Flintknapping - Beginners Part 7

[chapiit08]

Hi Jim, I am convinced that you belong to Discovery Channel or something like it. I have a few arrowheads I collected here in Patagonia (Argentina) and allways wondered how were they made. Thanks to your videos now I have a notion of how primitive peoples shaped their stone tools and weapons.

Thank you for posting such a great video.

Greetings from Argentina

[paleomanjim]

@chapiit08 Thanks, glad you like the videos....jim

[pauldingart]

Jim, Toward the end of the video you mention soaking the rock in water. Do you then work it while its wet? Or, once soaked are the rock properties changed forever?

[paleomanjim]

@pauldingart Soaking the rock, especially tough or porous rock can improve its workability for a few days. Rock that is in contact with the ground usually works much better than rock that is stored in a bucket in the garage. Rock can dry out and when it does it becomes tougher to work. Water treatment improves some rock more than others, but in any case it can never hurt! Heat treatment is permanent. Water treatment lasts only as long as the stone retains the water....

[MrSNOWBLAST]

hi Jim, i enjoyed watching. you have great skills, not only in the craft but also in explaining the physics. besides that you've got the voice to go with it. i could easily see you in a series on a channel like discovery or history on the subject of "making the tools and how to put them to use" or something like that. ever thought of doing anything like that?

namaste

[TalksWithDirt]

Copper hammer ... I'll bet when people were transitioning from stone to metals, this was done. Use the new tech to push the old tech. Is there a record of overlap of stone tools with metals tools? I'll bet during the transition old nappers sat around the tribal compound lamenting that kids 'today' were abandoning the old ways that had served humanity for so long. I'll bet they even argued over the cost of obtaining ore and working it over seeking good stone.

[Fatmattwaterrat]

Jim, thanks for your postings. When you were removing the ridge using your bobber were you squeeqing and pulling with your fingers below the piece to help remove the ridge? What are your thoughts on this?

[paleomanjim]

@Fatmattwaterrat The finger support under the ridge used for percussion does several things. 1) is helps support the biface and prevents it from tilting at the moment of impact, 2) It holds the platform together and helps prevent it from shattering, especially useful on weaker platforms, 3) It helps to keep the flake crack traveling and can extend flake travel to the opposite edge. When you see edge to edge flake travel on old Paleopoints I believe finger support was used to do this....

[paleomanjim]

@DesertFox9103 Nearly 30 years off and on.....

[hilocomtoot]

Jim, I've got just 2 more questions. Within a tribe of say 10 male indians was there generally a designator arrowhead maker, the expert so to say, that made the flint tools or was just about everyone equally proficient? And how long, if you know, would it take some indian to make a arrowhead as big or larger as you made from the beer bottle? I know you weren't pals with them but what do the books say? From all the discarded arrowheads laying around seems like they made them fast.

thank you, mike

[stevensarchery]

@hilocomtoot yeah actually every body basicly knew how to but there were experts who tought others and made cermonial type artifacts for the tribe i know this becuase i hve a lot of indian reletives my granpa is full blood cherokee and he always tells me storys about his tribe and elders

[hilocomtoot]

@stevensarchery That's what I had in mind, not some young 6 year old kid whipping out a delicate made point, although I've known many very mature kids on ranches, kids will be kids! I'm sure they could all scrape hides or shoot a bow but some original points my friends have are way the hell above some young, however mature, kid as I was earlier curtly told. Appreciate the straight shoot less any sarcasm towards one that admires these works of art but was simply curious. I Thank you kindly. Mike

[MrVoiceofreason123]

@hilocomtoot I agree that everybody knew how to do all the skills necessary for life, but of course different members in the tribe might be designated to a certain job more simply because they had a talent for it. For example, everybody knew how to make fire but there was probably one guy who people went to when conditions where tough that day (i.e. rainy, having a hard time finding drill or hearth material)... However, there may have been very talented six year olds busting out great points lol

[paleomanjim]

@MrVoiceofreason123 Great comments! Each culture probably had a share of duties, taking advantage of each persons special talents. Some cultures no doubt had specialist knappers (Mayans, Aztecs, Egyptians and others). Flintknapping was a much bigger part of most cultures in Paleotimes so these skills may have been more widespread further back in time. For the most part the older stuff was better made......jim

[hilocomtoot]

Jim Is there a beginner Part 8? I see the Novaculite Laurel Leaf Part 8 but doesn't have beginner included. Can't quit watching these videos but don't want to rush ahead and miss an important step. What # does your beginning videos stop?

thanks, Mike

[paleomanjim]

@hilocomtoot Just 7 parts to the beginners series....

[hilocomtoot]

@paleomanjim Thank you, will proceed with the others. Mike

[ashnbrandon1]

can u use a hammer like a boper?

[paleomanjim]

@ashnbrandon1 No, steel hammers are too hard and will shatter the stone. I reccomend using hammerstones, they are available in most creek beds for free.....jim

[AwakenedBuddhist]

I have problems working my way out of step fractures,I seem to get them a bit and when I do it ruins the piece Im working any suggestions?

[paleomanjim]

@AwakenedBuddhist Its hard to say without actually seeing you knapp as steps can be caused by lots of things. Check these: 1) follow ridges, 2) Check for convexity, if the surface is concave a step can result unless it is undercut, 3) Provide good back edge support, poor support allows the biface to recoil too much, it wastes energy and the flake may terminate in a step or hinge, 4) properly abraded platform, too little abrading can result in a collapsed platform or step fracture....jim

[wilsbow]

Very interesting !!

I must give it a try.

Greetings from Germany : )

[phemohilia]

Great series, you do really good work!!

[lordfranz24]

is vthis the last part?, BTW great videos thnx for doing this tutorial!!!!

[PavirryPe]

BTW, did you had a previous channel under the name Flintknapper jim? I remember seing a tutorial some time ago and I´m pretty sure that´s your voice.

This one is even better, specially the instruction on how to make tools.

[paleomanjim]

@PavirryPe

No other channel, but I think that is Flintknapper Jimmy, he has some great videos also....

[PavirryPe]

Thenk you for this series of video tutorials for beginers. I´m rerally interested in learning how to knap. Greetings from Peru.

[octapusxft]

wow those arrowheads were so beautifuly made

[slashrocks000]

can I do flintknaping with any hard stone?

[adzdub]

where in belize is that piece from? Did you collect it yourself?

[paleomanjim]

@adzdub

Yes, I collected it myself in Belize city in the fields near the sea wall. Cola chert is abundant all over the fields...

[adzdub]

where in belize was that piece from?

[adzdub]

Where in Belize was that piece from?

[jarodhmorrison]

great videos! This is exactly what I was looking for so I could wrap my mind around some of the terminology that I keep hearing and reading. One question, when you are taking large flakes off a large core are those flakes all gravel or can they be used to make smaller pieces?

[paleomanjim]

Thanks! Yes, all those large flakes taken from the core can be used to make smaller arrowheads. I save them all!....jim

[TheMCBADGER]

4:25 bottom right of the stone... its JESUS!

[paleomanjim]

I dont think it helps obsidian because it is to fine grained and wont absorb much water. It does seem to help basalt which is courser grained....jim

[shininyt]

absolutly loved this series many thanks jim

[pringals]

Jim, this series of vids is AMAZING! ... As with all your vids, great work!

Thanks again teach!

[nedeljkomostar]

Amazing skill you have there!

[defiantloser]

Thanks for posting your videos I enjoyed them very much

[paleomanjim]

Water soaking works best on raw stone and has the advantage that is does not weaken the stone like heat treating does. Some cultues are believed to have buried their preforms to keep them moist for finishing later. It definetely improves workability....jim

[hackneysaregreat]

Top job!

very enjoyable series, thanks and a lot of appreciation from Holland

[paleomanjim]

Holland, that is cool! How is the supply of knappable rock in Holland? I have been to Belgium and found lots of great flint there....jim

[Wertak68]

Jim, I have never heard of soaking in water as a way to improve workability.  Which kind of rock does this approach work best?

[paleomanjim]

Rocks or bifaces laying above ground dry out. Soaking in water for several days fills the voids in the stone and improves its workability. Course grained porous rocks improve the most with water treatment, but all rocks seem to show some improvement....jim

[Badlamshade]

Thanks a lot Jim your videos are a big help to me!

[muddieair]

thanks jim great series bro.....

[FlintknapperJimmy]

Now I want to go to Belize. I love that bright white cortex on the flint. I don't know why, I just think it's amazing how that stuff forms.

[pumkinvine]

Great series Jim, I really enjoyed it. Thanks for taking the time to put it together.