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workable stone

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paulc:
Hey all, I have another load of Texas stone via the online auction site.  I cooked it following Jack Crafty's "recipe" in his signature line...didn't seem to make much of a difference...I still have to swing like I am trying to kill something in order to get flakes to come off.  They are often pretty good flakes but there is nothing relaxing or enjoyable in the process....I watch Jack Crafty videos on youtube and Jack it appears you are often simply letting you hand fall and good flakes come off..

Do I just not have access to that quality of stone?  Any thoughts or advice?

Thanks, Paul

Wolfmanjack:
Take this with a grain of salt cause I’ve only been doing this a little over a year.  Some Texas rock I’ve used is just super tough stuff.  I’ve tried heating it and it just will not behave.  Maybe getting the temperature higher may be the key but my turkey roaster won’t tame it.  With that being said some of the Texas rock I have tried turns super slick after heating and is a joy to work.  The same can be said for the citronelle gravel that I have access to.  Heat transforms some pieces almost miraculously and some pieces are just stubborn.

JEB:
Some Texas cooks easy and some don't. That river cobble is a beast to try and tame.  I gather my own when I drive thru Texas and refuse to pick up river cobble which is usually found in front of every restaurant in Texas and at landscape business. There is a knapper that I haven't seen post here in awhile, that can make real nice points pit of it.   

I would re heat some of it to see if that helps. I use a turkey roaster with layers of beach sand between layers of rock. Seems to heat up pretty good for me. I also let the rock cool on it's own which usually takes a couple days.

paulc:
Seller id'd the stone as Edwards Plateau material...which means nothing to me :-)  Thanks for the insight.  I have a turkey roaster and a toaster oven...both about the same results.

Paul

Tower:
I’m a sucker for good landscaping cobbles.  But JEB is right.  Most will cook at 350* on the light end to 425* on the high end but there are some tough ones. After a while you kinda get an eye for the stone that need to go much higher .  I tend to spall & biface it out then cook it in the ground about 4” deep in packed soil.  I’ve reached 600* & it usually takes 2 days to cool down enough to hold it.   The color change can be quite remarkable.  Here is a point I made from a cobble.  Not my prettiest point but it will make short work of a whitetail.

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