Feeling defeated

[Muskyman]

Anyone besides me ever have that feeling. I’m starting to feel like I might not ever figure this thing out. Actually think I was doing better earlier on than I am now. I was getting better at thinning my Georgetown and now I’m kinda getting back more like I was before. Turtle backs hinges and step fractures along with some nice crushing along the edges..😞
 Not quitting just a little frustrated right now. Another question is, does obsidian break easier when it’s cold? I Spauld some pieces right before I quit and I got a really nice smaller piece and figured it would be perfect for an arrow head. Thought I’d shape it a little bit so it would be sitting there next time I’m in the shop. Tapping very lightly on it and it snapped in to. Tried another lesser piece and it did likewise..

[Piddler]

Broke one today myself. I'm just starting to try this Knapping stuff. As the saying goes, if you ain't breaking you ain't making.
I got in a hurry and wasn't paying attention to what I was doing, mainly support.
I know I'm gonna need lots of rock to figure this out. Don't even ask on straightening arrows.
Piddler

[Deerhunter21]

I understand where your coming from I musky, it’s very frustrating starting without being able to understand how the rock will break. I once made a post very similar to this one, and one of the community members decided to reach out and help me and I’m forever grateful for them. So, here’s the advice that got me out of my knapping rut, and my 2 cents

1. Look into a book called “Flintknapping - Making and Understanding Stone Tools” by John C Whittaker. This book goes through all the techniques that are commonly used and goes over understand the physics and forces that you are using. Very good for a long read, or just skimming to find something specific

2. Look for a mentor or friend to knap with. Being able to bounce ideas off of someone is worth the effort and can help you break through skill plateaus. The experience of see how someone else knaps is very useful. It taught me how to be patient, and being to ask someone “this is where I would take a flake, where would you take a flake” really helped me.

- if not possible, look into knap-ins close to you

3. (This is my tip) know when to step away. I learned that sometimes, I just am not in the mood or I’m not in the right mindset to finish a point. It’s ok to only get halfway through a point and either walk away, or start on another. I’ve learned that coming back to a point with a new perspective can really help.

Anyways… that’s my 2 cents, and sorry for the long post. Try not to get too discouraged, you’ve been doing a great job musky!

[Muskyman]

I feel you Piddler, it ain’t easy. I started out thinking I’d make some arrows. I was just going to get some surewood shafts to start with. Making a bow was much easier than this, for me anyway. I’ll get there, mainly because I just don’t know how to quit. I believe that’s what they call mule headed.😁
Yeah deerhunter. I’m not a patient person. I had the same problem when I started making bows.
Closest Knapp-in to me is probably the flint ridge one next spring. Thought about going and stopping by Nethers flint farm and trying to get some flint ridge flint.  I might look into the book you mentioned. I’ve been rewatching some videos that have helped me.

[bjrogg]

It takes a little bit of mule headedness to get through this. It also take a bit of patience and like Russell said. Sometimes you just need to set your work down and come back another time. If I start rushing myself it is definitely time to stop and wait for another day.

I agree with you. For me I found knapping much more difficult than making a bow. Maybe part of the reason is because I don’t expect to complete a bow in one sitting.

I find it takes my complete attention to knap good. I can only give it for so long .

I also found that when I slowed and showed others what I was attempting to do I thought about it more and better understood what I was trying to do. Then it just comes down to execution which still is my biggest challenge.

Maybe try looking at what you’re doing more closely and explaining to yourself what you are expecting for each flake.

Also switching between percussion and pressure.  Don’t be afraid to stop percussion. Pick up pressure flaker and set up your piece better for percussion. Use short flakes and angles to move edge closer to your thicker side to remove turtle backs and thicker spots.

My steps are usually either because my edge is to far away or to close.

If it’s to close I tend to get very flat and then I start to step.

If it’s to far away I can’t make flake travel far enough and I step.

I wish I had someone to knap with but mostly I just kept at it . Set it down for awhile and then picked it up again.

Try not to be to hard on yourself. Believe me. Nobody picks this up without going through the process

Bjrogg

[Muskyman]

Thanks Brian, for the encouragement. Piddler n deerhunter as well. I think I am most likely trying to rush through with my efforts of late. Probably due to the weather. Takes a while for it to warm up in my shop, when I even fire up my heat. I’ve sit out there with my nose running like a faucet several times lately.
I think switching to my pressure flaker would help. If nothing else it might slow me down somewhat. Patience was a real problem for me with the bow building too. I really just don’t have that in my DNA.  Really think I need to try and slow way down. Look and think more about my edges and platforms and quit trying to just beat my way through every piece I pick up.

Also have about 20-40 or more pieces that I got down to about 3 or so inches and just gave up on because I just figured they were so messed up I couldn’t fix them. I think I’ll go through them and pick some out some of the better ones and try to work on them some with pressure flaking and maybe some indirect..

[bjrogg]

I know another problem I have is I see every defect in my piece. I always want to remove it immediately and that usually is a recipe for disaster. Lots of times I have to make myself ignore it until I get a better chance at it.

Bjrogg

[Muskyman]

Lost another round. Took a nice flake and had it looking pretty good, then this happened. Just used pressure flaking.
Worked another piece down to here then quit

[Allyn T]

I bet I could walk you through some of those problems but it's hard to tell in pictures. Give me a call some day and we can work out some of the problem areas.