I saw you smooth out that epoxy with your finger. That is really not kosher. Read up on epoxy allergic reactions. They seem to be cumulative, so that you might not experience anything now, but one day you could get an extremely nasty reaction. Check it out, man. It will scare the bejezes out of you. Use a latex glove or something, and don't breath in the sanding dust either. (I know you didn't sand it here. Just so you know.) Just concerned for your health. And thanks for the vid.
I was wondering if you could use the round part of a ball peen hammer to create the dome of the copper cap and for the larger 1 1/2 and 2 inch copper caps maybe a ball trailer hitch for your billet?
@master3573 I got my copper rod for pressure flaking at a knapp-in back in the 80's, a few pieces will last for decades! You can buy copper grounding wire at Lowes or home Depot, it comes on a round spool and you can buy it by the foot. It is too flexible, so to make it stiff you can place one end in a vise and the other in a drill and twist it with the drill until it becomes very stiff. All my large solid copper billets have come from trading but can also be bought at metal shops. good luck.
I don't have a propane torch but since the melting point of lead is so low compared to copper, I think I may just make a small wood fire in my outdoor fireplace and just roast some lead weights in a copper cap.
An old buddy of mine who I never watched do this knapping went to Ft. Hood Army base, before 9/11 and got his flint. At the time I just didn't have the time and have lost contact with the guy. He's the guy that found the Walnut Creek Biface right before the sob's hit the towers. I never saw it but he made points at his house. Being a classical pianists my hands are important so I'm not sure this is right for me to do at this time, still you have great videos, I'm on 4 and continuing. thank you.
Boy, it took me a while to find your series but this is so damn interesting, know nothing about what you're doing but quite interested. Some friends parents have about 8K acres near Austin and when a kid we use to go into a cave there that had all kinds of Indian & Civil War stuff in it. Just always wanted to know how they made these old weapons. Thanks a lot Jim for the great shows!!! Sure hope somewhere in the videos you show how to attach an arrowhead to a shaft. Many thanks, Mike
hey jim, really new knapper here. Im having some issues with hinges forming on many of my pieces. Is that due to my strikeing angle being wrong or the tools i am using. Tools are just random pieces of rock i have found. Definatly thinking of making a bopper when i get a chance tho. Another question, are boppers/hitty things ment to be of a material which with grip the flint as struck, so as to kind of pull off flakes. Any help or advise will be awsome
@SaltRock0000 Hinges can result from many things, including poor support of the biface, wrong angle of the blow or incorrect angle of the biface, a weak hit, poor platform, etc. Cant really say for sure without seeing it. The boppers grab the edge of the platform and pull the flake off. Good hammerstones will be stong but gritty which also gives them a good pull on the platform upon impact to nrelease the flake. Antler billets are also great and I highly reccomend them, especially large bifaces
The lead is heavy and soft, making the bopper head very similar to antler. The softer head will grab the biface platform better, pulling off the flake. You can use solid copper also, but my experience is that the boppers are more efficient....
I think the soldering irons will work fine and I know of others who have used them. I have used solid copper in the past and my preference is the boppers. I believe the softer head and weight distribution makes the leaf filled boppers more user friendly....jim
The hammer is to hard and will shatter the obsidian. I suggest going to the nearest creek bed and finding a hammerstone, preferrably something smooth and gritty like sandstone. Good luck!.....jim
Jim: I am only a novice knapper. I would like to see you do a segment on evaluating the workability of lithic materials; specifically flakes as one might buy at knapp-ins. I have spent a lot of money on different lots of colorful flint flakes from Ohio, MO, etc. but often do not have enough to make anything by the time the curvature of the flake is removed. For those of us concentrating on making small points, it would be good to know when a piece of rock is hopeless. Cpl Rey
All your videos are great teaching tools, and this series is awesome so far. Thanks for taking the time and putting in the effort to make this understandable to us beginners. Books are great, but theres just no substitute for actually seeing something being done. Thanks again, Rob
Great videos for beginners! You might think they are for beginners but I'm learning a lot already. I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge and expertise with the knapping community. I'm looking forward to future installments!
Nice work, I will now try to make one of these as well, but do you like copper or antler/bone? I have used both but metal seems harder to use? thanks Aloha knapper
Both copper and antler/bone work great. For me the antler is more satisfying but the boppers are a bit easier. Overall I prefer the hammerstones and antlers but its all good.....jim
It was interesting to see how you added extra weight to the billet head by adding lead. I have made a couple of boppers using copper caps and PVC pipe but they seem a little light. I intend to try your technique and see if the added weight gives the result that I hope for.
I saw you smooth out that epoxy with your finger. That is really not kosher. Read up on epoxy allergic reactions. They seem to be cumulative, so that you might not experience anything now, but one day you could get an extremely nasty reaction. Check it out, man. It will scare the bejezes out of you. Use a latex glove or something, and don't breath in the sanding dust either. (I know you didn't sand it here. Just so you know.) Just concerned for your health. And thanks for the vid.
bomaite1 1 month ago
I was wondering if you could use the round part of a ball peen hammer to create the dome of the copper cap and for the larger 1 1/2 and 2 inch copper caps maybe a ball trailer hitch for your billet?
kyletango 7 months ago
@kyletango I have not tried it, but yes I think it will work...jim
paleomanjim 6 months ago
Do you think you could show how to make a pressure flacker too?
Abnerben1 7 months ago
Leatherman? Nice.
RivardMatthew 7 months ago
@master3573 I got my copper rod for pressure flaking at a knapp-in back in the 80's, a few pieces will last for decades! You can buy copper grounding wire at Lowes or home Depot, it comes on a round spool and you can buy it by the foot. It is too flexible, so to make it stiff you can place one end in a vise and the other in a drill and twist it with the drill until it becomes very stiff. All my large solid copper billets have come from trading but can also be bought at metal shops. good luck.
paleomanjim 10 months ago
how do you make an ishi stick?
aishchee 10 months ago
Thank you
kennygtexas 1 year ago
or you could use jb weld.
firebug0001 1 year ago
I don't have a propane torch but since the melting point of lead is so low compared to copper, I think I may just make a small wood fire in my outdoor fireplace and just roast some lead weights in a copper cap.
MrVoiceofreason123 1 year ago
u sound canadian!
JCallahan75 1 year ago
An old buddy of mine who I never watched do this knapping went to Ft. Hood Army base, before 9/11 and got his flint. At the time I just didn't have the time and have lost contact with the guy. He's the guy that found the Walnut Creek Biface right before the sob's hit the towers. I never saw it but he made points at his house. Being a classical pianists my hands are important so I'm not sure this is right for me to do at this time, still you have great videos, I'm on 4 and continuing. thank you.
hilocomtoot 1 year ago
Boy, it took me a while to find your series but this is so damn interesting, know nothing about what you're doing but quite interested. Some friends parents have about 8K acres near Austin and when a kid we use to go into a cave there that had all kinds of Indian & Civil War stuff in it. Just always wanted to know how they made these old weapons. Thanks a lot Jim for the great shows!!! Sure hope somewhere in the videos you show how to attach an arrowhead to a shaft. Many thanks, Mike
hilocomtoot 1 year ago
@hilocomtoot Austin, awesome! You are close to the center of flint heaven. I go there almost yearly to visit family and usually load up on flint!
paleomanjim 1 year ago
if you leave the flux on without cleaning it, it will eventually erode the copper......
superguyperson 1 year ago
what kind of pad do you use for your hand pad?
henerybird 1 year ago
hey jim, really new knapper here. Im having some issues with hinges forming on many of my pieces. Is that due to my strikeing angle being wrong or the tools i am using. Tools are just random pieces of rock i have found. Definatly thinking of making a bopper when i get a chance tho. Another question, are boppers/hitty things ment to be of a material which with grip the flint as struck, so as to kind of pull off flakes. Any help or advise will be awsome
SaltRock0000 1 year ago
@SaltRock0000 Hinges can result from many things, including poor support of the biface, wrong angle of the blow or incorrect angle of the biface, a weak hit, poor platform, etc. Cant really say for sure without seeing it. The boppers grab the edge of the platform and pull the flake off. Good hammerstones will be stong but gritty which also gives them a good pull on the platform upon impact to nrelease the flake. Antler billets are also great and I highly reccomend them, especially large bifaces
paleomanjim 1 year ago
hey! jim can you use quortz too or is it too soft
getyamonster 1 year ago
why do you need led???
themushroomman1212 1 year ago
@themushroomman1212
The lead is heavy and soft, making the bopper head very similar to antler. The softer head will grab the biface platform better, pulling off the flake. You can use solid copper also, but my experience is that the boppers are more efficient....
paleomanjim 1 year ago
thank u that was very easy to understand...and well made
dliwehtfollacsutube 1 year ago
Hi Jim,
I recently came across several old solid copper soldering "irons," and I tought they might make boppers. Any comments?
Big John
jwoldsr1 2 years ago
I think the soldering irons will work fine and I know of others who have used them. I have used solid copper in the past and my preference is the boppers. I believe the softer head and weight distribution makes the leaf filled boppers more user friendly....jim
paleomanjim 2 years ago
im 12 trying to make weapons out of obsidean can i use a hammer as a bopper????|
pojoitis 2 years ago
The hammer is to hard and will shatter the obsidian. I suggest going to the nearest creek bed and finding a hammerstone, preferrably something smooth and gritty like sandstone. Good luck!.....jim
paleomanjim 2 years ago
THANXXX
pojoitis 2 years ago
youre the best hands down
shininyt 2 years ago
Complimenti. Bellissimo!!
MonfalconeTerme 2 years ago
Thanks for this series, Jim. Nice to show those new to knapping they don't have to spend a small fortune getting started.
WelderRDT 2 years ago
Jim: I am only a novice knapper. I would like to see you do a segment on evaluating the workability of lithic materials; specifically flakes as one might buy at knapp-ins. I have spent a lot of money on different lots of colorful flint flakes from Ohio, MO, etc. but often do not have enough to make anything by the time the curvature of the flake is removed. For those of us concentrating on making small points, it would be good to know when a piece of rock is hopeless. Cpl Rey
cplrey 2 years ago
All your videos are great teaching tools, and this series is awesome so far. Thanks for taking the time and putting in the effort to make this understandable to us beginners. Books are great, but theres just no substitute for actually seeing something being done. Thanks again, Rob
choclab4me 2 years ago
The rubber in my palm pad is conveyor belt rubber. I got these from worn out conveyor belts before I retired.....jim
paleomanjim 2 years ago
hey jim i did that same thing awhile back but out of steel. i turned one end down to 3/4 inch and the other 1inch. works great.
82f150 2 years ago
What dsjm2005 said
meforgodforall 2 years ago
This is a TOP series.
Thanks from Holland
hackneysaregreat 2 years ago
Jim, thanks for doing these videos and putting them out there for everyone to see.
dsjm2005 2 years ago
Hi Jim,
Great videos for beginners! You might think they are for beginners but I'm learning a lot already. I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge and expertise with the knapping community. I'm looking forward to future installments!
Thanks Again,
Mark
markdel3 2 years ago
Hey thanks Mark, glad you liked it!....jim
paleomanjim 2 years ago
great vid thanks for teaching us
cabelashunter363 2 years ago
Nice Job man! Really well instructed lesson.
wildernessoutfitters 2 years ago
Nice work, I will now try to make one of these as well, but do you like copper or antler/bone? I have used both but metal seems harder to use? thanks Aloha knapper
joneblaze82 2 years ago
Both copper and antler/bone work great. For me the antler is more satisfying but the boppers are a bit easier. Overall I prefer the hammerstones and antlers but its all good.....jim
paleomanjim 2 years ago
Jim:
It was interesting to see how you added extra weight to the billet head by adding lead. I have made a couple of boppers using copper caps and PVC pipe but they seem a little light. I intend to try your technique and see if the added weight gives the result that I hope for.
gardover
cplrey 2 years ago
I think you will like the added weight. More mass allows slower billet speeds and better accuracy....jim
paleomanjim 2 years ago
Great video!! I enjoy making the tools almost as much as the points.
Shoalhunter
TheSwineSlayer 2 years ago