Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Flintknapping => Topic started by: skyarrow on October 05, 2009, 10:50:21 pm

Title: my first oldowan chopper
Post by: skyarrow on October 05, 2009, 10:50:21 pm
well i started knapping today and i actually made something its very crude but it would work as a tool :) hope yall like ttyl




sterling

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Title: Re: my first oldowan chopper
Post by: mullet on October 05, 2009, 10:58:10 pm
 That is a nice start. So many artifacts were made like that because they were a funtional tool. That chert will work a lot nicer heat treated, too.  Now, grind, and grind, and when in doubt, grind. ;)
Title: Re: my first oldowan chopper
Post by: skyarrow on October 05, 2009, 11:01:48 pm
will work on the  grinding thing thanx again for telling me about it hopefully tomarrow i will have something that looks a little better lol
Title: Re: my first oldowan chopper
Post by: mullet on October 05, 2009, 11:09:48 pm
 What I was talking about is if you look at the pointy spots on the right side of the preform; those are the platforms you need to grind. you have them isolated and you should be able, with the right angle, to run a few good long flakes. The one closest to the center and near the Steps, you might be able to run it back and take out most of that.
Title: Re: my first oldowan chopper
Post by: skyarrow on October 05, 2009, 11:58:20 pm
sweet i will try that tomarrow
Title: Re: my first oldowan chopper
Post by: Outbackbob48 on October 06, 2009, 07:43:23 am
Skyarrow, Is that materiial a texas tab? Some can be kinda tuff but also good rock because it's already kinda thin versus a round rock. You  are starting a long journey so slow down an enjoy the ride.:>} Your chopper looks as if it will do the job, great start.  I really liked working on the texas tabs after a little experience, my rock dealer used to say just skinnem an notch.:>} Later Bob
Title: Re: my first oldowan chopper
Post by: skyarrow on October 06, 2009, 10:19:52 am
i dont know all of the types of rocks here but it is from texas because i live here i found it in the driveway i will ask my sister she is a geologist she will know and i will get back to you ttyl



sterling
Title: Re: my first oldowan chopper
Post by: billy on October 06, 2009, 11:39:54 am
That might be a piece of Pedernales chert at least that's what it looks like to me....I know it comes in that honey color, but it is also found in browns and grays....
Title: Re: my first oldowan chopper
Post by: skyarrow on October 06, 2009, 12:48:56 pm
well my sister sez its chert and we have a butt load of it here where i live the creek bed behind my house is nothing but it all different sizes and colors :) and there are tons of hammer stones in the creek also



sterling
Title: Re: my first oldowan chopper
Post by: Newbow on October 06, 2009, 02:30:28 pm
A "butt load" of it you say?  You'd better dust out the spare room.  Your new 'friends' will be arriving shortly!
Title: Re: my first oldowan chopper
Post by: Hillbilly on October 06, 2009, 04:34:46 pm
You've got trade goods right there.
Title: Re: my first oldowan chopper
Post by: skyarrow on October 06, 2009, 05:26:41 pm
well let me gather a few buckets full of rock and post them on trade i will have to do it next week tho i am blacksmithing the  texas rennasaince festival this weekend and will be gone all weekend but when i get back i will gather alot to trade. the creek is about 8 miles long and it has a chert bottom :) if that will give yall any ideas how much is out there lol ttyl



sterling
Title: Re: my first oldowan chopper
Post by: Outbackbob48 on October 06, 2009, 07:29:24 pm
Skyarrow , If you got that much texas stuff in your back yard ya better start expecting lots of company. :) Later Bob
Title: Re: my first oldowan chopper
Post by: mullet on October 06, 2009, 08:08:29 pm
 See? I told you. ;D
Title: Re: my first oldowan chopper
Post by: skyarrow on October 06, 2009, 11:12:19 pm
lol that u did Eddie  ;D
Title: Re: my first oldowan chopper
Post by: StevenT on October 07, 2009, 09:59:43 am
I want on that trading wagon also!!!!!!  Man, how lucky can you get. Decide to try your hand at knapping and find out you have a flint quarry in your back yard. The rock gods are definitly smiling on you.
Title: Re: my first oldowan chopper
Post by: recurve shooter on October 07, 2009, 10:02:46 am
huh. well, no such luck here. back to dumpster diveing for vodka bottles.  ;D
Title: Re: my first oldowan chopper
Post by: skyarrow on October 07, 2009, 01:55:39 pm
lol  i will trade with who ever is wanting some rock the whole county is full of this stuff will start trading next week when i get back from the T.R.F i have a feeling there are alot of yall wanting  some so and if you are looking for hammer stones i am bound to find some. since i am new to this whole primitive hunting thing i hope to get some stuff to replace my modern hunting equipment i already have a nice recurve to hunt with but i have no wooden arrows no quiver and no wood to start making a self bow so keep that in mind for some trade items and one more thing i would love to have some already tanned fur on skunk pelts WITH TAILS :) so i can make my own quiver. well we will talk more on this next week in the trade threads ttyl and best of luck hunting this season  ;D



Sterling
Title: Re: my first oldowan chopper
Post by: StevenT on October 07, 2009, 04:11:30 pm
Oh no. Hilllbilly, you better keep a close watch on your "kitty"!!!  >:D  :)
Title: Re: my first oldowan chopper
Post by: nugget on October 07, 2009, 05:45:47 pm
I think I can hook you up on some of those items you are looking for. ;)
message me when you are ready to trade.
TJ
Title: Re: my first oldowan chopper
Post by: skyarrow on October 07, 2009, 07:44:35 pm
well the second try went better still having a problem thinning it down but the shape is much better lol i think i will try to heat this chert up abit maybe it will napp better  ttyl


sterling

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Title: Re: my first oldowan chopper
Post by: nugget on October 07, 2009, 07:53:08 pm
Looks like you are getting the hang of it. Those pictures show you have some good platforms to thin from.
Title: Re: my first oldowan chopper
Post by: skyarrow on October 19, 2009, 05:16:17 pm
tyvm nugget i have about 2 more weeks of the T.R.F doing blacksmithing and while i was there i ran into a flintknapper/bowyer who has a booth across from me man is he good at flintknapping  and he  has been teaching me some stuff on how to read the rocks so u know how the flake is going to run. but once the fair is over i will start to post some rock for trade for all who is interested ttys



Sterling 
Title: Re: my first oldowan chopper
Post by: cowboy on October 19, 2009, 05:28:12 pm
Good start there Sterling! Kinda resemble the Kerrville choppers I made awhile back. Good luck with the rock tradin ::) :).
Title: Re: my first oldowan chopper
Post by: skyarrow on October 19, 2009, 09:51:26 pm
thanx cowboy
Title: Re: my first oldowan chopper
Post by: StevenT on October 20, 2009, 12:46:19 pm
Skyarrow,
Look like you are getting some good flakes off that stuff. I am just switching over to flint from glass and I am having trouble with thinning also. Especially with turtle backs (large humps). But I finally had one of those Aha moments. I was running flakes up off the hump, but it really wasn't thinning the piece. The flakes would go all the way to the top of the hump, but the piece would just get smaller and smaller and still have a nice hump. I could see the nice long flakes but could figure out what I was doing wrong. After making many of these nice little round turle humps it finally dawned on me. I was getting what I would call running flakes and not really thinning the piece because I did not have the platform below the center line. Once I realized this and moved the center line and set up a good platform, I was able to then get a flatter flake that actually did some thinning. If you find yourself making little turle backs, maybe this will help.

Keep whacking.... but I am still jealous you have all that material right out your back door! In many ways I wish I had started with rock instead of glass.