Main Discussion Area > Flintknapping
Copper Question!
Outbackbob48:
Knotty, copper plumbing caps filled with lead are softer than the solid copper type billets, I started with the caps and have a hard time with the harder solid heads, Antler can also be effected by humidy and wear on tools, less dressing on copper tools, as other have said steel and brass is to hard, I have seen a few knappers using aluminum but I have no experience with them, also caps have that nice antler dome shape. A lot of tough stone knappers use dense wood billets (dogwood, European boxelder and such) By tuff stone I mean Ryholites and Quartsite and Argualite type materials, Some of the man rock knappers :o ;D produce amazing pcs with there wood billets. hope this helps. Bob
Dakota Kid:
--- Quote from: mullet on July 12, 2016, 07:36:45 pm ---I read somewhere that it mimicks the gripping properties of antler but holds up longer between having to dress it. I've tried brass and it is too hard, along with steel and bronze. Aluminum is too soft. Horseshoe nails and old, antique nails are made with a softer steel and work pretty good.
--- End quote ---
While it is much lighter, pure aluminium is harder than pure copper. It not much harder, just a bit. I use aluminium from time to time and it performs almost identically to copper, at least for me. I switch to an aluminum point on my ishi stick when I seem to be dressing my copper one too often. I use the old gutter spikes I've twisted and cut to size for my source for aluminum tips. Siding nails seem to be even harder, I'm guessing they're some type of Al alloy.
Knotty:
How do you guys think Silver would do? (Yes , the precious metal).
GlisGlis:
try depleted uranium!
they say your arrowhead will be a bomb >:D
Knotty:
Hahaha! I imagine so 😊
I'm asking about the silver because I've got some old silver knives and forks laying around that are un-needed, and don't have any significant value, if it's deemed a good knapping material such as copper , I could make use of it too.. At least it won't go to waste.
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