I was taught to stay away from the stuff when I was a novice becuase my teacher claimed it was unknappable with the standard traditional methods, and that the natives must had come up with another technique. You have proved that good qualities of agate are indeed knappable raw with common traditional methods. This opens a large door to my variation and supply of stone. For that I thank you! Im sure with a little practice I could knapp it just as good as any other material. Thanks again Jimmy!
While rock climbing in N.M. I found an old burn & splash chalcedney (banded pink & white) mine, an ancient camp site w/ lots o napping shards. On my 3rd trip, I found a small leather pouch w/ 3 beautiful chalchedney arrow points. I rehid them but I often wondered if they might have been ceremonial. Have you ever heard of or seen anything like this?
I don't know about you, but I've never found an agate that spalls very well. It produces dangerous edges, but always fractures and breaks up pretty small. Heat treating changes much of that behavior though.
Thanks for sharing. Maybe one day I will get the courage to attempt something like this. Until i do I will just enjoy watching others make their magic.
That's some nice agate , I always do my notches once i perform a piece , i learned the basics from a friend in Missouri, but i learned so much more from a shoshone in Nevada
Thanks again, from the time this video was made and now, I am making beautiful points from all different types of agates and jaspers! raw and heated! Doesn't really matter much with indirect percussion.
@supermaucat Thanks! I look forward to making new videos. I've been distracted for too long. I'm trying to get back into knapping after nearly a year off!!!
@NicholasKelley111 Thanks Nicholas. It's all about selecting the right size hammerstone. Remember, the Indians knew where all the best material was. They only used the best stuff they could find (unless there was only poor stone available for their region). I noticed this in my rockhounding days. It seemed like there was always an elusive source of premium quality stone but I could never pin-point the exact source. All I could find were the scattered chips. Occasionally you find a honey-hole.
6:11 you can make some interesting points and other artistic shapes with Crystal inclusions. Take advantage of the Crystals. I have knapped some very Nice Crystal Tip Points. Use your illusion^!!^ illusion is the Ultimate Weapon.
i don't know were you're from, but i don't know anywere in central montana where you can get quality stone. the best i can find is a really corse grained slate that doesn't keep an edge very well. Occasionally, i'll find a peice of agate or basalt, but never in very good condition. The basalt i found fractures in cube-shaped chunks rather than nice flakes, and the slate is really soft and i think it might actually be a shale. Got any suggestions? (I've been working on glass and porcilian so far)
I still have the one you made to. Thanks for saying hello. It's been a while. Lately I've been going to paleoplanet.net I may make some new videos in the future.
I know you're outside, and it would make you look like a sissy, but if you're going to be knapping for 30+ more yrs, I'd where a shop face mask. Don't want to risk silicosis, makes asthma look like child's play.