Main Discussion Area > Flintknapping
How do you handle big bumps and triangular shapes?
magick.crow:
I have been working with stone for a few weeks but I have run into a problem.
All the videos are by these great 30+ flintknappers and what they START with always looks better than what I get so I never see how they would deal with these problems.
First problem, a triangular shaped cross section. How do you make it flat? For that matter how do you turn a turtle shaped stone into something flat on both sides (or at least arrow shaped)
Second problem is a lot like the first, a big bump in the middle of the stone where none of your flakes managed to reach and often with steps? Toss it out? Go for the super flake?
Thanks,
Douglas Knapp who seems to have acquired a bleeding disease.
Zuma:
Yep with chunky stuff take the super flake.
But first make a proper platform.
Zuma
Show me a pic and I'll try to help ya. :D
Stringman:
You're right this is a common problem that doesn't get addresses a lot in the vids. Simple answer is: raise your platform! Also, don't try to take it all in one blow. This approach usually leads to another step or causes other equally frustrating problems. Instead take a good flake then reset your platform and hit it again.
It is possible to work yourself into a corner and then not have a lot of options on how to deal with the issues you've created. That's why it is good practice to slow down and think about your approach. The military says, "slow is smooth-smooth is fast!" So when you first pick up a rock, plan your strategy based on the obvious ridges. Flakes like ridges and will run more efficiently than thru flats or concavities. Use a pencil and plan your attack. Show us what youve got and let's try to help you through this.
magick.crow:
Stone porn
https://youtu.be/-xE69T15RTA
I made a vid because I am a 3d artist (freelance, if you need anything like that) and I know how hard it is to show a 3d shape with a few photos.
This is my current best potential. I would like this to turn into something nice.
My other problem stones have been reduced to crumbs as I decided that if they were not going to do what I wanted then I would experiment on them and learn so I can't post any really bad stone pics.
I think this stone is flint. It is from the shore of the baltic sea between Germany and Denmark.
Thanks for the help.
magick.crow:
--- Quote from: Stringman on August 12, 2015, 02:37:00 pm ---You're right this is a common problem that doesn't get addresses a lot in the vids. Simple answer is: raise your platform!
--- End quote ---
OK, just to be clear by raise your platform you mean make a bigger one or put another way strike farther from the edge or deeper into the stone.
Another question. There seems to be two factors the angle of the edge from 90 deg to about 0 and I am not sure what effect that has on the flake. Also is strike angle from straight down to almost edge on. Seems to me so far that both extremes result in crushing or breaking of the edge and a good big flake is a hit that is more down but somewhat into the stone edge.
You also have stones that are like this
-\
\
----
or like this
--------
/
/
seems like the top one is the right one to hit but what is you start with the other? OR how about when you have a big slab with two 90 degree angles?
----------
|
----------
Also I have one stone that more or less looks like a peanut. How do you handle round stones? So far everywhere I have hit it has resulted in nothing happening.
:-)
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
Go to full version