Making a Super Thin Biface, Part 5

http://www.flintknappers.com/store.php?sid=Ng%3D%3D
This video series is available on DVD at the above link.
Continuation and completion of the 5 part series on making super thin bifaces.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

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

[MrPaluegoestarde]

Saludos Paleomanjim, I'm from Monterrey México and I'd seen arrow heads made of cuartz in several museums. ¿Have you tried work with this hard material?Thanks, really apreciate what you do, makes me feel that I have to start making my own collection...

[paleomanjim]

@MrPaluegoestarde Saludos friend, yes I have worked clear quartz crystal and it was used here in the past also. Quartz crystal can be very tough to work because it has a grain to it that causes ripples in the flake scars in certain directions. It makes beautiful points though!....jim

[WUNDENFLAMME]

Jim I really admire your skill and handiwork!

Have you ever tried weird anachronistic shapes? Like a triangle-, dagger-, sword-shape?

[paleomanjim]

I have made triangles, swords, many eccentrics of various shapes, but no daggers.....thanks....jim

[jwoldsr1]

Hi Jim,

Once again, thks for your vid & instruction & ans to my question on spalling out the lge boulder to the 22" blade. I saw you push the biface into the into theleft palm for support. You said you were driving the flakes straight back to the other edge. It looked like you were striking straight down. Was that an illusion? Were you angling the blows toward the opposite edge to drive the flakes further, or striking higher on the platform to drv flakes past center? Tks, Big John

[paleomanjim]

Big John, Its hard to describe the actual impact, its almost more of a feel thing if that makes sense. The supporting hand and the billet hand work together to drive the flake as far as possible. The biface is tilted upward a bit and the support of the biface in the hand is loose but back edge is firmly against palm and the finger is lightly supporting the area where the flake is to be removed. Finger support keeps platform from collapsing, keeps biface from tilting, and improves aim...jim

[jluxx1]

is that the same stone from pages1 to 4 cause its darker and it dont have the cement spots

[jwoldsr1]

Hi, Jim. Thanks for the explanation. i watched the video again, and that with your explanation made it clear. As soon as I can get my hands on som obsidian or dacite (sp?) , I will give it a try and tell you how it comes out. Thanks.

[neighbour666]

Jim, will do. I am delayed in my quest (orders from der Fuhrer, bless her) but the hunt goes on! I'm lucky that in this part of England there's lots of snow-white chalk covering jet-black flint, and our English south-eastern beaches comprise flint boulders of all sizes. In this foggy little island - Britain, you are never more than a hundred miles from an ocean! Anyway, you make it look easy, but I suspect I'm going to be knee deep in rubble for a while! I'll keep you posted. Thanks.

[paleomanjim]

The White cliffs of Dover, awesome! I've heard those cliffs are full of flint, let me know how your rock hunt goes, good luck....jim