Main Discussion Area > Flintknapping
can i make a heavy bopper?
StevenT:
Just to add, I made my boppers this way. There are all different sized copper caps, so the size of your bopper just depends on what size cap you can get your hands on. If you find a three or four inch cap, you can use a tree branch as your bopper handle. Just trim it down until it fits. I went to an auto tire store and got a bunch of old lead weights free. They had buckets of old weights and was glad to get rid of some. I cut the lead into small pieces and just melted them with a propane torch right inside the copper caps. Once the lead starts to melt you can add pieces until you get however much you want in the cap. I didn't bother to clean the inside of the caps and after a bit, the lead separated and was loose. So I would say to clean the inside of the cap before you start melting the lead in the cap. Probably a bit of flux would have helped. This type bopper works great and actually last for quit a while.
mullet:
I'd hate to imagine how much a 3-4" copper cap would cost? It's hard finding a 1 1/2" cap.
AncientArcher76:
I got 2" copper caps in a local hardware store..lol but good hammerstones will do all u will ever need to make big long spalls.. Sandstone works great. Here in Ny state theres every shape and size big and small.. Ive used hammerstones to knock 3' spalls and flakes fom big boulders of argillite,quartzite and chert nodules. You can use what u want but simple cheap and effective ways that's tried and trued for thousands of years... Otherwise I do use wood bone and antler..
Russ
bronco611:
I picked up a 3 in cap at an industrial plumbing supply store for 4.50
StevenT:
I was wrong about the copper cap size. 1/2" to 1 3/4 are very easy to get. 2" and 3" little harder to find, especially 3". But they are around. Worst case check eBay. 4" exist, but Mullet is right, they are expensive to the tune about $50 a pop, so they are not practical.
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