first three glass tries all broken

[Youngboyer2(billyf)]

sadly they both broke before their time (not inside a deer!), but also not even close to being finished!
i cant figure out how to get them sharp... tapering to a edge eludes me yet
i just dont get how you lift a flake from the middle,to taper to the edge...

[Youngboyer2(billyf)]

i couldnt figure out how to make a conchoidal fracture, i thought it was created by pressure from the middle of the point (no reason to think that, just a hunch) but then i tapped the edge and a circular piece came off
i was very happy, i had looked at all the books and none told what motion to use
, well here is the result of that learning, but as is tradition i ended up breaking it

[bubby]

yb2, check out paleomanjim, he does a great series for the begginer, including bottle bottoms, lots of good info to see, and it's alot easyer to learn it that way, Bub

[cowboy]

Agreed.. Jim Winn seems to be able to knap anything. You need to build up some convexity before trying to go to center. Take shorter flakes all the way around the edges on both sides before shooting one to center. Your odds will greatly increase .

[StevenT]

What couwboy said. It looks like you are using a fairly think piece of glass and trying for big flaks right from the start. Shearch for threads talking about zigzagging slabs. Once you run a zigzag pattern down the edge, understand the importance of the centerline and how to build a platform, the rest will come easier.

[Youngboyer2(billyf)]

I get how to make shorter flakes, but when you flake one to the middle, does that mean that you go under the earlier flake or do you follow the earlier flake?

[cowboy]

After you stitch the edges (zig zag). Meaning you pop a small flake one side then flip your piece and small flake other side back and forth until you have a stitched edge. Then all your deltas should be at the point of a ridge between two of your small flakes on either side. Stiffen up your delta with an abrader and run flakes along your ridges to center. Clear as mud? Watch the youtube .

[Tower]

Cowboys right. The only thing I could add is don't force them. You'll break it. Apply enough force to detach the flake. If you are or feel you are applying too much pressure back off & take a better look at your platform. I cut my teeth on old glass! Tower

[soy]

I started on an old tv tube ...broke every bit of it with nothing to show but a piece lodged in my index finger ...still waiting for that one to dislodge from the bone and since i have demolished everything i get my hands on at least 95% that is some turn out and it feels awsome! !! Good luck