Flintknapping A Bout Coupe Handaxe from the Middle Palaeolithic 

Could you possibly give us a demonstration of how a 'Hand Axe' would be used in the butchery of an animal/Carcass please. I am intrigued to actually see the process in action. I have always been at a loss to envisage these tools in use, I can see the use of micro thin edges for skinning and cutting meat, but have trouble envisaging a Hand Axe in butchery.

Fantastic video as always, brilliant educational commentary throughout on flint knapping tips and info on the bout coupe and other flint tools/hand axes. Made my evening :D looking forward to hopefully having some of your flint workshops in Kent in the future as I’m currently only able to make debitage 😂

These things are not tools themselves. They are prepared cores. Flake supplies. The flakes are the tools.

What was the purpose of these hand axes? They are a bit more pointed than a traditional axe and no handle so I assume it would be kind of hard to cut down trees with them. Maybe a demonstration would be good.

Most instructive. I remember reading where mammoth or mastodon leg bones being shaped into massive chopper type if hand axe.

I took part in a program that included learning animal butchery with stone tools and we used flint blades/saws and some flint scrapers throughout the majority of the process. We used modern kitchen knives when it came to cutting the edible parts of the meat, though I'm sure the flint blades/saws would have been effective as well, just a bit more messy. When it came to making tools out of the bones, we used either flint saws/scrapers or a modern hand saw. I was able to make decent progress in sawing/cutting the bones with flint blades, I'm sure it would end up taking more like 5 hrs as opposed to 30 mins with the modern hand saw. Perhaps the flint hand axe would be more effective in splitting the bone into pieces? I'm not sure, I could imagine there would be a lot of splintering. Or perhaps the flint hand axe would be effective at slicing the meat? I'm not sure. Just thought I'd share my experience to provide a bit of insight. Who's to say if this is how ancient peoples would have done this process

Just got my Paleo blades from Ancient Crafts UK. Very happy with my order! Going to get more stuff. Probably a hand axe

Why is this middle paleolithic (Mousterian) hand axe named Bout Coupe (French for cutting tip) when it is only found in Britain? Whereas the Lower Paleolithic Acheulean (pear shaped) also from the French acheuléen , but found in France (Homo Erectus)

I'd suppose as far as wood working it might've been possible to shave the bark off stick or sapling and/or maybe sharpen one end to a point with a hand axe making a simple wooden spear.

Are you self taught or have a mentor? There are several chippers here in the US I'd like to sit with like DC Waldorf and Jim Redfern. I've met the latter when I first got interested.

Maybe hand axes came back in fashion because they invented better hand protection.

Hide scrapers... perfect size and explains why they were made better.

DC has also done theoretical work on how several types of Danish daggers were made and axes. I believe his success ratio in near 80% in reproducing the daggers. Since his work on the subject many other chippers are also learning the technique with some impressive results.

Very cool videos, thanks for your work there!

If you’re not bleeding, you ain’t knapping.

Think you could show how to make gun flints

I shall be watching with added interest

Don't think it would be effective at cutting wood, splitting wood etc I think it would blunt and break very quickly

Many examples of carpenters axes have a flat edge, and the shape leads to a more cutting edge heavy weight distribution which could help with finer work where less force is used and allows the tool to do the work. Just speculation, I by no means am and expert, just a hobbiest who restores old metal axe heads back to working condition.

The Bob Ross of Paleolithic stone tools

See how youve made so many different knapped techs it would be a interesting video to see you go through them all and talk about them like a trip through history. Your quite adept at the talking as it were. Your knowledge on these subjects rivals alot of the professors ive seen rattle on about prehistory.

Do you have a suggestion what Neanderthals used instead of the glove?

I need to you'r help

Nice!

Also I purchased a Solutrean replica spearpoint from you today. And am anxious to see your fine example in 6-10 days. Thank you, in advance.

Hi Doctor, can I have your email?

plz

I don’t know anything but the first thing that comes to mine is burning out the center of a log and using that as a scrapper to clean it out then more burning and scrapper till you have a log canoe. It would work for me.

Very interesting video. It looks certainly looks different. Can't wait for your practical demonstration video. Merry Christmas!

Fantastic videos, just subbed, hope to see some more from you! Thank you!

How are you able to strike the same spot multiple times and not crush the edge?

Can't wait

can't wait !!