Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Flintknapping => Topic started by: Hummingbird Point on October 31, 2015, 02:14:29 pm

Title: Bifurcates
Post by: Hummingbird Point on October 31, 2015, 02:14:29 pm
Please add your own to this post.

I had some scrap rock to clean up and bifurcates have always been a favorite of mine.  I am notching impaired, and symmetry impaired, so this form does a good job of compensating for that.  These are done with antler, plus a little wood on the last one.

Rainy Buttes and a really cool looking piece of Kentucky Hornstone:

(http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss2/squirrelacre/10312015first_zpsuvcdizjn.jpg) (http://s556.photobucket.com/user/squirrelacre/media/10312015first_zpsuvcdizjn.jpg.html)
Raw Flintridge and green North Carolina Rhyolite:
(http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss2/squirrelacre/10312015second_zps9hjpgqjp.jpg) (http://s556.photobucket.com/user/squirrelacre/media/10312015second_zps9hjpgqjp.jpg.html)

Then I fell off the wagon and started hitting the hard stuff again with quartz and quartzite:
(http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss2/squirrelacre/10312015third_zpspfcwiytz.jpg) (http://s556.photobucket.com/user/squirrelacre/media/10312015third_zpspfcwiytz.jpg.html)


Keith
Title: Re: Bifurcates
Post by: iowabow on October 31, 2015, 02:33:17 pm
I have only see one guy knap with wood. Do you also pressure flake with wood? I will try to punch a couple bi out tonight and post some tomorrow. That stone just looks tough to me. Great job.
Title: Re: Bifurcates
Post by: iowabow on October 31, 2015, 02:35:12 pm
Looking at that quartz just makes my hands hurt lol.
Title: Re: Bifurcates
Post by: iowabow on October 31, 2015, 02:36:08 pm
One more post is that quartz as hard to knap as it looks?
Title: Re: Bifurcates
Post by: turbo on October 31, 2015, 03:34:00 pm
Nice job on these and all the points you've been posting. I know that green NC well, where did you pick it up? That's the good grade.
Title: Re: Bifurcates
Post by: PeteDavis on October 31, 2015, 03:52:05 pm

FR, KCQ, Smoke Hole.

(http://www.fototime.com/D50DBDB03C4C44F/standard.jpg)

PD
Title: Re: Bifurcates
Post by: nclonghunter on October 31, 2015, 04:08:42 pm
Keith, nice work on those points and love those fall leaves even if they are Sweet Gum...lol

Pete, also good work but I cringe every time I see that yellow quartz.. ???
Title: Re: Bifurcates
Post by: Hummingbird Point on October 31, 2015, 04:38:19 pm
iowabow,

Personally, I don't use a wood pressure flaker.  I do have a dogwood Ishi stick, but seldom use it, prefering antler.  On the quartzite, and any really tough stone, you have to be very sparing with the pressure work or you end up with too thick of an edge, and really need to make a percussion pass to make the blade edge look right.  That is where I think the little peg punches really come into play, although better yet is to not fool with the orginal percussion edge too much and "perfect the point to death" as I so love to do.

Most pure quartz actually is fairly easy to flake.  It pressure flakes very well.  What makes it hard is the unpredictability and frustration of all the internal cracks and such.

Keith
Title: Re: Bifurcates
Post by: iowabow on October 31, 2015, 04:41:23 pm
Next time you make one can you post it in 3 phases of production.
Title: Re: Bifurcates
Post by: Zuma on October 31, 2015, 05:17:23 pm
Bird,
 I wrote an article for Indian Artifact Mag 30 years ago or so.
It's called "The Point of Persistance".  ;D If I can find the mag I'll
send you a copy. It's just two pages.
Looks like you use those words to keep you smackin that nasty ::)
Todays copper entry lol ::)
Zuma
Title: Re: Bifurcates
Post by: Hummingbird Point on October 31, 2015, 05:24:41 pm
Nice job on these and all the points you've been posting. I know that green NC well, where did you pick it up? That's the good grade.

Turbo,

Believe it or not I got that rhyolite from a guy on ebay about a year and a half ago.  It was a mixed box of green, gray and black, everthing from real nice stuff like that piece to really unfriendly type material.  I don't remember the guy's name but the box shipped from Siler City.  On the one hand I would love to find more of it, on the other hand I know it is kind of special stuff and hard to come by.

Keith
Title: Re: Bifurcates
Post by: turbo on October 31, 2015, 06:10:25 pm
Nice job on these and all the points you've been posting. I know that green NC well, where did you pick it up? That's the good grade.

Turbo,

Believe it or not I got that rhyolite from a guy on ebay about a year and a half ago.  It was a mixed box of green, gray and black, everthing from real nice stuff like that piece to really unfriendly type material.  I don't remember the guy's name but the box shipped from Siler City.  On the one hand I would love to find more of it, on the other hand I know it is kind of special stuff and hard to come by.

Keith

Ahh, yeah, I have all the grades you mentioned, the green is by far the best our state has to offer, it's our 'novaculite'…lol..
Title: Re: Bifurcates
Post by: Outbackbob48 on October 31, 2015, 06:54:51 pm
Here's a pic of the only bifurcate that I have made, need to make more of these. Bob
Title: Re: Bifurcates
Post by: nclonghunter on October 31, 2015, 07:33:11 pm
Bob, I found one in a field many years ago that looks just like the one you made. Nicely done!
Title: Re: Bifurcates
Post by: Outbackbob48 on October 31, 2015, 08:12:13 pm
Thanks Lyman, all the old ones that I have seen in collections looked like that to me also. Bob
Title: Re: Bifurcates
Post by: iowabow on October 31, 2015, 08:18:07 pm
Just a reminder to vote on marc's poll at the top of flintknapping knapping. Great point bob
Title: Re: Bifurcates
Post by: Zuma on October 31, 2015, 10:56:40 pm
If they get any bigger than this I think they look weird.
I have many in my abo collection. Most are 1" or so.
Wonder what they were doing with them way back when.
Zuma
Title: Re: Bifurcates
Post by: Hopewell point on October 31, 2015, 11:47:47 pm
I love making bifurcates! Here are some of mine. The first two are novaculite and the third is St. Genevieve hornstone for KY.
Title: Re: Bifurcates
Post by: bowmo on November 02, 2015, 11:18:42 am
Really nice! I love that point style.
Title: Re: Bifurcates
Post by: iowabow on November 02, 2015, 09:23:52 pm
Here's mine from a crazy flake with a surface crack.
Title: Re: Bifurcates
Post by: Zuma on November 02, 2015, 10:34:00 pm
Here is a real abo LeCroy. :)
The second one has been resharpened.
The bifurcates I posted were more
Mc Corkle. :laugh:
Zuma