Texas cobble

[Josh B]

I found me a little chert in Texas a couple weeks ago. This is my first stab at it.  It was a flat cobble about an inch thick and the size of my Palm.  I got this and a few flakes that should make hunting points.  Not my best work by any means, but I gotta start back at it some how.  Josh

[Tower]

Man I love  cornertangs.  Sweet color with a little heat that stone turns into candy!

[Trapper Rob]

Nice cornertang.

[mullet]

Put a thong on the corner and use it, Josh.

[Josh B]

Thanks fellas!  I picked up about 100 lbs. of this stuff to try it out.  It is a little tough to work.  How much heat for how long would you recommend Don?  Any advice would be appreciated.  Josh

[mullet]

What I picked up between Laredo and San Antone took about 350- 450, but be carefull not to get hotter.

[Chippintuff]

I'm not a pro at heating, but I do heat a lot of my stone. I would saw or knap that into thinner pieces before heating it. As dark as that is (rootbeer?), I would take it up to 400-425 slowly and then hold it there for at least 12 hours. Every person heat treating rock will give you a different recipe. I doubt that rock can take more than 425 F, and then it needs to be thinned into slabs or preforms before heating.

WA

[Tower]

I can't argue w/ them recipes .  I use a turkey roaster & it's max temp works perfect.  About 450 max at least 8 hrs. You'll love it. 

[mullet]

I was supprised that I blew some up heating it with coral at the same time. Usually I crank coral to 450 and let it go all night.

[Chippintuff]

Did you hold it at 200 for 12-24 hrs to be sure to get all the moisture out before you took it above boiling? Did you work it down to thin pieces by sawing or making preforms before heating? Did you ramp the heat up slowly at no more than 60 F per hour? Did you make sure the cool down was no faster than about 50 F per hour? If you fail to do any of these precautions, you can get busted rock. Back when I was learning how to heat treat I was using a ceramic kiln. I destroyed a lot of rock by violating all the above precautions. I have opened the kiln and found a pile of sand instead of knappable stone.

WA

[Josh B]

Thanks a million fellas!  I'll be sure to go slow and easy with it.  I can't tell you how tickled I am to have found this stuff.  Josh

[JackCrafty]

Cool rock.   

My recipe for heat treating is in my signature.  For darker colors like yours, I don't go above 400.  Usually, 350 is good for most translucent Texas rock.  If it doesn't get slick at 350, you can re-cook it at 400.

If anyone doubts my recipes, just ask the guys who have received cooked rock from me.   

[Josh B]

Finally got around to heat treating some of this stuff last month.  I slowly brought it up to 400 and let it soak for 12 hrs and then slowly brought it back down.  All in all it was a 3 day process since I was being super cautious.  The rock turned out pretty good, but my knapping skills have evaporated over the long hiatus from knapping.  I never was a good knapper, but I considered myself adequate to make huntable points.  It seems as though its gonna be a while before I get back to even that low level of skill.  This is truly a use it or lose it skill for me.  Anyway here is my first point from this rock and I believe it is also my first point of the year.    It's no wonder that I'm struggling!  Thanks for looking!  Josh

[le0n]

Looks good to me

I'll check back in a few days for the second point of the year

[mullet]

Looks like a good, sticker to me, Josh.