Stone tool experiment

H

halo2

Joined
Sep 13, 2005
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299
I recently conducted a stone tool experiment. I've been wanting to make a bow and arrow set using nothing but stone, bone and wood tools. But first I needed a bow stave. I found a good maple sapling about 1 1/2" in diameter. The plan is to make a 25-30# draw weight bow.

I have some chert that I've rough knapped into a few hand axes and I started chopping. It took about 30 minutes to take the sapling down. I did a lot of tugging and twisting on it in addition to chopping. I did find some hand axes had a "sweet spot" that took chunks out faster than other parts.

Once the tree was down I cut it into 3 pieces for possible bow staves.

Here are some pictures.

stonecutting01.jpg

stonecutting02.jpg

stonecutting03.jpg


My observations:

1. be glad we have steel tools. This took about 10 times longer than axe.
2. in the absence of a shaft for the hand axe, your hand takes a beating. My stone tools had rough edges that chewed up my palm.
3. dispite these things, chopping down a tree and sectioning it is definitely doable.
 
That is pretty cool. I have always been interested in the paleo stone tools, have a couple books on it too. But I am impatient and end up breaking the shard.
 
yeah, I can do basic knapping but this was very basic tool making. I figure in a survival situation if needed, that's what I'd do. All I was doing was making large flakes.

I'd encourage you to try it.
 
Thanks for sharing your experiment! This is the type of challenge I come here to see.

Also:Paleo man must have had calluses like boot leather.
 
two things

one find a suitable stone with a smooth end and chip the business end or grind the handle end down against a suitable stone to polish it. I used to find flint stones in a local river almost perfectly smooth.

two use a palm guard made from leather or woven coardage
 
Bravo.

Back in 1985, when schools taught stuff, a college professor had us learn to make stone knives. It's been a while, but for a long time thereafter I was able to bang the rocks together to get really sharp edges.

But that's nothing compared to this. Very impressive experiment, and I very much like your enthusiasm and rationale for learning this. Yeah, I suppose there's a LOT of stuff you could do for yourself with using one set of tools to build the next...then the next...and so on.
 
Very nice, keep us updated, I wanna see how this turns out. Moose
 
Thanks, all.

There are some things I could/would do differently. My area as little truly knappable stone. This stuff came from NY. I have made some quartzite discoid knives from whacking smooth stream stones to make an edge. Those would be more comfortable. It doesn't take much to realize that you need a good way to hold these while your working.

I plan to keep at it and hopefully get that bow done. I have a feeling antler wedges are in order.

Thanks for reading.
 
Cool experiment. I've been studying some woodworking with shards of flint I have found but nothing on so garnd a scale yet.

Oh, and yes I am very glad we have steel :)
 
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