Anybody Here Make Knapped Stone Tools?

redsquid2

redsquid2

Красивы Поросенок
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Aug 31, 2011
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I remember when I was in college, in the History Department, there was a picture hanging in the corridor. It showed two edges under magnification: a surgical scalpel edge and a stone knife edge. The stone had a much cleaner, sharper edge. Remembering this, I am curious if anyone here makes stone tools.

I am just wondering as to who, if anybody, is using stone tools [slicing, chopping, scraping] these days. Post pictures if you've got them. Thanks.

I searched the forums using "Google custom search." That didn't bring anything up, but maybe I used the wrong terms.

--squiddy
 
Just an added note here: I am also interested in the technique for joining the blade to the handle. I saw some stone blades being made on a TV documentary, but they didn't show the technique for joining them to handles.
 
I'm interested too, but haven't done anything with my interest yet.

I think the glue you are looking for is pitch. cooked pine tar and ash (or dry critter droppings, saw/bone dust, etc.) plus some fat or tallow. I've seen it used along with cordage to attach a handle, or a arrowhead to a shaft. recipes are in the primitiveways link below.

One site I keep returning to is http://www.primitiveways.com/ , I think its a good starting point. The National Museum of the American Indian here in DC also has a HUGE searchable collection. http://www.nmai.si.edu/searchcollections/home.aspx. Dig around and you'll see detailed photos of items they have, or have had access to. Unfortunately a lot of that is only in the photo archives, not on display anymore.
 
There was a member on here making and selling them by the name of Teddyrandall. I don't know if he is still active or not.


-Xander
 
I do them, and if I can't then I know someone who does for a living... what exactly are you looking for? I have quite the survival library as well, and could point you to some good sources...
 
creightonfcb said:
I do them, and if I can't then I know someone who does for a living... what exactly are you looking for? I have quite the survival library as well, and could point you to some good sources...
Click to expand...

It was just curiosity on my part. I find bygone crafts to be interesting; how people did stuff 200 or 500 years ago. If there were a demand for stone tools, I might learn how to make them, and give them away as gifts.

Right now, I think the links provided in the other replies will satisfy my curiosity. Thanks for offering your sources, though.
 
There has been interest in flint knapping along with some small publications listed on primitive living sites. See if you can find a Primitive Archery magazine there might be something listed there. You don't need anything to fancy to start. A rounded piece of 1/8" copper bar, some broken glass, a thick layer of supple plastic (to protect your leg), and of course eye protection. Almost every primitive living get together that I have seen advertised a flint knapping class or tutorial.
 
I bought a hunk of obsidian at a garage sale last year and knapped a few handfuls of arrowheads. I now have a new appreciation for the craft. I didnt make anything pretty but I was pleased with the few that look pretty close to the very old arrowheads you find in museums and such. Sharp, basically symetrical, and shaped to fit to a shaft.
 
My knapping knowledge is very limited but I have seen some good tutorial videos, I'd look for one or a class.

I have seen good work done with antler used as a tool. You can use leather to protect your leg. As mentioned there are a few ways to go.

If you ever see an ancient TV being thrown away the thick glass screens are great for learning on.

You can buy slabs of obsidian and other stones to knapp at a rock shop. Fiber optic material like synthetic cats eye is cool material to work with once you learn. There are a lot of stones that will knapp well like jasper, some agate, flint... they are all cryptocrystalline quartz.

I am really into geology and anthropology, we have lots of local stone to knapp here. It is fun to go to one site for jasper or agate and see material from that site in arrowheads 100 miles down the road.
 
Kind of related: When I lived in Oklahoma, I knew a guy who had found a lot of arrowheads. I wish I could find just one. Here I am 49 years old, love the outdoors, and never found a single one.

It occurs to me that this guy did a lot of deer hunting, which means looking at the ground for tracks. Me, I never did much tracking. Just bird, squirrel, and rabbit hunting, and some backpacking.

I heard that the place to look is dry creek beds and washed out areas. So when I think to, I will pay closer attention in these areas.
 
If you're going to try it out with glass, for the love of god use a respirator and do it outside.
 
Daniel Fairly Knives said:
My knapping knowledge is very limited but I have seen some good tutorial videos, I'd look for one or a class.

I have seen good work done with antler used as a tool. You can use leather to protect your leg. As mentioned there are a few ways to go.

If you ever see an ancient TV being thrown away the thick glass screens are great for learning on.

You can buy slabs of obsidian and other stones to knapp at a rock shop. Fiber optic material like synthetic cats eye is cool material to work with once you learn. There are a lot of stones that will knapp well like jasper, some agate, flint... they are all cryptocrystalline quartz.

I am really into geology and anthropology, we have lots of local stone to knapp here. It is fun to go to one site for jasper or agate and see material from that site in arrowheads 100 miles down the road.
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the ideas. I wonder if glass electrical insulators can still be found.
 
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