Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Flintknapping => ABO => Topic started by: iowabow on October 21, 2015, 09:17:41 am
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This is a post about my journey through non-metal Aboriginal knapping. As I Knap I will introduce issues that I encounter and how I find my way down the path to a finished point. I have been knapping every morning now for awhile and will try to blog out what I have learned for awhile.
So today the topic is keep it "square" . Primitive people often created bifaces or tools that were retangles. This process of reduction will provide you with more options for thinning as the biface is created. In the picture below on the left is an artifact I picked up from a site. The others are forms I created. The second one from the left was from today. Sometimes you need to just knock off the tip and thin that piece.
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When I find gun flints they are rectangular.
I have been thinning from the tip for a long time now.
More like flute flakes rather than full square.
Is the abo piece on the left broken/snapped off.
Looks like a break on the bottom? Could just be shadow?
Zuma
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He or she Knapped it almost flat
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The square preforms are interesting. Not sure why but I have always worked my preforms in a round or hickory leaf shape.
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Yes me too for a long time but now I kind shoot for that square form if possible.
So this morning's post is a combination of square biface, twisted spall, and bulb of percussion reduction. The photos should explain but if they don't please ask questions.
The first set of photos were taken after crunching the edge to a square like form.
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This is the biface before preform.
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My thought on why this technique for reduction was used comes from a problem in the twisting of the preform. When pressure flaking near the tip, when the tip is pointed toward the thumb, the preforms wants to twist. This happens because you are pushing hard to reduce mass. Reducing the mass before the preforms phase means that this issue never becomes an issue. Square bifacing allows for a larger surface to be held this technique allow you to remove mass from three sides not two. With a leaf form you only have two options.
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Flint knappin everyday presents its fair share of obstacles. As you work the cuts start to accumulate and flakes find there way to other cuts and deepen them. I am much more cautious now to prevent reinjuring wounds.
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Cool stuff....I always say "If you aint bleeding, you aint knapping"
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Update on the bit use in the ishi stick. These are the products of the new antler bit in the ishi stick. I have placed a number of stones under the bit to raise it. Note on this practice...the bit wants to wiggle a little causing the platform to collapse prematurely. The solution was straw or heavy dried stalk of grass to take up the gap. There is some material left to continue making more points. Total count coming in the future.
Note there has been no reshaping of bit. It is being used as seen.
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If I could learn to do the triangles , I'd be happy. At least for a while.
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This is the easy stuff trust me. After you get this part down then you can tackle the harder parts.
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This morning was a spalling session. First the rock and the setup. Raw Burlington and hammer stone.
T high spots on the stone were removed so that flakes could travel smoothly without encountering mass. Large flakes were planned for reduction. Edges were stretched to remove cortex and created by face. The heat will now penetrate the thinner flakes during heat treating.
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Continued
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Last night and this morning's work. The bit made about 30 points and now I have a new one. This taught me that grey or white antler will make as many points as white with my Burlington. Seen in the photo is a knife blank and a couple preforms an a nice biface. This work was with less refined chert
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Thinking about the weather I realize blanking out forms while it is warm will allow me to work outdoors and when winter comes i can work indoors to complete the fine pressure flaking and notch work.
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Point for Sunday is a biface that I am pretty happy with. I was able to get real nice thinning work done as I focused on platform angles and convexity. The result was an 8.5:1 ratio. I have been very happy with 6:1 because my of my artifacts are in that range.
I changed my game plan a little and this produced some good consistent results. Tomorrow night I will try to set up a couple platforms to explain what I did that was different.
The one thing to keep in mind is this was about 3 hours of work. Much slower than when working 6:1.
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Looks great, large and wide flake scars. Look forward to tomorrows pics on the setup and platforms.. :laugh:
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I want to describe first with words and then will add photos tonight.
On the side you want to remove a flake from must be prepared in 4 stages
1. Make sure the opposite edge does not contain mass that will slow the travel of your flake (remove a small flake to relieve mass pressure and help terminate flake)
2. Take very small pressure flakes to improve convexity.
3. Create two very small break flakes to releive pressure build up on each side of the platform you are going to hit
4. abraid the surface to be hit to promote convexity
On the platform side prepare in the following manor.
1. Pressure flake in 90 degree angle downward from the edge. I find that this will create the best platform for antler.
2. A break flake (very small) on this side toward the bottom, outward will help prevent a colapase resulting in a small double fracture. These small fractures dont seem imporant to avoid if you want a 6:1 but achieving an 8:1 will be difficult because they start acummulating. To remove them you have to build stronger platforms resulting in deeper flake scares and increased convexity and that leaves you chasing rabbits toward a thick ratio and scratching your head and screaming why oh why is this so hard.
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I wish I could sit with you and recieve some learning.
Good post.
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Sitting with another knapper is the best way to learn. If you live closers we would get together for sure.
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This artifact will help explan what I am doing.
The first photo is the flake side.
Second photo-The deltas help us understand the convexity before flake removal.
The third photo will help understand the platform prep.
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Here you can see a break flake at my nail