Main Discussion Area > Flintknapping
Want to make an ishi stick
david w.:
I am about to make an ishi stick and should the copper point be pointed or flat? My little pressure flaker has a flat tip it seems to grip the rock well. If it was pointed it seems to me that it would slip off hte edge.
Hillbilly:
You want it pointed. Beat the tip on all four sides with a hammer to make a sharp, four-sided tip.
david w.:
So should my normal pressure flaker also be pointed?
D. Tiller:
I like galvanized nails and iron nails for fine work with obsidian. I hate having to resharpen copper all the times.
Hillbilly:
David, most people like them pointy. The sharper it is, the less pressure it takes to detatch a good flake (within reason-you want the point strong enough to not bend when you load it up). I like antler pressure flakers to be more rounded. Some people use spatulate tips for some things, or a screwdriver-shaped tip for notching, but plain ol' pointy seems to work best for most work. I usually keep a few different sizes-I like a tiny, really sharp pointed one to finish edges.
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