Caught Knapping

[NatureNut]

We're back in Quartzsite for a month or two. Even though the melee is dispersing, there are still some great things going on here, and if you want to immerse yourself in all things rock, it's the place to be for sure! This is my neighbor Ralph. He's a great knapper.


Here he is working on a piece of rose colored glass.


So he's been teaching me. He left me with a piece almost finished for me to just finish up. Well, I needed to make it thinner and accidentally broke it in half, LOL. Well, I was trying to make it into a point again, but somehow ended up with this shape.

Here's my first piece, a heart. LOL

(It's for loving, not killing!)

So, I kept at it. Here are some subsequent failed attempts.

Not so great, huh?

So, then I decided to take a big chunk of Flint from Mel's neighborhood and worked into this shape. Just to get the hang of how it breaks and how to strike.


That was enough for me for one day, so tonight I was at it again, and came out with something a little bit better.

Haha, I'll keep at it! No telling if I'll get better or worse, could go either way...

Anyway, my wonderful neighbor Ralph gave me that beautiful rose colored glass point.


He told me to put it with my wire wraps for display.


I'm going to have to put a big sticker on it saying "Not for sale, not no way, no how!"


Thanks for looking! Jo

[tanyafrench]

Hey Jo, looks like you just may be getting it. Be careful those can be very, very sharp. Keep lots of band aids around.

Tanya

[NDK]

Good for you Jo. You can't expect to be an expert right off the bat, and you can tell you're improving already.
That rose glass point is something for sure! I think I'd tie it down, just in case it tries to grow legs!

Nate

[Sabre52]

Wow, you're definitely making progress. Texas flint is really a tough booger to work unless it's heat treated so it's good you're taking a bit of time to acquaint yourself with it's characteristics. The picture jasper piece is really looking pretty darn good for first attempts......Mel

[mohs]

Make Love
Not War

[Woodyrock]

Jo, knappers use the term 'breaking stone' ....something you do a lot on the way to becoming a knapper. Look at the material from archaeological site, and you will see that those that came before us broke rock too.
Woody

[christopherl1234]

Please keep posting your progress. I have always found this interesting but have never tried. I look forward to seeing more.

[NatureNut]

Thanks you guys. I've been wanting to try it for a while and this is an awesome opportunity! My neighbor Ralph gave me two tools that he made himself and a leather pad. He's always watching other knappers and innovating his tools, so this is a treat. I'm going to video him one of these evenings and will put something together to share with y'all.

Mel, he mentioned heat treating the Guadalupe River Flint as well. Also, some will slice it and start with a slice rather than waste so much rough rock. I gave him that beautiful piece of Flint with the orbs in exchange for the tools and my lessons. He was very impressed with that Flint.

Chris, I will. Tanya, I will. Nate, good point, maybe I should. Ed, you got a heart of gold, you crack me up!

Woody, I'm reading a series of books on the first North Americans that came over the glacial land bridge and populated this continent written by a husband and wife archaeologist team. They describe in detail how those ancients breathed their soul into their points for luck and accuracy while they worked. Also, how this rock was very, very sacred to them.

Jo

[daisyd681]

Way off topic, but I LOVE your wraps. I must figure out how you do those without the wire going all over the front of the stone.

[texaswoodie]

I tried knapping one time. Nearly cut my arm off so I went back to napping.

Curt

[NatureNut]

Daisy, Drocknut calls it an almost cage wrap style. Been doing it a while, but like just about everyone else on here, I started with BikerRandy's tutorial, and developed my own style. You have to have the stone in really tight and the front wires in spots that will hold the stone in. I spend alot of time bending the wire frame around the stone so that it fits perfectly, then when I'm satisfied that the wire frame is just right, I put it in and bind it all up. You'll find your style Honey, just keep wrapping!

Curt, ;D