Ishi Stick Pressure flaking 1

[Twostones00]

Impressive Biface pile.  Wish i had one like that.

[kyletango]

Your abrader looks like a piece of grinding stone. Which grit is best?

[paleomanjim]

@kyletango I think that piece was medium grit, actually a grinding wheel I bought at Home depot and split into 4 sections. Course grit is too agressive for my taste and can shatter the edge. Find grit is ok, but does not thicken the edge as much. Most importantly, only use these modern man made abrader swhen you are using copper tools and never when using hammerstones or antler percussin tools. They work fine for that. When using abo hammerstones or antler always use hammerstones to abrade.

[TheGrimdoor]

you buy a broom handle cut it down so that it fits allow your side and in your wrist comfortably and then you add a copper cap and drilla hole for a nail head

'

[ne0nblonde]

lolololololololol



[kyletango]

Is the tortoise at frame 4:29 your messenger? That's cool. They are considered endangered species here in South Alabama. As one who is new to flint knapping, I really enjoy your vids.

[paleomanjim]

@kyletango Yeah, they are great pets! They are endangered out here also. Permits are required to keep them in captivity and they cannot be collected from the wild.

[LunasCraincloud]

that blade looks too long to be A throwing weapon, what is it?

If you threw that and missed would it not break?

[Rrevn57]

Ishi would be proud of you and your apprentices. May the spirit of Ishi live on...

[jacemn3079]

I'm new to flint knapping and I'm wondering how do you make a Ishi stick?

This John from Mississippi

[paleomanjim]

@jacemn3079 They are easy to make, just buy some grounding copper wire at Home depot, twist it in a drill and cut off 4" or 5" of length. Buy a section of hardwood drill, or an old shovel handle, or even just a tree branch and cut it to 15" length or so. Use a drill bit the same size as the copper wire and drill out 4" or so. Insert the copper wire. Thats is! As the copper wears out you remove the copper, hammer the tip to shape and add a bit of sand into the hole and re-insert copper....

[AwakenedBuddhist]

I thought about using an Ishi,havin trouble gettin long pressure flakes.

[finaltom5]

Well i made me a new ishi stick today. this time i used copper wire that i twisted with a drill. When i used it, it made beautiful, perfect, long even flakes. I been useing galvanized before and had a heck of a time getting decent flakes. Now if i can only find some copper nails out here in the middle of nowhere. LOL

[paleomanjim]

@finaltom5 Cool! I'm glad the twisted copper for you...jim

[finaltom5]

@paleomanjim TYVM For all those that may have a hard time finding copper, I found that heating and cooling companies are able to get any type of copper needed. Especially for those that live in the middle of nowhere.

[finaltom5]

Are your pads made from tires? great vids TY

[paleomanjim]

@finaltom5 Mine are made from conveyor belt rubber. Tires should work also...

[MrBouncer1]

Is it crazy to be envious of another mans rock pile. ie 4:00.

[fishsauceman]

this is probably a silly question but what do you mean by shallow platform?

[paleomanjim]

@fishsauceman By shallower platform I mean one that is further from the biface certerplane and closer to the face you are removing the flake from. As the platform nears the centerplane the spacing between flakes needs to be increased, otherwise each new flake scar will dive into the previous flake scar...

[fishsauceman]

when using an ishi stick, what type of shape of copper billet is best when working with slabs. I have just recently purchased an ishi stick and when I use it, the flakes seem to dive deep into the obsidian forming a circular rounded and thick flake, when what I want, is a long and thin flake. Could the problem be That Im not abrading enough? Or is it the shape of my billet?

[paleomanjim]

@fishsauceman I like the tips of my copper flakers, including Ishi sticks, slightly rounded on the end. The sharpness depends on the size of the biface and how large you want the flakes to be. Big flakes require dull tips, small finish flakes sharper tips. I think the problem you are experienceing is due to flake spacing, try insreasing the distance between flakes, a shallower platform, and directing your pressure toward the back edge. Use light abrading for small flakes, more abrading for large

[ThePaleoMan1]

do you go to the flint ridge festival in ohio?

[aerodynamicband]

awesome. i would like to keep one but my parents already freak out about my pet salamander

[aerodynamicband]

are the tortises your pets?

[paleomanjim]

@aerodynamicband Yes, we adopted them 15 year ago

[charliepc56]

Great instruction, and great work. I like your little friend that walked slowly by. Thanks!

[aerodynamicband]

nice pile of stones, and is that your pet tortoise?

[farmertrash2]

i saw your turtle he just walked by "whats goin on guys, alight bye"

[mapmanic]

Great videos! I can't help thinking it's a bit odd to use a higher-tech tool to produce a lower-tech tool, though.... carbon fiber, epoxy, copper... What kind of a flaking tool would you use if you wanted to produce points or knives more authentically? Antler perhaps?

[paleomanjim]

@mapmanic Yes, antler, hammerstones, bone, etc. I have quite a few videos showing abo tools in use. Many modern knapers use modern tools because they are easier to obtain and last longer. But abo tools are certainly more authentic and for me at least much more ejyonable to use.....

[mapmanic]

@paleomanjim I'm sure it must be an enjoyable experience, to flintknap. You would be uncovering things about yourself that most modern humans haven't experienced in quite the same way for thousands of years. I wonder if you ever feel like you know what to do in novel knapping circumstances... as if you were channeling your inner caveman, as it were... I mean, there must be some serious instincts involved here.

[paleomanjim]

@mapmanic It is enjoyable! I dont know about instinctive, but there is a feeling of connecting with the past and it helps keep things in perspective!....jim

[pajiad191]

damn you have alot of preforms and ALOT of raw stone

[Solphilos]

Excellent work man, helpful vids.

Nice turtle as well, lol.

[rigewula]

Typical 'Awesome' video and technique from Jim. Hope you never get tired of making these knapping vids!

[paleomanjim]

Thanks, its a great hobby ....jim

[hoodstarx1]

so basicaly mr.jim what you do is take your ishi stick and with it you apply force onto the edge of a biface to knock off a chip oh it and continue like that?

[paleomanjim]

Yes, the ishi stick tip applies force to the edge and a crack develops just above the point of contact as soon as it reaches the elastic limit of the stone, you have the idea...jim

[manixman333]

Jim, drive to the zoo in Santa Ana and kill a large animal with that giant point, heh heh. Roger in Victorville.

[82f150]

dental floss and epoxy works really good to. people dont realize how strong floss is

[flipwiggins]

Ha-ha. If you just walked away from it all, a thousand years from now, some kid out hiking will discover your bi-face cache.

[KonstantinKuehn]

haha TUUUUUUURTLE!!!

[KonstantinKuehn]

holy crap where is all that flint from!? did u find it all!?

[NewSpeedWayBoogier]

I learn a lot from your videos. Thanks. I love your rock piles. And that turtle trucking across the screen at 4:35, oh man....

[bassmann39466]

i love your video i see you have a lot of dacite spalls do you think you might would sell about 40 pounds.

[sodalines]

you have a very nice house.. great videos keep it up..

[myrocks7777]

What is "Gasite"? Is this spelled correctly? All my searches on the internet came up blank.

Thank you for all your great videos.

Charlie

[paleomanjim]

Do you mean dacite? It is volcanic in origin and similar to obsidian....

[myrocks7777]

Thanks for the quick response. It is dacite.

Thanks again.

Charlie

[82f150]

boy you got the rocks dont ya. lol

[82f150]

nice turtle jim lol

[tobigforyou]

Nice turtle!! :D It's a nice twist, you are talking and a huge turtle out of nowhere just walks by haha. pretty cool

[PhantomAspect]

What is the turtle's name? Funny the things I pick up when watching your vids over and over.

Thanks for all Jim.

[paleomanjim]

Well, thats pesty Pete! He's in the Turtle Hilton sleeping another couple months till spring!....jim

[PhantomAspect]

I showed my wife the old biface pile. She thinks my priorities are misaligned. Thanks

for the slack. OBW, is there a Mrs. Pete?

[fireworksoflife]

Keep the dream alive!