Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Flintknapping => Topic started by: bushman on November 10, 2011, 12:16:03 am
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Has anyone ever tried to use their wood stove to heat treat rock in or a slow cooker? Thanks.
Bushman
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You need to bring it up to temperature over several hours or everything will break. I think a wood stove will get everything too hot, too quick. I believe several people have used a slow cooker, the problem is the temps you need to heat rock will be at the upper end of what temps you can get in a slow cooker. Several people have used toaster ovens, I believe Tower is one of them.
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My wife and I keep interesting rocks on our wood stove. We enjoy the beauty of the rocks but also its thermal mass in the winter. Some are knappable stone(from debatage pile ;D ) and have been on top of the stove for a few years. I don't knap but understand how it works somewhat. Maybe I'll do an experiment over this winter. ;)
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i've treated some in the bbq, Bub
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I heat treated some jasper this year on top of the woodstove. i tried putting it in side but it gets too hot too fast and yes breaks... what i did was take a bread pan from the wife and fill it with sand and bury the spalls in it and then covered the pan to make an oven, i just burned as normal for 2 day or so and when he fire got really low during the day i took the pan off and set it aside and let it cool a few hours. seemed to work pretty well. got some more experimenting to do with it
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Thanks for the replies everyone. I thought that the woodstove would get too hot to fast and that a slow cooker wont get hot enough but thought I'd ask anyways.
Bubby: How did you go about heat treating the rocks in your BBQ and what type of rock did you use?
Thanks
Bushman
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the stuff i cooked in the bbq had to get real hot, started it @ 200 for 1/2 hour and slowly went up till i got the temp i wanted and left it for 2 hrs, then back down the same way and leave it to cool down
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Heat treating is simple and cheap. I got a roaster oven for $25, took out the inner pan and filled it with sand. Then just follow the recipe for the rock that you have. Here's an real example: Montana Agate slabs - about a 1/4 inch thick. Place slabs in the roaster on end (vertically) and spaced apart from each other. Cover them with sand (helps to even out the heat). Turn the roaster dial to 200. Wait an hour and turn it up 50 degrees; do this each hour until you reach 400 and let them soak for 4 hours. Turn it off and let them cool for about 8 hours. Take out your rock and knap some slick agate.
There's several sites out there that list the temperature to cook different rock at. PM and I can send you my cook book if you like.
Good chipping,
Michael