Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Flintknapping => Topic started by: MulchMaker on January 23, 2017, 09:45:09 am
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Hello all, I live In upstate New York in which there is an abundance of knappable stone, according to the state geologist and every flintknapper ive read online says the same. So to get to the point I've wandered up and down just about every river and stream for the last two years with a bopper or a large hammer stone if I forgot the bopper and I have found a ton of stuff that was to small to use or just not good quality flint. Am I just flint blind? There is supposed to be Onondaga chert around here somewhere and the glaciers should have put it into every stream around here. Is there a better way? It seams every piece I find is a limestone cobble with a thin piece of chert running through it. I bought a small amount of dacite, obsidian, and some noveculite to learn on and bottle glass always goes in the pocket when I'm looking for rock. But I'd like to get my hands on a method to find some natural stuff.
Thanks
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Look for areas where they cut through the hills for roads or train tracks. There should be a layer of chert fairly deep in the strata. Along the lake shore and the Niagara river are supposed to be good spots as well. If you have a college or high school nearby you could always ask the geology professor. They usually have pretty good knowledge of where to find local rocks.
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Supposedly, if you draw a line between Buffalo and Albany this is roughly where the Onondaga outcropped, pushed close to the surface, now any rivers , creeks ,roads or other construction that crosses line will have some Stink rock. Also I know the cuts across close to the Peace bridge and I have gotten some Onondaga from northen neighbors who have picked up on Lake Erie North Shores, Stink rock comes in all kinds of grades just like any other rock. It usually is layered in with limestone and not easy to get good quality stuff. if I were you I would make sure and be at Letchworth knappin, week before labor day. If you see a bunch of guys running all crazed up to the parking lot get going if you want some Onondaga, believe me it don't last long and the quality varies. It can be tuff rock to work especially lower grades but you only need one primo pc and you will understand the crazed look ;D. As big as the Letchwoth knappin is there is not and over abundance of Onondaga. Good Luck with your search and hope to see ya at Letchworth . Bob
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thanks for the good info it looks like the line goes through auburn ny I've never searched that area before. I guess I'll still keep an eye out for bottle glass as well while I'm looking for chert, it is definitely stinky as you say, which is cool. As far as the letchworth stone tool show I'm making it a point to be there this year. I hope to meet you there. There are a couple of colleges and high schools near by I'm sure they would be able to point me in the right direction too, never thought of taping that informational resource. Thanks guys
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If you're going for bottle glass don't over look old television sets. I prefer it to bottles because the glass is much thicker and not as curved. There's a couple you tube videos on how to break them properly without getting injured or ruining the glass.
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I think I may know where there is an old tv or two, and twice a year on "junk days" I should be able to find a few as well!! I never even though of tv being useful for anything until now. Thanks Dacota Kid!!
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New York has some cool lithics. Some are on the cruder side so if you're starting to knap they may not be ideal. Some NY state lithics include Onondaga, Esopus, Normanskill and Snake Hill Chert. I highly recommend going to the Letchworth State Park knap-in. You'll meet people from your state that knap and can point you in the right direction.
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I'm rook poor and I use a lot of glass. Old TV screens and old computer screens to. I don't think the flat screens will work but I'm not positive
Bjrogg
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Glass is pretty easy to come by, there is a crick that runs behind my house and many generations ago people used to dump stuff over the bank, there are old tractor tires thick glass jars flat whisky bottles oil drums...you never know what you will find up the crick a spell. I'll practice on that, and try to work the best of the gritty stuff I can find in the cricks. It's like not quite chert but it's not limestone either . It's between. Thanks to you all. I've got a few workable pieces I'll post a few soon to show you the best of my part of the state. It's a challenge.
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Mulch, finding rock is not confusing , Just anty up that credit card :o and show up at a big knapping and I am sure are great rock dealers will be able to help you out. Bob
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Mulch, finding rock is not confusing , Just anty up that credit card :o and show up at a big knapping and I am sure are great rock dealers will be able to help you out. Bob
I am so tempted to order some, but I keep reminding myself that this is supposed to be a free hobby after you get your tools paid for, at least for me. I could have made tools I guess, lol. My whole goal is to make totally free hunting sets. Bow, arrows, arrowheads, quiver, bowstring. With all the bottle glass around here I'll just stick with that for now and try to find chert that's suitable as well. I think when my wife ask where we're going for vacation I'll tell her Glass butte though.
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Mulchmaker, I went to Flintridge and mined my own flint, it is something that every knapper should do( mine your own). When you are done trying to get a few pcs out of a limestone crack then sort the layers, then heat treat, and grade and end up with about 1/2 of what you started out with , not counting the 250 mile drive one way. After this is done I sure had a differ respect for the price of a pretty pc of Flint ridge and the rock dealer that brought it. Finally if I still don't like his price I can still say no and pick up a pc of ole dry brown Dover and pretend it is a beautiful pc of blue , green, red, and yellow swirly flint ridge. :o ;D Just have fun with it and when I first started I busted up a lot of glass also. Bob
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I'm not in any hurry, my points still need a lot of refining before I'd pay money to ruin top quality stone. I've got enough to hunt with for now. Flint Ridge sounds fun!! Might have to go there too. What matters is I am having fun and learning and improving my skill, I was just making sure I wasn't chert blind. I'd rather use stone but I doubt an Iroquois 800 years ago would have walked by a glass bottle so neither will I . Thanks guys for showing me that I'm doing just fine and everyone in my area is likely in the same situation.
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This is the only flint point I've made out of self provided stone.
It's so small that it redefines the concept of bird point and clearly explains why they were so used in the past :D
Finding stone is not that easy and finding good stone is even more difficult (no I dont live on the glass buttes :D )
I prefer to stay on glass as long as I'm learning and continue the quest for flint in the meanwhile
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MulchMaker nothing wrong with playing with glass. It is a good material that can teach you a lot. It's not nearly as frustrating turning free glass into gravel. I would however recommend going to any knapping gatherings you can. It is a great way to meet people and buy stone with out paying shipping. I'm a old farm boy and it's still hard for me to believe I paid good money for rock but I did.
I spent $130 on rock at Marshall Primitive Archer meet and I have learned an enormous amount from this stone. I still look for stone here and knap glass but I don't regret the money I spent on the stone I got, it was a good deal and I plan on getting more next time. I still have a lot of that stone left. Believe me I'm very frugal, but I know a good deal when I get it.
Bjrogg
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GlisGlis very nice point! Looks better than my local points (2) I'll post them after my data roles over, getting low. Glass is a great teacher, but not the only teacher. I think Mrs. Glass has some more to teach befor I move on to Mrs. Chert.
Bjrogg I bought some noveculite and a small amount of dacite and obsidian when I got my tools a few years ago, it taught me a lot and I got a few points out of it. I'm not totally opposed to buying rock but I think I'm gonna wait a bit and run through the bottle glass (I have a ton) by then the stone tool show at Letchworth in august will be here and maybe I'll pick some up there..
thanks guys
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Like OutBack said, try and get to Letchworth. Wife and I went there last summer for the first time and it was a great event. There were a handful of vendors there to buy rock from. Prices are the same you just save on postage costs when you buy at a knap in and get to pick out your rock. Lethworth has a big top tent for knappers and there is almost always a pile of rock tossed on the knapping tarp for knappers to have and work.
Also been to a few other knap ins, Flintrdge, Marshall and Fredricksburg. The same suppliers are at those events also.
Wife and I are in the S.W. right now and just got back from a rock run. It is a site that I found about 10 years ago that has a lot of different cherts . One is a Flintridge look a like and once cooked it knaps real nice. Keep looking, asking, viewing and reading and you will find your rock. Be careful with TV glass as that has some not so nice stuff in it.
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Thanks for the advise JEB on letchworth. Free rock to work under a tent sounds nice. At any rate I'm going for the show and it will be a good excuse to go to letchworth again. Anyone who has not seen the park and is within 10 hour driving distance should go camp the night in the "Grand Canyon of the east" if the stone tool show is going on you can throw that driving distance out the window. It is one of those places you should see in your life.
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Might have to put it on my bucket list. Just looked up the park on goggle earth and looks like my kind of place. When is the knap in?
Bjrogg
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Might have to put it on my bucket list. Just looked up the park on goggle earth and looks like my kind of place. When is the knap in?
Bjrogg
They have a knap-in for every season, the fall being the largest. Just Google 'letchworth knap in' and you'll find the dates.
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Letchworth, weekend before Labor day. Flintridge, laborday weekend, back to back weekends of some of the best knappers in the country and rock dealers from all over. Lots to do camping ,atl-atl, museums, and some great views.
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Thanks Turbo and Outback, definitely putting this one and Flint Ridge on my bucket list. Thinking my wife would like Letchworth so that always helps.
Bjrogg
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Bjrogg,I've been 2 times to the park, not during the show, and I'd go for a submarine sandwich as excuse to go again . I found out about the stone tool show last year a few days after the show so I can't comment but from what these guys are saying it's amazing!
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Thanks MulchMaker, I already talked to wife about it. It's on our list just not sure when we'll get it done yet but good Lord willing we'll get there sometime. Hopefully sooner than later.
Bjrogg
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This past summer Letchworth was held within 150 yards of two swimming pools, the showers and restrooms. Wife and I spent a week there and had a great time.
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This past summer Letchworth was held within 150 yards of two swimming pools, the showers and restrooms. Wife and I spent a week there and had a great time.
Don't forget one of the most scenic canyon's in the east. ;D
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Didn't mean to high jack this thread but thanks for answering my questions about Letchworth. This really sounds like a must do.
Bjrogg
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BJROGG YOU HI JACKER!!! Lol just kidding.. >:D I don't mind if my threads take twist and turns. You guys help me out on a daily basis. PA is a huge wealth of knowledge to search. If the search comes up short or I don't understand you guys help me out with the info or encourage me to continue on. Besides if we didn't wander these threads would be kind of boring . I've got a lot of mentors on my quest to make all things archery, and I know when I hand my wife a bow and a quiver with 20 arrows I will be i debt to many for the smile I will witness. Thank you all
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Thanks MulchMaker I think you're right on. I can't wait to see your wife with her bow. Wish I could be there to see you give it to her
Bjrogg
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Thanks Bjrogg I'll take some pictures. The hardest thing about making a bow for your wife is the twenty or so points for the arrows. I say this without having made the quiver yet, lol. Arrows weren't to bad, shaft straitening and such, I do about 2 or three a day. The bow is coming along well, just made a bow string and a tillering stick and my stave is roughed out and dry and floor tillered .I only have 18 arrowheads to go and I bet they will be the most challenging. Good thing she is patient. I'm glad she has put me on this path, it's lots of fun, something I always wanted to do and I get to make new friends...Mr. bjrogg.
-Zach