OT: Flint knapping? Flint knives?

[awp101]

I saw a flint knife on another forum and thought it was pretty neat. Since I've got a little bit of the knife making bug in my system I figured I'd ask around here to see if anyone does or has done it before.

Are preshaped blades available or do you just have to start out with a piece of flint and go to town? How are the scales or handle secured?

My friend Mr Google has provided some links but there's a lot of sifting that has to be done...

Thanks!

[Lobo]

Hello,

I had the priveledge of meeting Danny Roush at the Flint Ridge Knapp-In last fall, and subsequently to visit him at his shop. If you'd contact him and ask, I'd guess that he'd knapp a blade to whatever state of completion you'd like. We took a bunch of Boy Scouts to him on a Saturday. He loaned the boys his tools, supplied the flint, and showed them how to do it. When we asked him how much he wanted to run the seminar, he said, "Just buy me a couple of pizzas". He's a class act!!

http://www.ancientconnection.com/RoushKnives.html

[Chuck 100 yd]

I have a friend who can make them out of Obsidian in just a few minutes and they are perfect. He can knap out a handful of arrow heads in an hour. He used to sell them at local gun shows.
Take a look here. Hope this helps. Have fun.
http://www.stoneknapping.com/

[765x53]

Search e-bey or Amazon.com for "The Art of Flint Knapping" by D. C. Waldorf.
It is a small, well illustrated book that will give you a good start.

[Malamute]

Some of the guys over here fool with that stuff some.

http://bushcraftusa.com/forum/index.php

[m48shooter]

i have learned alot and my skill are improving... there are great tutorials w vid and pics over at paleoplanet... great forum covers everything from bow building to basketweaving....

thx 4 the other links guys...

op start ur practice with t.v. and old computer screeb glass and john stone... very forgiving and cheap...

[Hobie]

This is yet another skill I haven't had time to pursue. Mostly I've just made chips. I haven't done it enough for 'the light to go on' yet. Great fun though (since I don't depend on it for a living). I have successfully renewed some gun flints.

I think the antiquarian lever-gunners are a fertile field for such ancient tasks.

[awp101]

I think the antiquarian lever-gunners are a fertile field for such ancient tasks.

IOW, someone needs to send this link to Terry and mescalero1?

Thanks for the links everyone, I'll check them out when I get home this evening.

[KCSO]

Just as a note of interest my buddy killed his deer this year with a home knapped flint arrow head and gutted it with his flint knife. The flint knife actualy works as good a a really sharp knife for 1 deer at least. The old Book of Buckskinning had a pretty good flint knapping section too.

[mescalero1]

AWP101,
We will get you for that.

[awp101]

AWP101,
We will get you for that.

The line forms to the left...

[mescalero1]

[Blaine]

As a child, this knapping of flint really sparked my interest. I'm guessing this hobby would keep a fellow on edge trying to keep from taking too much material off at once. I can just see almost finishing a blade, and then breaking it....prolly leave a chip on yer shoulder.

[awp101]

Blaine, quit being such a flake...

[mescalero1]

[awp101]

The flint knife actualy works as good a a really sharp knife for 1 deer at least.

Going back through this thread, the above statement jumped out at me. How does one resharpen a flint knife? Knap a new edge?

[2571]

The flint knife actualy works as good a a really sharp knife for 1 deer at least.

Going back through this thread, the above statement jumped out at me. How does one resharpen a flint knife? Knap a new edge?

They never get dull. :>)

________________

There's a knapping weekend in Machester, TN in April or May at a state park. I might go this year.

[Chuck 100 yd]

How does one resharpen??? Exactly, just chip a new edge on.
The Obsidian points and knives I have seen are like a straight razor and should stay sharp for a long time.

I have made several arrow points of Obsidian myself and also some out of common glass. Not all that difficult. I used the pressure flake method. Trying to strike the flakes off just turned my project into scrap!!!

[awp101]

How does one resharpen??? Exactly, just chip a new edge on.
The Obsidian points and knives I have seen are like a straight razor and should stay sharp for a long time.

Aha, thanks!