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Deerhunter's flintknapping thread
Parnell:
I don't pivot the rock so much as pivot the pressure flaker. The thing about the plastic Ishi sticks is they flex. That flex has a lot of snap.
I know you are having a go with indirect percussion. I had post on that previous thread regarding your beat up tool about considering sticking with the basics of an Ishi stick and hand held pressure flaker, to start.
I would recommend this so that you can get the feel of how much pressure should be applied in different situations, with different materials, and with different techniques, etc. There is more to learn than can simply be explained which is why you are going to need to start breaking a lot of rock.
Learn to use your your legs/inside of your thighs-knees as your power source for pressure. Consider how sharpness/bluntness and shape of your tip can influence your work. Have a file handy to sharpen/manipulate the tip frequently as I'm assuming you are using copper.
I recall reading something by, I think, Jackcrafty years back about active vs. passive pressure flaking. Active being being powerful bursts of pressure to pop flakes off, whereas passive loads the pressure gradually then the flakes release on their own when the force is great enough. Also, the idea of loading pressure gradually inward then...sort of twisting your wrist to "peel" flakes as if you were throwing a curveball.
All these things come into play. Again, there really is simply no substitute for one on one in person time with a mentor and...BREAKING A LOT OF ROCK!!!
Russ:
Hey so, lets say i'm at a landscape store, i see lots of rocks. how can i pick out which ones will possibly be knappable? I dont think they would let me break the rock too!
JEB:
Look for the rock in Parnell photo's. Who by the way gave outstanding instruction and I would love to sit in a knapping group with him. I can really use some percussion help.
Russ:
yeah, parnell gave some dang good instructions! Thanks Parnell!
Thankyou Jeb!
Parnell:
Thanks or the compliment, guys. I'm always glad to be a help.
JEB, where are you at in the country?
DH - I don't have much of an answer for your question other than to be "discreet" about testing a piece of two and then just trying to cherry pick the pieces which would work. I really recommend getting a few bucks together and ordering some Georgetown to learn on.
It's what I really cut my teeth on. It's uniform and easy to work but isn't too glassy. You can see your successes and mistakes properly.
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