This past Fall, I thought I would look at this primitive arrowhead thing and possibly figure out if it might be something I would enjoy doing.

I watched several Youtube Instructional videos and my wife got me a few electronic books. I started fashioning some crude tools from antlers, hatchet handles...I made a cool leather knee pad with rubber backed indoor/outdoor carpetingas filler. Man I was ready!

Then, I thought about suitable knapping material. I figured something pretty disposable if I chipped it into debris. I didn't have chert; I had a broken toilet base and sink...I had a box of floor tile. And old glass insulators. I was ready for failure is what I was.

When I made my simple tools some were out of old ground files..didn't even know that copper is standard and preferred. I began with the ceramic floor tiles.

I struggled making some reasonable spearhead shaped points, but it was difficult as hell! Are ceramic tiles considered esp. difficult to work on? I worked some flakes but it was tough. And, that is as far as I got.

What do you knappers suggest for someone just dabbling with this hobby? Am I better off just buying points on line and walking away from this curiosity? Should I buy a bopper and such along with chert or is porcelin acceptable to start with? Obviously any advice will be appreciated. I don't know how sincere I am about learning this, but I didn't know anything about making wood arrows, cresting and so on, and I muddled my way into that arena with passable success.

I can relaate , I crushed more rocks than a convect and never got one

well it sounds like you jumped into it in different directions, lol.

Tools: Go to Home Depot and buy 18" of 1/4 inch grounding rod. Flatten the ends for about a 1/2 inch. Stick one end in a vise and the other in a drill and turn the drill on until the rod breaks. You just harden the grounding rod and made it nice and straight. Grab an old broom handle cut it down to 6 - 8 inches, find the center on one end and drill a hole the diameter of the ground rod, about 1 1/2 inch deep. Use JB weld to glue a piece of ground rod into the end leaving about 1 inch or so exposed. I like to sharpen the end of the copper. You have a flaking tool.

If you want to make a bopper find another chunk of broom handle, find a copper butt cap that fits. Stick the butt cap on a ball peen hammer and strike it until the flat portion of the butt cap is rounded. Scratch the inside of the butt camp, spread some flux inside and pour melted lead inside about half full. J B Weld the butt cam onto the broom handle. You have a bopper.

Old grinding wheels make great abraders.

Any leather will work, the sides from cowboy boots work great.

As far as materials go, 1/4" plate glass bottoms if flat bottles make good arrowheads and cheap practice materials. Stay away from old TV glass, it contained lead.

Don;t use the toilet bowl, lol, use the tank it is cleaner. Makes for good percussion practice, Remember to abrade and then abrade some mores.

Good store bought materials are slabs of obsidian for pressure flaking and dacite,keokuk, most any Texas rock makes for good persussion materials. You can check flintknappers .com for suppliers. A good guy to deal with is Craig Ratzat, google him.

As far as learning, nothing beats sitting with someone . Mike Cook, "Art of Ishi" has youtube videos out and he is a master at flint knapping. Just keep at it.And remember, abrade.

Hope this helps a bit.

I can't do it.

Keep making flakes.. Once you get that down start pressure flaking. Get a hold of stoner.. He took time to talk to me and help me get started.. I've yet to turn out a point that I'd post pictures of yet.lol. I started with just stone and antler. A wet tile saw comes in handy for making the most outta the material you have.

Tools and materials to make them

Points knapped out of glass.

Other materials, fused glass and fiber optic

That's fantastic Jon, thanks very much! For all the available information on the internet, I didn't have simple concise directions for just starting out...use of available "beginners" material, your DIY tool suggestions very doable. You are the MAN.

I've made all my tools. I will say copper and glass will be your friend in the beginning. Cheap and / or costs nothing. Just work on pressure flaking and shooting long flakes. The rest will fall into place.

....$#!% happens. John

I always say it’s something like gulf. Granted I don’t really play gulf but I have tried it a couple times.

It’s harder than it looks to hit that little ball in the right spot. Some people find it frustrating. Some people find it challenging. And some people find it very relaxing.

I’m pretty much self taught. I watched so many YouTube videos it drove my wife crazy. For a considerable amount of time I just watched wondering how they knew where to hit the rock. Then finally a lightbulb turned on and I found myself thinking I’d hit it there, as they looked over their spall. Then they hit it in the spot I was thinking.

I was sure I had the secret. I went out and turned everything I had into gravel. Even though I knew where I had to hit it. Just like that little golf ball just sitting there not even moving. I still had to hit it in the right spot and at the right angle and with enough force to get the preferred outcome.

Eventually I started turning my gravel into something. Just trying to reduce the broken pieces of failed attempts thought me so much. It wasn’t as frustrating as ruining a nice piece when I failed. Getting something from the rubble was quite rewarding.

I second the glass bottle bottoms. I’m sure there are still you tube videos out there showing how to make a arrow head out of a glass bottle.

I did use old tv screens but they probably do have nasty stuff inside. I found a white glass countertop that worked very nice. I never tried tile but my brother did and at least what he tried was very grainy.

Try not to let it get frustrating. I started my primitive quest totally by accident. My cousin who found a stone point when he was five years old decided he wanted to make one when he was about 55 years old.

He invited me to sit down with him and with him knowing almost nothing and me knowing even less we quickly turned a bunch of nice rock into gravel. When he went back home he left the remaining stone. I screwed around until I finally turned some into respectable points.

Then I made a Very crude arrow.

Of course then I had to make a selfbow. Once I put all three together and let that arrow fly I was totally hooked.

I’m glad I did it in the order I did. I think if I had tried the stone point last I may have given up. It is tricky and even when you know what you are supposed to do, you still have to do it flawlessly.

Best advice just stick with it. Even after the lightbulb turns on and you still aren’t quite there yet. Try to relax. Think about where you want to remove your next flake. Setup platforms and learn to spot ones that are already there.

Good Luck

Bjrogg

Where are the bandaids and alcohol ,,for cleaning not consumption

Jon that was great information, I knap the flint on my smoke pole after I do several shots to bring a fresh edge to hit the striker.

Is that similar to knapping arrow heads, I use a cut nail with a small piece removed from the tip making a step so the nail won't slide off.

Just wondering.

I learned on obsidian. Simple kit from 3rivers my mom had bought me and some handmade tools and a book. I made really crude points for a year before meeting other knappers and getting instruction as I knapped. That was the best for my knapping. Probably only an hour of making a point but the tips of “sharpen your point, don’t bite in so much, steeper angle/less angle” etc was able to teach me more than a book. You could look around for knappers in your area or if there’s any knappin’s within driving range. I make the 10 hour drive to the glass buttes knappin. The knowledge of experienced knappers and free rock is well worth it. I can send you a box of obsidian if you’d like. I haven’t knapped in awhile and I still have a pile of rocks to break down.

I now use boppers and nearly make a complete arrowhead before switching to pressure flaking and then just shoot my flakes, notch with a horse shoe nail in a handle and sharpen. I’ve only killed grouse and rabbits with my primitive set up but next year maybe I’ll dedicate the time to hunt primitive again

Here is my new chipping cap.

Contact Craig Ratzitt at Neolithics. He has a great supply of materials and a couple of good videos. Great guy. Obsidian is easy to work but you will leak a little. Also check on knap ins in your area. Hopefully they will start back up this summer. Knappers will be more than happy to help you out. If you can’t find one Us know and we will try to find someone in your area to help you out. It is a fun hobby and worth the effort. AA

Contact Craig Ratzitt at Neolithics. He has a great supply of materials and a couple of good videos. Great guy. Obsidian is easy to work but you will leak a little. Also check on knap ins in your area. Hopefully they will start back up this summer. Knappers will be more than happy to help you out. If you can’t find one Us know and we will try to find someone in your area to help you out. It is a fun hobby and worth the effort. AA

Go to primitive archery site. Click on flint knapping. They show how to make the tools,and give great pointers on how to knapp, and what to look for.Not fancy, but I can do an arrow head good enough to hunt with. Took me a good while to catch on, and you are going to cut your fingers now ,and again. Their are guys over their that are true masters at making arrow points.

Thanks Gents..

Or just get you a pressure flaker and start trying preforms slabs. This is a piece of Jefferson City Chirt--JCC. Missouri Rock. Go to Flint nappers on Facebook lot of good people there. They will help you. JF

I just learning how to make flakes today.

Don’t forget eye protection

Jeff, how does that Jeff city chert work? Looks like it will have good color. Do you need to cook it up?

Yeah DON'T forget eye protection. You DO NOT even want the tiniest pieces of that stuff to fly up into tour eyes. Also do it outside. I played around with some with chipping flint in my basement for flint and steel. On more than one occasion went down afterwards in my bare feet and pick up a couple tiny of pieces in my feet. Not fun digging them out. Had to pull out the vacuum cleaner to make sure there wasn't any more, actually had to do it more than once. Amazing how far those tiny pieces will go. DANNY

I started with percussion then pressure flake. Made A LOT of gravel. Then my neighbor in AZ. had a wet saw that he cut cabochons with. Since I do not have a volcano in my back yard, slabs yield more usable pieces. John

Jon this JCC has great color and knaps like butter. Some have more color than others. Love this stuff, since my roots are from Missouri. JF

Who do you get that from and did you cook it or knap it raw.

That is some nice looking stuff.

Bjrogg

Got it from Flint knappers Facebook group a guy on there. Not sure if he cooked it or it's just straight up cut slabs.

So did ya get together some tools? I’m spalling you some flakes today to practice on. Medium flat rate box can last ya awhile I believe! I was gonna add my favorite tool I made too. Horseshoe nail notcher with a top that comes off so you can switch nails when one gets wore out. I can throw in a bopper or copper pressure flaker too.

BTW Your nail notcher looks like a terrific tool for clean notches. I read somewhere that a horseshoe nail was just the ticket, and the fact that you made a replaceable tool is great!

It's like this folks,lol

This shirt gets a chuckle at archery shoots.

Jon, Dylan, Brian and Company. Thanks for all the help and materials! I have an order in with Neolithics that should round out my tool needs. I am only waiting on Spring to get outside and begin percussion work. At present, my basement seemed most suitable for pressure flaking and thicker spalls or materials (tile, esp) is hell on the wrist and elbow! Hahaa brought up elbow tendonitis I forgot about. And, I can attest to info. re obsidian cuts not hurting or becoming infected but bleeding pretty good. Band Aids and medicinal alcohol. Yup.

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