edu/tal-chert_home.html

Tomorrow will be my first rock hunt and was curious if anyone has any experience with these two.  Also, do I need to take a sledgehammer or just look for baseball to football size chuncks?  From what the professor told me, there is a massive amount in the county I will be searching, so I plan on picking up a lot.  I have VERY limited experience spalling and even less knapping.  I do not have a rock hammer or any other tools (except a sledge hammer)  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Also, what about heat treating either one....thanks again!

[billy]

HEy Jeff,

I would suggest a rock pick or some other type of prying tool.  Normally knappable stone is also associated with very thick, compacted clay that holds on to every piece of stone.  You'll need a stout tool to remove any sizable pieces. 

Sledge hammers tend to be too hard, and when you hit a piece of stone with it, it tends to shatter the stone.  You'll probably need some large hammerstones (basically hard, round river cobbles) that you can use to break open the stone.   

[Hillbilly]

The Tallahatta silicified sandstone (commonly called Tallahatta Quartzite by knappers) is good stuff. I've seen pics of car-sized boulders of it. It also occurs in creek cobbles. It has a lot of different grades, from great to crappy. The better grades are usually darker and finer-grained. It doesn't heat treat. It breaks sharp and makes good knives, tools, and hunting points. Don't know anything about the Tallahatta chert, but it may be a variety of Coastal Plains and may need heat. Here are a couple of my Tallahatta quartzite points:

[attachment deleted by admin]

[HoBow]

Any experience with the Estwing 22oz Rock pick....will that (which I do not have- going to go try and get it in the morning) and a dead blow hammer be sufficient?  Nice points hillbilly!  Now I have something to shoot for if I can get my hands on any      Guess that will be a while though!

[mullet]

 Jeff, If you find a bunch I'd like some. 

[HoBow]

No problem mullet, but I gotta find it first 

[StevenT]

I was able to pick up a couple flakes of the stuff that was laying on the tarp at the NC knap-in. First time I had tried it and was able to turn out a small point pretty easily. I would love to get my hands on some bigger chunks. If you are able to find some, I think you will like the way it works. And as you can see from Hillbilly's pics, it makes some really nice looking points.

[Bill Skinner]

I live in Marengo County, just north of Tallahatta Springs in Clarke County.  Where do you plan to look?  Some people call the chert Jackson Agate and it has to be heat treated.  Depending on grade, 400 to 550, the uglier the hotter.  It will turn from red or orange, the only colors I have seen in nature to olive green to blue once it has been heat treated.  Blill

[HoBow]

No luck today...oh well. I thought you knappers went out and looked for big black X's so you knew what to spall out. LOL. I spalled a bunch of sandstone which means I got no rock.  Bill- Sterling gave me your number. Ill call later. Tomorrows a new day!

[cowboy]

Good luck with that Jeff. Those sites were very interesting - wish I was there. If ya find the mother lode I might interested in a little trade .

 Steve: I just can't get over how perfect your points are! It's tough enough with flint/chert, but you seem to have mastered the quartzite.

[Hillbilly]

Paul, I just don't show all the ugly ones.

[HoBow]

Cowboy- I'll let you know once I manage to collect some rock

[biddysere]

Hey, If you check around the Chattahoochee in Houston county you'll find some

[mullet]

 Steve, has that water gone down in the creek yet?

[HoBow]

I'm planning on going on another hunt on Wednesday and Thursday, so hopefully I'll have more luck.