Author Topic: white quartz  (Read 15501 times)

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nokswimmer

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white quartz
« on: March 13, 2008, 12:12:10 am »
hello....i have never knapped before but would love to give it a try.   i have tons of a "white" quartz around my house.  could i use it?  if so could someone, i don't know, run me threw getting started and let me know everything i will need?

thanks!

~Nate

Offline Hillbilly

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Re: white quartz
« Reply #1 on: March 13, 2008, 12:20:13 am »
Quartz is knappable, but a lot tougher than most flint or chert.  I like working it, but it's not easy. Quartz usually works best with big hardwood or moose antler billets. I would suggest getting a knapping book or two (D.C. Waldorf's The Art of Flintknapping is a good'un) and watch some of the flintknapping videos on YouTube.



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Offline Otoe Bow

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Re: white quartz
« Reply #2 on: March 13, 2008, 12:25:19 am »
Nate, these guys are great.  I've learned a ton from this site and the references that Hillbilly mentioned. 

Awesome picture Steve.  You sure that ain't ice you chewed on?   ;D

otoe
So far, I haven't found any Osage or knappable rock over here.  Embrace the suck

nokswimmer

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Re: white quartz
« Reply #3 on: March 13, 2008, 01:00:12 am »
would i have to bake my quartz?

~N

Offline Hillbilly

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Re: white quartz
« Reply #4 on: March 13, 2008, 09:28:42 am »
No, it's pretty much resistant to heat treatment. I think Jack Cresson has experimented a bit with heat treating quartzites, and had a little success with a few types. But for the most part, how you find it is how it is. I find some really well-made old points from it around here, and a lot of clunkers.
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Offline cowboy

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Re: white quartz
« Reply #5 on: March 13, 2008, 12:35:00 pm »
I tried heat treating some stuff I found in the river - not as clear and clean as that point Hillbilly Steve is holding there, but some kind of quartzite I'm thinking (was purple). The heat made it knappable but still couldn't thin it like flint, hmm...
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Offline Sparrow

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Re: white quartz
« Reply #6 on: March 13, 2008, 03:38:30 pm »
Hillbilly,.. that is as nice a point as I've ever seen from white quartz.Most of the old native points were pretty crude.I have better luck making large pieces with it.There is a little known quarry down in montana where you can dig up quartz crystals(Clear) that knapp pretty good.Some of them are a foot long(Or longer) and several inches wide. I think some of the clear quartz clovis lithics that were found, came from this quarry. Frank
Frank (The Sparrow) Pataha, Washington

Offline Hillbilly

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Re: white quartz
« Reply #7 on: March 13, 2008, 04:09:33 pm »
Thanks, Frank. This chunk knapped better than most quartz/quartzite-I'd like to have a truckload of this same stuff.
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Offline mullet

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Re: white quartz
« Reply #8 on: March 13, 2008, 09:36:24 pm »
  Nice point Steve. There is a place down around Mount Pilot, at a Confederate Gold mine that I picked up some huge(12") long crystals.
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jamie

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Re: white quartz
« Reply #9 on: March 17, 2008, 09:18:47 pm »
i like to use small river cobbles when knappin quartz. if ya stand it on end like an egg and hit hit straight down with a bigger rock itll give ya a good starting point for creating a head. still tough though. the stuff that is almost clear seemsa to work better than the white ive found. steve that is the nicest point ive ever seen peace

Offline Hillbilly

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Re: white quartz
« Reply #10 on: March 17, 2008, 11:11:45 pm »
Thanks, guys. Jamie, there's some yaller quartzite around here that works pretty good too. For quartzite, anyway-it's nothing like good flint. That clear/white quartz breaks nearly as sharp as obsidian. Doesn't knap anything like it, but the flakes are razor sharp. It's hard to find, though.
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Offline mullet

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Re: white quartz
« Reply #11 on: March 23, 2008, 05:20:02 pm »
   Here's another quartz crystal point.

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Offline Hillbilly

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Re: white quartz
« Reply #12 on: March 23, 2008, 05:21:21 pm »
That's a purty'un, Eddie.
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Offline mullet

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Re: white quartz
« Reply #13 on: March 23, 2008, 05:29:54 pm »
 Thankya Steve, See that boo above my shop?
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Offline Hillbilly

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Re: white quartz
« Reply #14 on: March 23, 2008, 09:59:39 pm »
Is that the Bambusa or Japanese arrow boo?
Smoky Mountains, NC

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Progress might have been all right once but it's gone on for far too long.