Main Discussion Area > Flintknapping
uuugh... what the heck am i doing wrong???
Shooter_G22:
well,
i think i "know" what im doing wrong and that is.. that i dont "know" what im doing... >:(
but i never thought that this knaping stuff would be taht hard... i mean im not one to think just becuase its primitive that it would be easy... but im pretty good with my hands and i useally good at getting things accomplished once i set my mind to it... maybe that another thing im doing wrong i havent really dippined my whole concentraition on it.... as far as getting the proper tools and know how like books and or visual aid... but i figured if i went out and bought some proper stone, then things would come a little easier.. just not soo.. i went out and picked up over 20#'s of flint today and then went to pounding it with a mexican river or beach pebble... nice hard black round stone as a hammer stone... but i feel like i just mad a big mess and not one flake came out close to looking like a point that i could fine sahpe into an arrow head... uuugh!!!
whew :(
maybe i should stop all togather or at least until i get some proper tools and a video...!!!
im going to try and post pics of the mess i made...ltr...
lol...
ricktrojanowski:
I am new to knapping as well and still in the "making nice stone into junk" phase. You only need to get a couple of tools to get started. I would get a pressure flaker and a couple of copper boppers. You can make or find an abrader. As far as videos. YOUTUBE has a bunch and they are free. Not to mention all of the shared knowledge on this site. The best way to learn is to sit down with someone that knows how to knap. You will learn more in one hour with a knappper than a year watching videos. Jamie keeps telling me you have to break a lot of rock at first to get something usable. So keep breaking. ;D
leapingbare:
It takes time and practice. not only do you need the know how.. but the dexterity and coordination and Muscle memory to go with it.
Practice , practice , practice....
When i 1st started. I destroyed about 300lbs of good riolite.. and just started to sorta get it. and now 9 years later i finaly sorta know what i am doing.
Just get some rock and beat it. Best thing would be go to a knapp-in. Find the knapping circle set down with your rock and tools and look silly and say " Hey guys what am i doin wrong" and you will receive all sorta advice and make friends and probably be given free rocks to learn on.
Or if you can make it to the T.N Classic Next year 1st weekend in May. I'll be there and will give free lessions to anyone who ask.
knap_123:
practice on tv glass, jug bottoms, and oyher cheap easy to waste material. unles you live were you have acess to good stone, but if you will learn to work crap, good stone will seem like candy to you. toilet tank soaked in water is great. loose the mex. stone. i have a few i tryed for spalling and there ok for that. but there to hard for knappable hammerstones. i like unweighted bopperes, buy some dowl rod and copper caps. all different sizes. just cut tour handles and glue the caps on with 2 part epoxy. now a grinding weel and your ready. bohunter on you tube will show you how to break it up. theres lots of great videos list under knapping. and post some pics regardless of how it looks and what you think otheres might think. pics will help otheres give you pointeres. i keep my first point as a reminder of how far i come. and man, i'm so happy i did'nt give up, now i make points i'm proud of. not every person can do this wonderful hobby, but anybody can learn how! practice,practice and ask ???? good luck and happy knapping, john
Hillbilly:
You just got to destroy a lot of material until you get the feel of it. Knapping is all about angles. I would strongly suggest that you get a copy of DC Waldorf's "The Art of Flintknapping" and get the video that goes with it. And like Knap123 said, your hammerstone is probably way too hard, also. You want a softer hammerstone that will initiate slower fractures. Hard hammerstones just cone and fracture the rock, especially if you hit it at the wrong angle.
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