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I asked my mentor how he got to be so good at knapping. I expected him to say "practice", but he said


"You gotta fluff the pillow just right"

He's a joker ;)

Thanks! It takes a few specialized tools (just the right size and shape horn, a rough rock) but it's a lot of fun. If you break one, you just throw it down and start another. This must've been the...

One of my latest Nice and thin.
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg184/your_comforting_company/Primitive%20Skills/knapping/NCM_0451_zpsd436279f.jpg
...

Sounds right to me. Abrading will keep those crumbly edges off so you have a good platform for flakes.

Hard metal, like that in a screwdriver, doesn't have enough "give" for pressure flaking. Try a softer metal like bronze or copper.

The copper ground wire won't bend. Too hard of a metal will fracture the pieces.. it needs a little "give" to it. Not sure about the physics behind it, but copper works better, and it only takes a...

a quarter inch is good, if you can work it without snapping it in half.
patience, and practice. attention to your strikes.

I would most likely make driveway filler out of it..

And imagine a flat plane running through the middle of the flake. You have to always move your edge toward the "centerline". I find that most times when I snap one, I did not have A) the platform on...

Nice work crash! looks like you struck it out pretty quick with good direction. It's usable like it is, but you could give that a really nice shape! I bet it's good and sharp on the edges too. If it...

didn't take any pictures because I didn't actually make a viable head out of any of the flakes, but I got the chance a few evenings ago to brush up on knapping and I used those red-roebuck tines to...

That's some fine work!
I probably would have broken the bottom one there. Can't wait to see more!

ok.. not so much on the makeup..

My oldest boy says I'm "emo" whatever that means...

Since the new horns arrived I haven't had a lot of time to try them, so I had a few minutes to try them the other night on some new rocks from the Flint River.
And of course, what's the first thing...

Most of the stuff I have is just basic "how to" and doesn't really get into knife-making as that takes a little more practice than just basic flaking. Not sure how to attach a PDF to the forums...

Pretty interesting. thanks for sharing that!

Welcome, I also welcome the conversation. I have a lot to learn.

amazing! Great job EA!
are you going to add hafting notches to it? Would love to see that one on a stick!

remember to push toward the center of the stone to remove flakes inward for thinning. Great for a first try. Looks functional to me and that's what really counts. An arrowhead need not be a work of...

This piece is purely for decoration. It was so wide and only 1/4" thick, I didn't even try to push flakes all the way across. A little background story on this one: I know a carpenter who hires me to...

If you pay attention and mind the safety rules, you can avoid the blood loss.. Don't be a dummy like me!
Lucky for you, there is no fire required to make points ;)

it was a teeny nick, just below the nail. Bled like a stuck hog though. No damage done, just a little battle scar lol.

Positive reinforcement for being safe!!

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg184/your_comforting_company/Primitive%20Skills/knapping/DSCN4524.jpg

the piece that cut me......

Good job on your first point. None of my first ones looked that good lol.
The more you do, the more sense it will all make. Keep us posted on your progress!

tips for glass:
wear safety glasses!!!
Wear pants that cover the tops of your shoes so glass doesn't fall in there.
Use something on the ground or floor to catch the shards. They are extremely...