Flintknapping - Beginners Part 6

www.flintknappe...
This video series is available on DVD at the above link.
This segment shows the 6 stages a rock goes through from raw stone to finished blade. The different types of flake terminations are then shown and demonstrated, including feather, step, hinge and overshot. A large overshot flake is demonstrated to show Paleo thinning strategies. To be continuted in one final segment, probably next week.

[@crowney5706]

Jim, I have to say if I only had a faint interest in this art to begin with you have by far expanded my desire to learn and create such beautiful pieces. You are an inspiration and the fact that you take the time to make these videos is a treat to anyone who who is lucky enough to view them. Thank you so much. I am anxious to locate some knappable rock and try on it instead of just bottle bottoms.

[@DarkSparkCannabis]

Thank you Jim for posting these, I can honestly say I learned more in 60 minutes than I have in an entire week of napping on my own.

[@jmquillo]

Best congratulations from Spain for such a great job of studing and teaching the art of flintknapping. We appreciate very much your effort in showing us all these techniques.

[@Kavenga41]

Just viewed 1-6. Thanks so much, Jim. I just finished reading two new books on paleoanthropology and I was curious about the different stone tool making techniques, so it was fascinating to watch you. And really appreciate the technical details.

[@teenprepper96]

Its nice seeing someone with the the ability to stop arguing, Most would keep fighting until they thought the won... Respect earned...

[@sticknstonesbrkbones]

Antler and a stone is the only knapping tools I used for my first three arrowheads, all of which were out of bottle bottoms. I was happy with them till I saw Jims creations. I think an Ishi stick and that rubber palm protector thing Jim uses gives a more refined product.

[@paleomanjim]

It can vary a lot, depending on the skill of the knapper and what is being made. Blades can be sharper than razor blades. Some surgeons have used obsidian blades to do surgery because it so sharp that it does less tissue damage and allows faster healing.

[@hackneysaregreat]

Your video's are very well constructed and of top educational quality. No surprise from a great craftsman like you :-)

[@BlackBearSixTV]

Excellent series - thank you!

[@paleomanjim]

You are welcome

[@Ottmar555]

I just recently discovered your channel from your macuahuitl series. Are you no longer planning to upload?

[@paleomanjim]

@TheSonofgun666 A hammerstone and antler tine is a great tool kit, after all that was probably our ancestors main tool kit! Have fun....jim

[@shawtyshawts]

These videos are excellent, I often go back to them as references when teaching myself. I was wondering though, could you make a video on how to remove step fractures, from what I've encountered, step fractures are very common amongst beginners. Thanks and keep up the great work!

[@paleomanjim]

Yep, that is what I like about it. You can experiment with different tools, angles and techniques and study the results. The stone behaves in very predictable ways and specific rules apply that are best learned by actual practice.....

[@MrPucko1]

Thank you for sharing this peace of lost knowledge that´s been forming human destiny

[@bracoop2]

Wow… the stuff in your pile is stuff I’d have in a Display case!

[@paleomanjim]

Yep. I save everything

[@paleomanjim]

@Rhinoch8 Sorry, I am not familiar with the term silex? Largest biface is 28". Largest pressure blade from a core is around 8". Much larger examples have been made by others....

[@GlueC]

I don't remember how I got to this series, but I think it's what originally inspired me to learn about this. Soon (when I finish tools) I will be trying. Thanks for making this. In part 4, you used a pad when pressure flaking. In this, you just used leather(?) and your hand. Any reason to pick one over the other?

[@paleomanjim]

The pad is notched and allows the flakes being removed to peel away without terminating early with a step fracture. Anything touching the flake as it travels can stop it early resulting in a step. The leather pad is more aboriginal and natural and works well also, but too much pressure can cause flakes to terminate early, although if done properly it can also allow flakes to travel over highly curved surfaces. The notched pad is probably best for learning. Glad you liked the video, Jim

[@Rhinoch8]

@paleomanjim Oh sorry silex, is the term in french for flint ;) My bad. I was talking about knives like in the movies. I was thinking about the only proper knife in "Apocalypto".

[@Fiddling_while_Rome_burns]

Have you tried indirect percussion directly onto the step to remove it. On steps similar to the one in the centre of the biface right at the end I have had some success, though usually with obsidian not flint.

[@MrBouncer1]

at 4:20 you mention good support...could you explain a little more on that. I kind of pinch close to the edge and support the stone against the palm of my hand which seems to be what you do but at time i feel like maybe i could be doing it in a way which would give more consistan flaking...length seems to be the issue i have most. when i want to pull a long flake i get a medium flake or a hinge/step fracture. any ideas.

[@Kitgun]

Very informative, must give this a try.

[@paleomanjim]

Caution, flintknapping can be very addictive! have fun.....

[@sticknstonesbrkbones]

Jim, about how many arrowheads do you get from a core the size of the core in the beginning of this video? Or do you bust all that down to get one really good biface, ending in one arrowhead? Thx

[@TheSonofgun666]

do you need all the tools, or is it possible to knap with only a hammer stone and antler tip?

[@teenprepper96]

I'm not saying i am right either, But I was correcting you on the video where you said it didn't say certain things when it clearly had. And no I haven't done any more research on the subject because frequently I don't care, but I assume that if they are going to spend so much time, effort, money and research on a subject that they would make sure they knew what they were saying because it was more then just some video on youtube, it was a professional documentary made by Discovery

[@Yuuray]

your flakes are magical.

[@paleomanjim]

I save all the better useful flakes from a core of that size and might get at least a dozen flakes large enough to made arrowheads from....

[@TheLordArion]

Is there a method to get rid of a stack? or do you just stop at that point or start over?

[@richardduvall6512]

Great video I just can't seem to get things thin till there almost to small to make anything out of

[@paleomanjim]

It just takes time, took me hundreds of bifaces to even start getting them thin, thanks

[@paleomanjim]

Yes, glass is nearly pure silica!

[@AussieBushGirl-ManuToigo]

I'm so glad I found you. I've had stones and have shy'd away from trying it because of knowing I don't completely understand the science of knapping. I heard you say you live in California. Where, if you don't mind me asking. I live in Los Angeles. I want to teach basic flint knapping in my classes, but want to have more experience.

[@paleomanjim]

+Manu Togo I live in Nevada now, but thanks for your interest and happy chipping.....

[@paleomanjim]

Step fractures are a common problem when learning. Shallow steps can often be removed by running the next adjacent flake a bit deeper such that it sweeps in and undercuts the step. Deeper steps may require that the step be removed by running a flake from the opposite edge and undercutting it. It can be risky because these deep undercutting flakes risk breaking the biface. With practice the knapper learns to avoid them....

[@lynn96demon]

So can you still get sylacosis from glassknapping?

[@paleomanjim]

Is there an article you can refer me to where I can get more info? ...thanks

[@teenprepper96]

I watched a documentary on it... Ill send you a link through PM

[@Rhinoch8]

What is the longest obsidian/silex blade you made?

[@DanSoldierGuy]

Yeah, I watched that video on youtube, too. However, they did not COLONIZE the Americas, there were only a handful of them, just so happened to get lost at sea, and died while trying to survive in eastern North America. And I don't recall any "DNA testing" being mentioned, but if you have a link to a reputable source outside of youtube, I would love to read it.

[@lynn96demon]

I've only done it for like 5 arrowheads so I'm good I hope lol but I'll wear a doctors mask from now on.

[@yoheykevin]

man i wish i had some of those flakes.. im just beginning, where do you get your rough material? thank you for the info man.

[@SteveB357]

I'm having a problem. I have no skill in flintknapping. I do like to use flint and steel to start fires, which requires a sharp edge on the Flint, and I have an obsidian knife which I bought with the understanding that it would be usably sharp. I can't figure out how to sharpen the edges on my Flint or on my obsidian knife. the knife is a particular disappointment because I talked to the maker and he assured me it would be sharp but it doesn't cut cheese. It's pretty but not very useful. Can you show how to resharpen an edge that has already been worked into a usable edge. I have worked with obsidian in a medical environment where it was sharper than a scalpel and I would like to have something reasonable on this knife.

[@SteveB357]

Surely those large flakes are useful for other tools. I see so many makers just crashing then to the ground. what advantage does baking, or annealing give to the work?

[@paleomanjim]

+Steve Brettell Most all of the large flakes striking the tarp remain intact and can be used to make smaller points or arrowheads. Heat treating is a process that alters some types of stones to make them more glass like. This reduces to strength of the stone by making it more brittle. It can make stones like jaspers, agates and cherts easier to work since less force is required to detach flakes. The draw back is the time needed to heat treat the stone as well as the fact that the finished point has less strength. Most cultures probably did not heat treat, although many did depending on the resources available.

[@SteveB357]

Thanks for the answer.

[@Kujo_Outdoors]

When you were going over the different stages of reduction, about how heavy, in ounces, are the antler billets you use? I am looking to buy some, but am not sure what sizes to get first since they can be a bit pricey.

[@paleomanjim]

+brokenbaliflipper I have never weighed them but a good rule of thumb is the billets weight is best when it is kept similar to the weight of the piece being worked. This allows for proper thinning. As the mass of the biface drops most knappers switch to a lighter billet. Large Moose antler billets can weigh a pound or more.....

[@Kujo_Outdoors]

Thanks for the reply! That's very helpful

[@BelugaSennah]

how do you get from stage one to stage 2?

[@blokefromthebush]

How sharp is the final product

[@TheSonofgun666]

@paleomanjim Ok, thanks

[@hilmiazhari8491]

its is compulsory for these stones to be heat treated before u start the knapping process?

[@paleomanjim]

Heat treating is optional and can improve the knappability of some stones such as cherts, jasper, agates and the like. Obsidians dacite do not need heat treatment and will not improve. Heat treating can make rough cherts more glass like, but it also weakens the stone as it causes it to be more brittle. Many cultures did not heat treat and preferred to work stones raw.

[@hilmiazhari8491]

i just bought an antler shed ..stones that i found here are rock solid, very tough. but there is several limestone hills. I dont know if i can find cherts in there. Even worse, i dont even know how to identify knap-able stones.

[@Fiddling_while_Rome_burns]

'The only hinge you could find in your pile' Next time you're making a vid and need a hinge, come round and check out my pile.

[@threeque]

Looks like a blood blister on your thumb. OUCH!

[@teenprepper96]

Well you must not have paid much attention to the video then. It mentioned that they interbred with the Asian's when they came over which mean that they survived in America for at least 6000 years, And yes there is DNA mentioned, They tested native American blood in the area that the Sulutrians colonized and found their traits still in remaining people today... Like I always say... Make sure you know what you are talking about before you start to talk.

[@DanSoldierGuy]

I believe I said "I don't recall," it's different than denying they said anything about DNA testing. Nevertheless, I'm done with this discussion. Let's just agree to disagree, ok?

[@DanSoldierGuy]

"Like I always say... Make sure you know what you are talking about before you start to talk." So let us assume that you know what you're talking about, where did you get this information? Are you ignorantly quoting a documentary posted on KZbin, have you done any formal research on this subject? What are your sources of information besides the documentary? I'm not saying you're wrong, but you seem to be blindly repeating a documentary... Do you really know what you're talking about?