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Indirect Pressure Percussion
AncientTech:
--- Quote from: nclonghunter on January 05, 2016, 09:06:45 am ---Heck, I am still getting my composite stick and percussion technique in good working order and you add a third method... ::)
I have a couple ideas for the third method that I have read from descriptions of past knappers. It is something that I hope to try eventually. I know how I can use modern tools to achieve what I want but need to figure how it was done with old tools. Life certainly puts enough obstacles in place to slow the learning curves.
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Yes, the signs of a third flintknapping process show, intertwined between pressure and indirect percussion. And, I believe that it shows all the way back to Clovis.
AncientTech:
--- Quote from: nclonghunter on January 05, 2016, 11:07:20 pm ---Keith, I also tried using wood to strike the composite stick and got the same results. Just seemed to absorb the energy. I went back to striking the antler tip with antler as you did. Perhaps a hard wood like hickory or dogwood may transfer the energy. Until then I am continuing to strike the antler tip with antler.
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You could also use an elongated hammerstone, shaped like a long pestle. Stone is harder than wood, and sometimes more massive than wood. If a wooden striker does not work, I would try stone.
AncientTech:
--- Quote from: Hummingbird Point on January 04, 2016, 04:56:21 pm ---Lyman,
Okay I made one like yours. I used an antler tine piece and a piece of hickory. I started out with just the antler shoved in the socket, but the wood started to split so I added the rawhide wrap. I like the way the antler tip can be rotated around as you work to get a clean area on the antler without having to dress up the tool. I don't like how much wear I am getting on the antler with any of these various horizontal punch type techniques. I hope it will calm down a bit as I learn the tool. When I was learning hammer stones I used to shred them and likewise with wood percussion when I started on that, so part of it is likely user error. I've used it both the way you show and by putting the end on the ground more like Marty's way and they seem about the same, just a matter of adjusting angles. The "strike zone" is smaller than with my other method, where the antler is lashed on, so I have had to go from using a hickory baton striker to using one of my antler hammers. I am thinking about making another hickory striker that is more paddle shaped and hitting with the edge of the paddle. Any way, the tool:
This is the kind of flaking it makes:
Thanks for sharing the idea,
Keith
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You could abrade the tip of the flaker. My suggestion is that you try to round the end. More rounded is pointy, and less rounded is blunt. Also, if you can get the antler bit set perfectly straight, the wear will be more uniform, and easy to control.
AncientTech:
--- Quote from: Hummingbird Point on January 05, 2016, 10:06:24 pm ---I've tried striking on the wood but it is not working well. It feels like the wood is soaking up too much of the energy of the blow. When I strike on the antler I get more of the energy of the strike to flow into the stone. It would seem that using a thicker piece of wood would dampen the blow even more. What am I missing? Has anyone else tried this?
Keith
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I would say, skip the wood and go with stone - a stone striker.
Hummingbird Point:
Ben,
Janka hardness...yeah that makes sense. I used a piece of bitternut hickory, but in looking it up I see it is not as hard as I thought. I may try dogwood. If anyone is interested in this, you can find specs on about any kind of wood at:
http://www.wood-database.com/
I have some long, flat pieces of Catoctin greenstone (metabasalt) which I have tried as strikers. They are okay, but I like the antler better. It may just be a "feel" thing. Still, something to experiment more with.
Explain the anvil thing a bit more. You mean instead of using your hand on the side opposite the flaker, you use an anvil? So it's like a bipolar type of effect? Wood, antler, or stone? I am having trouble picturing it, do you have a photo by any chance? Ever way I imagine it seems awkward.
Keith
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