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I think I'm finally getting it

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Otoe Bow:
It has taken a while, but I think I've finally figured out how to make points flat, thin and sharp.  For the longest time, most of my work had the profile of a football.  :-[ The thickness kept me from doing anything that I could notch very deep and the edges while sharp, weren't anything I would feel comfortable putting in an animal for a clean kill.  Most of the time, they were even to thick to mount onto a 5/16" - 3/8" shaft.  Up until recently, I'd flail away with my boppers and take off good flakes, but most lacked the long thin scars necessary to thin. 

I'd heard you experts taking about the need for the tool, (copper, antler or hammerstone) to be soft enough to "grip" the edge.  That got me to thinking, if you want it to grip, you can't just whack the edge, but a "pull" upon contact is also required.  I started doing this and now I've thinned some pieces that I'd reached a dead end on before.  I thinned one piece last night by more than half, while preserving most of the width and all of the length.  Now, since the piece is thinner, the edge angle is such that I can achieve an edge that is less "blunt".

I'm on the road all this week, but hopefully I'll be able to post some pic's when I get back. 

And to think, I learned this just in time for our point swap.  Whew.   ;D

Mike

Dingleberry:
Eureka, thats great Mike.  Look forward to seein your progress.  I can get a long flake every so often, but not on a consistent basis.  It is pretty durn exciting when things go the way you want em to! :)

redwasp:
i can only pressure flake. so your ahead of me. I need more time for all this stuff cant seem to get away from work. when i use percussion tools i get the same reults as you only much worse, bad stacks that wont allow thinning. so i strike harder and less acurate, guess what smack ouchhhhhh. let the throbbing begin.

Otoe Bow:
I travel a lot and I try and carry some rock and tools with me when I get a some spare time.  I have a little Plano Archery tool box that holds a few rocks and all the tools (less Ishi stick) that I need.  I got a few hours the other evening, went to a park and watched kids playing soccer and Ultimate Frisbee and went to work.  I  was able to thin a blade of Kay County that I'd given up on earlier.  I thought I'd give it a try in the John like Cowboy, but for where I'm at that might be a little much.   ;D

Mike

Sparrow:
 Paleoman Jim just put a 5 part series on you tube that really shows how to thin a biface (I think "preform") that might interest you.  Frank

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