Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Flintknapping => Topic started by: seminolewind on December 09, 2013, 10:04:57 am
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So I have had a good amount of free time on my hands between missions over here and thankfully have had some rock to work. It's been a great pastime and I sure have learned a lot in the hours spent chipping away.
One thing that has been helping me achieve thinner bifaces even from smaller spalls is to use pressure to set up platforms. I noticed that in the past I had been switching from percussion to pressure too late in the stage which resulted in more broken preforms that weren't as thin.
Because of the size of even my smallest 1/2" bopper I couldn't make those small perfectly created platforms needed to send small flakes across the face. Instead I would get imperfect platforms that would cause hinges or would crumble. I'm sure I'm not the only one doing this but would suggest switching to pressure a lot sooner than you feel necessary. With a little extra time and care I have been able to make very thin 2"-3" bifaces that I probably otherwise would have bean beaten into the chip pile.
Another thing that has been helping me when pressure flaking is changing my angle and force. In the past I would try to push in, and down against the preform, but never could get my flakes to run as far as I wanted. I noticed that even if my flaking tool was started parallel to the preform by the time the flake broke the angle of the tool in relation to the preform was about 30 degrees.
Much like in the percussion stage with pressure it is just as important to have your platforms set up in that sweet spot just above center line and well abraided. If you want to push long flakes the platform must be strong enough to support it. What has been helping me considerably is the angle I start pushing my tool against the edge.
Lately I have been starting to push my flaking tool at an upward angle from the bottom of the preform. I then start pushing hard inward, and in doing this my flakes have been breaking at about the time my tool comes parallel to the preform, this not only let's the tool get a good bite on the platform but pushes the flakes a lot longer because maximum force is reached when you are parallel to the piece instead of 30 degrees or so later.
This has been helpful keeping the point thin even when reducing the size of the preform to your finished point size. It's kinda hard to describe this without being able to demonstrate but hope it helps. I know for me it's allowed me to utilize small baseball sized spalls that otherwise would have been overlooked.
Y'all be easy
Seminolewind...out.
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I will have to try that! Thanks. Beautiful point! Be kinda interesting to see the reaction of a taliban group finding one of their own with a primitive arrow in him. :o Just be a shame to waste a beautiful point on something like that though. ;) ::)
Wayne
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Yeah I often wish I was shooting arrows at these booger eaters...it would be like hog hunting just a little stinkier ! >:D
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Nice Point. Dig the Band-Aid on the finger :laugh: Never Underestimate or degrade Hadji. They are some slick thinkers...Learned that the hard way...Stay safe ....
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Great job expressing that in words. I just really figured out what you are saying last week. Evenmore, I'm starting to get the feel for flexing my plastic Ishi stick in the upwards then parallel way you describe. Good post Elijah!
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That point looks darn near perfect. The part about going to pressure early in order to clean things up and prepare platforms is a difficult habit to learn but well worth it, as you said. :)
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Beautiful point. Keep doin' that thing.
I used to pressure flake exactly like you said, then I think I changed for the sake of just getting more leverage. I was watching a Jim Winn video a long time back and he described the proper angle as "point the tip of the flaker towards your index finger," which would be about a 30° angle just like you figured out.
It makes me happy to know you are knapping and making such nice points!
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Great write up, I'm still working on my pressure technique and I agree that pressure flaking good platforms early helps me thin the piece a lot faster and more consistently.
Great point as well........
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This is very fascinating, is it possible for you to do a video tutorial on this or do you not have time or interest in such an endeavor?
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Thanks guys I appreciate the support, even happier my rambling makes sense !!
Iconic...I would like to make a video and will eventually but most likely will have to wait on that, the bandwidth on the Internet is so crappy over here it would take too long to upload. Heck just these two pictures took about five minutes! I have two GoPros when I get home ill make some knapping vids.
Knapp on y'all !!!
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Get home safe, looking forward to the vids:)
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That point looks great!
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That is one clean, sharp looking point! Well done.