mudd turtle
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What are the steps in making your own flints from start to finish and how p C are loading blocks. I have never seen any in museum here in North carolina. Mudd turtle.
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Making flints
- Thread starter mudd turtle
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There are several sites devoted to flint knapping and several workshops available. I have yet to attend a workshop so I cannot recommend one.
One school of thought on the loading blocks says that they are so simple & obvious that they were not documented - the other school says that with no recovered examples, none seen in period art work or texts means that they are not PC for other than recent times.
One school of thought on the loading blocks says that they are so simple & obvious that they were not documented - the other school says that with no recovered examples, none seen in period art work or texts means that they are not PC for other than recent times.
[youtube]yzi9ksSn-ZQ[/youtube]
Robert Egler
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Here are my personal steps to making my own flints: :haha:
1) Spend many hours searching geologic reports and attempting to track down the nearest likely place for a flint or chert outcropping.
2) Push for several miles through brambles and poison ivy while searching for outcropping.
3) Find large nodules of flint. Fill pack with a 'reasonable' amount of rock and head home. Note that flint while being carried through the woods in a pack has the ability to quadruple in weight every 20 minutes, with no change in volume.
4) Hit large nodule of flint with hard object such as a hammer. It is best to try and follow specific instructions as to where and how to strike the flint, but it doesn't really matter, you (or at least I) end up with the same results regards of method used.
4a) Apply band-aids to appropriate locations on hands. The flint will specify these locations for you.
5) After the flint has been completely separated into small un-usable chunks, find the least un-usable chunk and pressure flake or strike with small rod until you have something approximating the shape of a gun flint. Typical yield (for me) is one usable gun flint out of every 10,000 lbs of rock. Calculate cost of this new flint, including gas and some small charge for your time. Discover that this one flint is 325.25 times more valuable than the current price of gold.
6) Collect all the small chunks and distribute on flower gardens or pathways around the house. A wide distribution helps preserve the illusion that you didn't just spend 250 hours smashing a large not-useful rock into a whole bunch of littler not-useful rocks. Avoid the temptation to use them on the driveway, unless you are very close friends with a tire dealer.
7) Order flints from Track of the Wolf, The Possible's Shop, or Dixie Gunworks.
:blah:
1) Spend many hours searching geologic reports and attempting to track down the nearest likely place for a flint or chert outcropping.
2) Push for several miles through brambles and poison ivy while searching for outcropping.
3) Find large nodules of flint. Fill pack with a 'reasonable' amount of rock and head home. Note that flint while being carried through the woods in a pack has the ability to quadruple in weight every 20 minutes, with no change in volume.
4) Hit large nodule of flint with hard object such as a hammer. It is best to try and follow specific instructions as to where and how to strike the flint, but it doesn't really matter, you (or at least I) end up with the same results regards of method used.
4a) Apply band-aids to appropriate locations on hands. The flint will specify these locations for you.
5) After the flint has been completely separated into small un-usable chunks, find the least un-usable chunk and pressure flake or strike with small rod until you have something approximating the shape of a gun flint. Typical yield (for me) is one usable gun flint out of every 10,000 lbs of rock. Calculate cost of this new flint, including gas and some small charge for your time. Discover that this one flint is 325.25 times more valuable than the current price of gold.
6) Collect all the small chunks and distribute on flower gardens or pathways around the house. A wide distribution helps preserve the illusion that you didn't just spend 250 hours smashing a large not-useful rock into a whole bunch of littler not-useful rocks. Avoid the temptation to use them on the driveway, unless you are very close friends with a tire dealer.
7) Order flints from Track of the Wolf, The Possible's Shop, or Dixie Gunworks.
:blah:
Rod Lassey
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Thanks for posting that, Claude, it was very informative. His video on gunflint making followup (which pops up in the selection after watching the first one) really helps as well.
Rod
Rod
:rotf: :rotf: :rotf:
Robert Egler
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You can start by doing a search for "chert in {whatever state}" on line. You will likley find several geologic paper with the word chert. Most of these will only have some passing mention of chert, because no one paying for a geologic study is looking for chert, no economic value. Then the detective work starts. Look up that paper's references. Eventually you'll find someone who somewhere actually says where the chert is located. Problem is the study may be from the 1930s or something, and reference roads or landmarks that no longer exist, so you have to find old county maps that may show the landmarks, or interpret where the location is using modern landmarks and roads. Then you start searching at those locations to see if you can actually find the outcropping. I've been interested in geology since college and actually like the whole 'hunt' part myself. I have a construction-type orange/yellow vest that says "GEOLOGIST" across the back in big letters, if I wear that when I'm in the field no one ever asks me what I'm doing. (Still don't go on land posted No Trespassing.) Also look for the mention of chalk, since chert and flint are often found in chalk deposits.
I see you're in NC, so I'll save you a bit of trouble as far as searching in NC. Flint and chert are rare in NC, very few outcroppings of note, one now buried by a road in RTP. That reference was from a small mention in a college field trip report from the 60s, none of the current roads are in the same location as those mentioned in the original paper, I was pretty bummed when I finally figured out where it should be and it turned out to be under 4 lanes of concrete.
The others are minor and located in the Durham Triassic Basin. I have found some chalk which was just having a subdivision built on it, and I found only small chunks of poor quality chert. There should be another near the US 1 cut through southern Wake county, but I haven't found that one yet.
For flint and steel 'flint', the Uwharrie mountains in Uwharrie National Forest is where you need to go. The tops of Shingle Trap and Wolf mountains are covered by rhyolite, which is not actually related to flint but is what the NDNs of the state used as 'flint'. It makes really good flint and steel flint, but is hard to knap into any specific shape (although they made arrowheads and other things out of it.)
I see you're in NC, so I'll save you a bit of trouble as far as searching in NC. Flint and chert are rare in NC, very few outcroppings of note, one now buried by a road in RTP. That reference was from a small mention in a college field trip report from the 60s, none of the current roads are in the same location as those mentioned in the original paper, I was pretty bummed when I finally figured out where it should be and it turned out to be under 4 lanes of concrete.
The others are minor and located in the Durham Triassic Basin. I have found some chalk which was just having a subdivision built on it, and I found only small chunks of poor quality chert. There should be another near the US 1 cut through southern Wake county, but I haven't found that one yet.
For flint and steel 'flint', the Uwharrie mountains in Uwharrie National Forest is where you need to go. The tops of Shingle Trap and Wolf mountains are covered by rhyolite, which is not actually related to flint but is what the NDNs of the state used as 'flint'. It makes really good flint and steel flint, but is hard to knap into any specific shape (although they made arrowheads and other things out of it.)
if you are interested I just bought a flat rate shipping box full of Missouri chert shards for 30 bucks including shipping. I dont want to put the name out without permission because the gentleman isn't in the buisiness but if there is interest I will ask him if he would be willing to sell more.
Creek
Creek
Don't bother trying. Knapping gunflints is impossible. Can't be done. I know 'cause I have tried. :wink:
The other posts give advice as well as make light of the issue. But knapping is not for everyone. It can become a whole 'nuther avocation.
First step: buy band-aids, lots of them. :shocked2:
The other posts give advice as well as make light of the issue. But knapping is not for everyone. It can become a whole 'nuther avocation.
First step: buy band-aids, lots of them. :shocked2:
mudd turtle
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Claude : Thank you for the Vidio . Now to find some good flint. Mudd Turtle.
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Does it need to be heat treated before knapping. I would be interested in finding a source. Might be able to swap out some gun work for some chert. Mike D.
I wasn't going to respond to that question. It is a sure fire (exuse the pun) :stir: subject. Among some, there is a mindset that flint must be heated before knapping. I have read articles and been told by many knappers that is simply a myth. One argument that the indians heat treated is the 'evidence' that many chips and arrowheads are found near ashes. That part may be true but overlooked is the possibility that the indian knappers were sitting around the fire to keep warm as they visited and chipped. Several computers back, I had tons of documentation on this. Gone now, I'm not going to re-research it as I am not planning on becoming a knapper. However, it is time for my nap. :wink:
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All I know about it is what I've come up with in my own research and video watching on the subject.
DC Waldorf who is pretty well recognize as one of the top nappers out there goes into great detail about the various grades of flint, chert and a great many other knappable rock from all around world, and how to heat treat and dry it to make it more easily knapped in a predictable fashion. Many are fine just as they come from the earth but some are very ornery unless heat treated first.
I will develop my own opinion as well I suppose as experience is gained but I like to listen to folks with his kind of knowledge of the subject. MD
DC Waldorf who is pretty well recognize as one of the top nappers out there goes into great detail about the various grades of flint, chert and a great many other knappable rock from all around world, and how to heat treat and dry it to make it more easily knapped in a predictable fashion. Many are fine just as they come from the earth but some are very ornery unless heat treated first.
I will develop my own opinion as well I suppose as experience is gained but I like to listen to folks with his kind of knowledge of the subject. MD
I have been acquainted with DC, and his deceased wife, Valerie, since 1970.
I have his book and acknowledge he says that. I'm not in a position to debate him.
But, I have watched him knap from large chunks of flint/chert/agate without heating the stuff.
I know what I have reasearched. Guess this is one of those never ending debates.
I have his book and acknowledge he says that. I'm not in a position to debate him.
But, I have watched him knap from large chunks of flint/chert/agate without heating the stuff.
I know what I have reasearched. Guess this is one of those never ending debates.
Enjoyed all your flint comments.Please note that if you have a large lock like a fusil or musket you can just smash a flint node with a hammer and get some usable pieces.On Loading blocks Mountian man sketch book 2 by hanson and wilson a 10 ball loading block and a short starter is shown.In the age of firearms by held he has a photo of a roman noseded flint lock plain rifle with 3 shot loading block.This is from 1957 publihed before reinactorism came along.They dont seem to have been used by everyone but were used in the past.
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I made my percussors and copper flaker yesterday and just had to try my hand at knapping.
It Were't Pretty, but my was it fascinating. I actually got a pretty fair arrow point going with lashing notches chipped in just before I broke it in half trying to thin the middle. :rotf:
Made a copper bopper yesterday but don't really know how to set up platforms and isolate them yet.
I was making one hinge after another but seemed to be progressing. It's harder than it looks from the videos. MD
It Were't Pretty, but my was it fascinating. I actually got a pretty fair arrow point going with lashing notches chipped in just before I broke it in half trying to thin the middle. :rotf:
Made a copper bopper yesterday but don't really know how to set up platforms and isolate them yet.
I was making one hinge after another but seemed to be progressing. It's harder than it looks from the videos. MD
