Main Discussion Area > Flintknapping
Flake Spacing
Jodocus:
Yesterday evening I was pressure flaking, when suddenly it occurred to me that I have no idea how to space flakes along an edge. Actually, I just press off a flake here and there, wherever I see a suitable platform and the need to remove some material.
Now I do feel how a good ridge helps the flaking process, and I do suspect that spacing them right in one pass will probably greatly improve the flaking in the next pass.
But how? How do you guys determine how far apart to put the first row of flakes?
Wolf Watcher:
In my opinion the distance between flakes depends on several things; The size of the material you are working on, what material it is, the shape and thickness of your spall, and how far you need to run the flakes across to make the next pass work. If I am looking for the next place to initiate a flake I like to work on the problem areas first and make the very best platform I can to be successful. I think learning to read the rock is the most difficult thing to master! Joe
Jodocus:
--- Quote from: Wolf Watcher on September 17, 2014, 02:54:10 pm ---If I am looking for the next place to initiate a flake I like to work on the problem areas first and make the very best platform I can to be successful.
--- End quote ---
That sounds much like what I do! ;D Now I just need to get hang on
--- Quote from: Wolf Watcher on September 17, 2014, 02:54:10 pm ---The size of the material you are working on, what material it is, the shape and thickness of your spall, and how far you need to run the flakes across to make the next pass work.
--- End quote ---
:-\
mullet:
I do the same as Joe unless I'm working slabs.
Then I work a pass down each side about quarter inch apart depending on the flaker and size of the slab. Then grind the weak points off the platforms that are sticking up, dress the angle, and do it again.
JackCrafty:
The flakes on mine are random unless I'm trying to duplicate a certain style of point that has a certain flaking pattern (like Scottsbluff). The hardest thing for me is to get a good clean pass of identical flakes all the way down the edge. I usually have one mistake (hinge or short flake) for every three good ones.
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