Started knapping flint..

With a three pound piece from Neolithics. Got about 2 dozen usable one sided pieces so far.
Employed the use of a DeWalt 4in. diamond wheel to bring them to the familiar triangle shape but I have much more to learn.
Anyone have any advise who knapps on a regular basis?

Thanks

SM

Have you seen the Brandon flint napper videos ? Sometimes watching is better than talking.

Carbon 6 said:

Have you seen the Brandon flint napper videos ? Sometimes watching is better than talking.

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Thanks for the vid. SM

Informative from a historical standpoint. Not very instructive on the 'how to' aspect. I note lack of safety measures both with the knapping and shooting.

Carbon 6 said:

Have you seen the Brandon flint napper videos ? Sometimes watching is better than talking.

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Incredible! Interesting to know there was a flintlock shootist’s club in Ohio way back in the ‘40s! I guess back then, West Africa was still using flintlocks to some extent?

You can strike pieces off the core with a piece of antler, hammer or something hard, then knock them to shape and pressure flake the sharp edges.

Like Herschell's Cousin Willie said, "If you knap flint, you gotta like to bleed!" Glasses are a good idea, and yes, unless you use leather, your thumb will get all cut up pressure flaking! I Know, 'cos I wasn't smart enough to use leather for a start.

R.

Smokey Plainsman said:

Interesting to know there was a flintlock shootist’s club in Ohio way back in the ‘40s!

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NMLRA was founded in Ohio in 1933. Friendship, Indiana is spittin' distance from the Ohio state line.

sussexmuzllodr said:

With a three pound piece from Neolithics. Got about 2 dozen usable one sided pieces so far.
Employed the use of a DeWalt 4in. diamond wheel to bring them to the familiar triangle shape but I have much more to learn.
Anyone have any advise who knapps on a regular basis?

Thanks

SM

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I prefer flakes instead of core spawls as they are much flatter and do not usually have a back hump to deal with. I make arrow points and knives from large spawls I order and the flakes that come off when reducing them give me an endless supply of pistol and rifle flints.
Pressure flaking the edge makes them last many times longer than does percussion flaking it with a percussor.

Just a note on knapping. If you do a lot of it, you should probably wear a dust mask. The flint dust can be deadly.

Kansas Jake said:

Just a note on knapping. If you do a lot of it, you should probably wear a dust mask. The flint dust can be deadly.

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Yes, I do all mine out doors or with a fan in the door pulling all dust away from me. I can easily use up a couple of hours in the warm sunshine whacking away at chert for points , blades or gun flints. I use both direct and indirect flaking depending on how tough or friendly the stone is. It is such a pleasant way to spend some time in the warm sun shine of spring or early summer.

Amazing how fast they were turning out those gunflints.

Pukka Bundook said:

You can strike pieces off the core with a piece of antler, hammer or something hard, then knock them to shape and pressure flake the sharp edges.

Like Herschell's Cousin Willie said, "If you knap flint, you gotta like to bleed!" Glasses are a good idea, and yes, unless you use leather, your thumb will get all cut up pressure flaking! I Know, 'cos I wasn't smart enough to use leather for a start.

R.

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I've spent the last almost fifty years making my living as a glazier (glass cutter and installer) so actually have a leg up on flint knapping as it behaves very similarly. I use Kevlar glass handling gloves which are very thin and rubber faced, perfect for knapping flint as one still has his dexterity and is protected from cuts and splinters. You can get these gloves at most any glass shop.
Eye protection and a dust mask are a good idea if indoors and not fan evacuated.
Since I learned the indirect method of knapping and pressure flaking and edge it has made both arrow point and gun flint knapping much easier and accurate to do. All my tools are hand made in house. The internet has all the instruction one could want on this method of knapping and tool construction.

I have a buddy in High Point nc that's a master knapper. Mike Hill, he uses either Dogwood or Persimmon wood billets for striking the main flakes then does the edge work with antler & small river pebbles being sure to abrade the edges and sitting up striking nipples. No copper tools... I have several of his pieces, used to love watching tge process.

Tracy Davis said:

I have a buddy in High Point nc that's a master knapper. Mike Hill, he uses either Dogwood or Persimmon wood billets for striking the main flakes then does the edge work with antler & small river pebbles being sure to abrade the edges and sitting up striking nipples. No copper tools... I have several of his pieces, used to love watching tge process.

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I also have Abbo tools but copper is easier to work chert with in most instances. Most arrow and spear points now days look far more fancy and perfect in shape than actual points in history were made. All they needed to do was fly straight and penetrate in ancient times.
I use moose antler for billets and caribou tines for pressure flaking when Abbo tools are used.

There is lots of info on knapping. Two good instructional books - Whittaker - Making and Understanding Stone Tools, and DC Waldorf - Art of Flint Knapping. Both oriented toward more complicated knapping but good info on basics. And youtube has zillions of videos, many manure but lots of good ones.
For gunflints, all you need to learn is to consistently strike a good flake, and then simple percussion and pressure to trim it. Making gunflints the traditional way as in the Brandon videos is much more complicated.
I carry a small pad and copper pressure flaker in my flintlock kit to maintain my flints. Much better and easier than hitting them.

A few of my buddies points.

Having trouble posting

Tracy Davis said:

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Nice work! I made quite a few for friends and finally filled up a small box of the various types that were made around North America. My daughter picked out a few small ones she liked , made a display for me and gave it back as a Christmas present.