Folsum, Percussion Fluting Part 1 

Considering people lived for hundreds of thousands of years with knapping before developing metalwork , this is very important research you are doing. It is wonderful to find artifacts, but to actually understand how those people thought and innovated is the greatest respect. Thank you for your superb tutorials!

You should see the Lindenmeir Folsom cast, truly unbelievable and only 2mm between the flutes!. Those Folsom boys were incredible!..jim

Your skill is amazing. I've studied many of your videos and learned much from you. Thank you!

you are doing a amazing job on the creation of how fluting is done and I think l your videos are very informational as well

Thank you for making this video. There are not alot of flint knapping schools around so this is very helpful!

Hello, yes, using abo tools is very similar to using copper, but different! It takes at least a week or so to make the adjustment to antler billets, so just resist the urge to go back to copper. The antler requires sharper edges on the platforms and all grinding should be done with hammerstones. Use hammerstones in the earlier stages to remove thicker flakes. The antler is best for the mid to later stages and can only remove thin flakes. ...jim

Jim, Love the abo work. Excellent instruction as always. Thanks Dan NC

Yes, I met Swoose while he was still with us and viewed his videos showing his forked stick fluting. He was very inventive and surely a knapping legend!....jim

All your videos are great man. Keep them coming!!

I found a beautiful Clovis point at Water Canyon, New Mexico during an archaeology field school. Now I'm hooked on paleoindian lithic artifacts. Folsom points seem to be the apex of paleo points. Great video btw.

LOL at “it’s acceptable” Great work here!!

A great video. I just wrote a fictional book called Shadows on the Trail about the Folsom People in Texas and Colorado and the method they used to flute projectile points came from Bob Patten's book, Peoples of the Flute. I am sure there are several ways to skin the Folsom cat, your method is as good as any. Some day, I will try knapping, but for now I will just watch masters like you and learn how it is done.

I've never been able to make these, but I won't give up trying. Thanks so much for your great videos, I have learned a lot!! 5/5 ED

Great videos Jim! I'm an Archaeologist by trade and I must compliment your authenticity and attention to detail. I was from Ohio originally and now reside in Oregon. I have studies Ross county fluted types for years and they follow a similar use pattern to these Folsom points. My personal finds over the years were almost always Unfluted Fluted points with lateral grinding etc but no flutes and a 'Practice Clovis' with some curios attributes including an attempt (apparently) to flute from tip to base and remove the hinge.

Man that is awesome!

Thanks Steve. I doubt if jigs were used, I'm betting they used percussion, most likely a punch. Those guys were goooood!....jim

Beautiful work. Love your videos

I thought that's what they were but would rather show my ignorance or uncertainty by asking a question than by keeping my mouth shut and remaining ignorant of a fact. Thanks.

This video game me an Ahhhh moment! Great job cant wait to try it out.

Thank you! Thosr are very beautiful AND functional. Great vid, and i learned new stuff-- best of all, i'm gonna start flintknapping!

Bob Pattens book "Peoples of the Flute" is one of the best books on Clovis technology! Modern knappers are rediscovering some of their secrets but the journey continues. Some of their work is so advanced and difficult to replicate it makes you scratch your head and ask why.... why not make a simple unfluted point and avoid the risk? Clovis is an interesting culture for sure! I would like to read your book.....

@rednecklowlife That must have been a great feeling ot have found something like that! I have never found a fluted point of any kind and probably never will! I guess I will have to be satisfied making my own....

@ashnbrandon1 I get frustrated for of course! I have a friend who often stomps on the point if it does not go well!

Very nice!!! Iv tried doing that in my garage on some Flint " I can't do it" !!! Lol!!! Thanks for sharing!👌🤙🤙🙏🙏

I've seen photos of Folsom points and some of them look, at least to me, as though they were fluted when they were much larger and rougher....and then very carefully pressure flaked to the final shape. Maybe not all of them were done that way, but I think at least some of them were. Just my opinion.... what do you think?

Casts are usually resin (epoxy) replicas of original artifacts such as arrowheads and flint knives. The original is cast to make a mold which can be used to make the casts....jim

Hey Jim, thought I'd comment and tell you, you got me into knapping years ago, I watched all your videos, most of them several times. I'm finally getting pretty good thanks to you. Any chance you'll make a new video? Sounds stupid but I kind of miss you making them.

Do you believe the Folsoms were fluted with a lever type jig? It is amazing to me at all the fluted points we all try and make and its almost impossible to replicate a full tip flute. What was their secret? Steve Nice video!

Yes, most of the ones that have been found were likely larger when first made. Some may have been re-sharpened multiple times, getting shorter each time and resulting in a stubby bullet shaped point. I think most started out longer, maybe 3" to 4", just a guess....jim

Jim what is a cast of a point? Thanks. Great vids. I'm learning by watching them.

Hated to see that break! Great video. What do you do with your worked pieces? Hope you don't throw them where I'll find them! How do you handle that?

Dude ty i have problems with fluting😅on my Obsidian points the flute starts well then dives though the point and i now have 2 pieces

i found a burinated fluted point base. broke in half at 2inches. they used it as a tool . i am a member of ohio arch society.i had it at kent state uni. and they took and had a casting of it. and wrote a paper on it.. found it believe it or not. when i was like 9 yrs old. the very first artifact i ever found. and now iam 45 yrs old. been hunting artifacts all these yrs. and never found another fluted point. plenty of lancolets but no flutys. iam still looking though.lol!

brilliant

I'm no expert, and nothing compared to you, but I have an idea for you to try. when swinging for pinpoint accuracy, pin your elbow in your waist/hip, and pin the hand holding the piece to your other knee. You can swing exactly the same spot consistently, by keeping the elbow locked, and you can move your other leg to move the piece very precisely. it seemed like you had the exact position I am trying to describe, you just had the elbow floating, which makes more muscles have to coordinate.

Jim I enjoy your videos, I'm just learning. I have one Clovis I found but Like S.A. Cuthberson's comment, I tend to believe the Clovis and Folsom are the same point. One question, I am to the point where I can make a preforrm but when I try thinning I end up with whatI;d call a drill.... any suggestions on making thiner points?

are there any vids that teach how to make arrowheades from start to finish?????

The other cast is from Dupla Cast out of colorado. Sorry, I cant find the contact info, maybe someone out there has it?....jim

where do you get those casts? should i get some?

The fluting of Clovis and Folsom evolved out of Moustrean Prepared Cores.

Jim, we should do this in 8mm with the opening theme to Conan the Barbarian. What happened to this mighty race of bad-asses?

flutes were mainly used by the paleo indians around 13,000 years ago.

How to tell the difference between a Folsum and a Clovis?

I still don’t understand the progression to Folsom points. Those full length flutes just seem unnecessary. Man how I wish we knew more about the thought process

paleomanjim, I have posted your fantastic video to Shadows on the Trail's blog page. Hope you don't mind. Thanks for the reply, I hope you enjoy my book and will give me feedback.

those are native property

I see you have ben busy with a lot of comments. Do you ever have anything positive to say?