Thanks! Great video. Don Crabtree was mandatory reading when I started to learn knapping in the 80's and I have always wondered how that chest crutch worked. Thanks for bringing this to light! Excellent work!
Hi Jeff. The University of Idaho has VHS tapes available of Dons blade making back in the 60's, great to study! Don actually used his crutch a bit differently by pushing the blade OUT away from him instead of IN toward him. Also used a clamp support for the core. Amazing he figured out how to make blades on his own! Even after reading and see in his videos it took me a long time to be able to make decent blades. Gene Titmus and Jacques Pelegrin are two of my other blade making heroes....thanks
I'm thinking that you could sort of use a "mortar & pestle " technique- rollong the grit/chips with a little wet clay to carry/suspend themuntil the paste is smooth enough to start grinding with. How about using the top of a fairly large boulder as a 'metate'? -just keep pushing the wet paste to the top as you hollow grind the crown of the core on the rounded boulder. I'll try my idea sometime- once I've gathered the appropriate things. Your workIS SUPERB! THANKS for doing your demonstrations!
Dear Jim, Thanks very much for the explanation that I see in the movie, the idea of the technique seems very similar to the photo that I sent you. You remember that the point of pressure in stone blades photos is "Smooth." I find it very very interesting your idea. Mandi Giuliano caro Jim, grazie molte per la spiegazione che vedo nel filmato, l'ipotesi della tecnica mi sembra molto simile alle foto che ti ho mandato.
i understand that most americans that dont speak spanish have a little trouble pronouncing the word meloteate. most call it MA-TA-TE it is really pronounced MEY-LO-TA-TEY . good video otherwords.
