Soda bottle glass for beginning knapping?

[Savate]

I was reading Whitakers book and he talks about starting out with an old soda bottle he broke up.

Is this good material to start practicing on?  Can you even get glass soda bottles anymore? 

[david w.]

beer bottle bottoms work great glass is a great material. It knapps like obsidian so its really easy.  It gets SCARY sharp

[JackCrafty]

Yep...beer bottles are the way to go.  I've been knappin' a few lately and I've found that all beer bottles are not created equal.  Imports seem to have thicker glass...so that's what I use.  Also, some bottles have bottoms that are flatter than others.  But don't get hung up on using only the bottoms...the side of the bottle works too.  Just make sure the centerline of your arrowhead is running along the "crown" of the glass.

[Savate]

OK...so to start, what first tools should I make/get to start making my first flakes?  (I wonder if I can fashion an arrowhead even!)

What kind of gloves y'all recommend too?

[JackCrafty]

Before someone else posts this...here's a popular link:

http://www.geocities.com/knappersanonymous/bottle.html

As for gloves....I use regular leather work gloves that fit just right.  If they are too large (or thick) they'll get in the way.

[Savate]

Great link JackCrafty!

Now, how do I make or get these things listed:

1 Hammerstone (is that just a hard rock to smash things with?)
1 Pressure Flaker
1 Notching tool
 

[mullet]

  If you ever see any old Clorox Bleach bottles, they make some cool looking ,amber points. Also old Noxema Medicated Skin Cream bottles and new Skye Vodca bottles flake some nice blue points.

[predatorcaller]

hey David! tell us how sharp it gets!  its good stuff just find bottles with bottoms that are flat...and ive cut myself a few times also david no biggy

[Pat B]

Armando, find a glass company and check out their dumpster. 1/4" plate glass works well.  In lots of restaurant landscaping there are excellent hammer stones. You don't want real hard rocks for hammer stones.  People that install copper gutters and down spouts use copper nails and spikes. These work well for pressure flakers and Ishi sticks. A fine pointed copper nail makes a good notching tool. You can also do all of your pressure flaking with antler and bone.      Pat

[Otoe Bow]

You know Pat, I've been tempted to walk off with a rock or two from a resteraunt's front rock garden too.  The wife always scolds me and I put it down.   

The gloves I started off with were the leather palmed mechanics gloves with the synthetic stretchy back for a good tight fit.  Now I just do it bare handed.  Cut my self tonight as a matter of fact.  No biggie.  It will heal. 

Good luck and have fun.

Mike

[GregB]

If you really want to make a fine point from glass...I'd recommend using a wine bottle freshly emptied of a fine dry red wine such as Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon...or a good red Zinfindel! That way the wine gods may assist your hands to strike just the right blows to yield a "fine" point...while enjoying the remaining aroma left from the wine.

Sorry...must be cause it's Friday!

[Hillbilly]

Greg, the same theory holds true for a good vintage of Schlitz malt liquor. 

[Papa Matt]

I get my hammerstones from dentist or doctors offices after hours, which is still before dark, or on a Sunday, just walk right up and make your selection 


~~Papa Matt

[TRACY]

Alright, I really miss 16 oz GLASS bottles of pop! It just doesn't taste the same in plastic You can still get it in your favorite flavors at most Mexican grocery stores in  the Midwest, only comes in 14 oz bottles. And the waste not of the vino is absolutely true Greg. Kinda like fishin out the toy in the cereal box before eating all of the cereal

Tracy

[Savate]

I'm going to don my black commando gear and face paint and slink around the neighborhood office park to "harvest" some good hammerstones.   

Are there instructions somewhere on how to mount the flaking point on a big stick thingee like I see in all the flintknapping pictures (I guess to get more leverage on the point?)