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Knapping stone questions

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ssrhythm:
I bought some Keokuk, Dacite, and obsidian because they are beginner rocks. They flake well and relatively easily, and that’s about where I say the beginner part ends.  They are all brittle, so they can be horribly steppy.  I’ve yet to get a hunting worthy point or decent knife out of any of it.  I found some great chert rocks in my yard from my rock hound landlord, and it’s tough and untreated...I have made a great skinner knife and some pretty good (considering size I had to work with) finished points out of it.  To me, the tougher stone is more predictable and far less steppy.  I understand why the three beginner rocks are labeled as such, but my strategy is to now just get my hands on whatever knappable rock I can to see which suits my beginner needs the best...while trying to figure out how to knap it all.

Parnell:
I’ve always found obsidian to be a challenge.  Yes, it knaps easily, but I think that’s also the problem.  And, I’m just not much on glass.  It’s messy.  There is a reason why I’ve heard it referred to as “obs#*tian” in some knapping pits.  But, done right, they are sharp points, no doubt.

Keokuk can get funny for me, also.  I dunno...kinda chalky or something.  Just doesn’t play nice for me.

That’s just my perspective, though.  Different strokes...

Dacite is like a slightly glassier G’town.  G’town was what I really cut my teeth on.  A little went a long way and it has that sweet spot, right in the middle, for characteristics.  Only problem with it is it only comes in one color!

Russ:
i should really get some Georgetown or go down to texas to get some. your really making me wanna try it lol!!

obsidian is a good rock to learn to flake on but later on i do feel its kinda lacking. but i just like making stuff so im not too picky!  ;D

gutpile:
georgetown is hard to find.. real georgetown that is... it knaps well and doesnt require any heat treating.. if starting out might I suggest toilet tank lids.. old tv tubes just wear a mask on those the silica dust is toxic.. even ceramic floor tiles... yes these are slab like but once you edge them they work basically the same as rock.. set up platforms learn to reduce thickness how hard to hit how much is going to remove predicting how to work flakes.. all these skills can be learned on above materials.. and are free for the finding.. learn the principles of flake removals.. and reduction on free stuff... then go buy you some rock if you cant find any..JM2C... gut

JEB:
deerhunter21. You are not going to just drive down to Texas and pick up some rock.  Texas is 90% privately owned and it is against he law to pick rock up off public land.  I have dumped many a bucket along the Pedernales river at the request of law enforcement. They were nice about it and of course I complied. With that being said I have been spending 1 month in the winter  in Texas for 15 years and have made some good contacts and bring back a handful of 5 gallon buckets of knapping rock each year. 

I have never driven up to Georgetown to look for rock. I understand most of the good stuff belongs to a rock mining company . Not sure if they would let you gather a bucket or two or not.

Lots of good suggestions on practice rock/materials have been made. 

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