I get these odd flakes that you don’t think are hard enough. But some times it is your planning that is more important than hitting the rock. I picked up on the flint piece you indicated had a dished up curve and that you would remove it and that would make the rest of it easier to Work. I would have struggled with thinning the thick part then try to get it to work with the curved section. These are things I’m watching for. All my points are too thick or have a thick area on a small point that can not be reduced.
Strategy is important for sure. If you get a chance, watch my artifact videos. A lot of real points have the issues you're taking about. (edit: it's not about the craftsmanship... it's about the usefulness of the point, blade, or tool).
Jack, I'm not a new knapper or old one. I am not a good one better describes me. However, I would love if you explained how the big flake, small flake, small flake and then another big one is done in more detail. I do the Zig Zag, but was unaware of the use of small flakes. I wish I could draw a picture of how I understand what you are saying. To me the edge of the stone would look like a capitol Ess with a small ess inside the middle. To describe another way is to say a big flake to the left, small flake to the right, small flake to the left and then a big flake to the right. Can you shed insight into my understanding ? Is this method only used to take out the convection on one side of the stone ?
The big flake, small flake technique is used on the same side, not left and right. Take a big flake, then one or two small flakes to straighten out the ridge (the high area on the perimeter of the flake scar), then take a large flake following the ridge.
hello!)) can you please tell me whats wrong? everytime i try to flake a piece, i flake a short but bulgy flake, therefor im not loosing any width just length, and im ending up with like 120 degree edge around the whhole piece and it becoming small as hell... more of this, i thought its because i didnt heat treat the stone, but thtas not it, its the same with heat treated, not treated, glass or obsidian... the most sad part is that i don't have obsudian in the country so i payed money for it and broke it all...
Very common problem. The 120 degree edge is actually very good for driving long flakes. You will need to grind the edge and hit very hard. You will need to break many pieces and try many times but you will be able to drive long flakes with practice. If you don't have a lot of stone, you will need to focus your time, money, and energy in getting a good supply. For me, it was quite expensive at first.
+JackCrafty thank you very much for your quick response, much apprritiated and respected! now i have some equipment, i have iron pick many sizes as well as antler leather and i have a desert flint. i live in israel so flint is not much of a problem, yet the grains are not so fine and i dont know if im treating them right, i put them in a oven in a glass pane full of sand at 250° C (below 500f°), for up to 6 or 8 hours straight and the flint still has some parts tha wont flake, ther rather behave like sandstone and just get some dusy off or cut a flake in midway...
+Inecendium I have made arrowheads from chert from Isreal and it is very tough, I agree. I recommend heating it as you have already done. Sometimes the rock contains bad areas but that is common. Just keep trying. :-)
Hola soy de Argentina y trabajo en pequeñas puntas de flecha de Patagonia, es donde vivo, planeo viajar a EEUU y poder conocerte personalmente, Es eso posible....como puedo comunicarme....
Petrosigno estructuras y señales Sí, es posible. ¿Cuándo vas a viajar a los EE.UU.? Puedo estar disponible para usted reunirse en el otoño (septiembre).
Why the fascination with only arrowheads? Not just you; it seems like just about everyone interested in finding or making native American artifacts / lookalikes always goes straight for the arrowheads and passes up everything else (in the case of hunting). In my experience (cornfields and riverbeds in the midwest, US), so long as I keep my eyes and mind open, for every Arrowhead or spearhead that I find, I'll find 10-20 non Arrowhead artifacts (tools / art). So many people I've noticed online lately have tunnel vision when it comes to searching for native American artifacts. Just wanting to add that anytime I search, I do it safely, respectfully, and legally. Have a good day.
One thing I have noticed a huge abundance of is primate profiles. I think 50% of the artifacts I've found have been some sort of monkey head. Does anyone know if this was part of any historic or prehistoric cultures based in the Midwest?
The fascination with bannerstones exceeds that of arrowheads. But you don't see RU-vid videos on replication of these because they are considered unethical fakes. This is not so much of a problem with arrowheads.
