Making a Super Thin Biface, Part 1

http://www.flintknappers.com/store.php?sid=Ng%3D%3D
This video series is available on DVD at the above link.
This is a 5 part series. Part 1 discusses super thin bifaces and shows casts of originals such as the Walnut Creek biface and the Sweetwater biface along with some modern made ones. Overshot flaking is demonstrated.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Flintknapping
• Lithics
• Arrowhead
• Paleoplanet
• Ishi
• Stick
• indirect
• percussion
• punch
• Solutrean
• Laurel
• leaf
• Volgu

[69MisterZ]

Thank you for the vids. I have a fair amount of mirror glass and monitor glass to work with. How do I get smooth flat edges down to a working surface without making bad fractures. Been driving me crazy.

[paleomanjim]

@69MisterZ Slabs and glass can be very tricky to knapp because they snap very easily. Be sure to use good support to get rid of the square edge. This can be done by placing a finger directly below the impact point to reduce shock. Alternate the piece to remove a small flake from each face until the square edge has been removed and a wavy edge has been prepared. Then remove another set of thinning flakes toward the middle of the biface which gives good convexity, followed by more thinning...

[huntgatherrepeat]

So you used copper tools to make a circle and ED MOSHER used antler to make a replicated point? And what was the thickness difference that allowed your circle to win? I dont think you mentioned that in the video, could you tell us all how many thousandths of an inch the difference was? Im just busting your rocks cause I know Ed and I am a smart ass. Well done

[paleomanjim]

@huntgatherrepeat Yeah, Ed is my hero! I dont know how he gets em so thin with antler, I'm still working on it....jim

[bighousedaddy]

Hi, Can Anthracite cole be worked?

Ken

[paleomanjim]

@bighousedaddy No, coal looks shiny but it is way too soft....jim

[gorillasalads]

DUDE YOU ARE FUCKING BRILLIANT!

[houmanrm]

Your videos were very interesting to my 8year old son that is learning the prehistorical techniques at school; thank you very much. There is nothing else this interesting about bifaces.

[dirtyd3030]

nice job..you seem to do class act knapping...wish i could make it look that easy..

[forrestdog2]

do you know anywhere in or near eat mississippi to find some good stone?