Onondaga Chert

[Trapper]

On another thread we were talking about flint life and I mentioned that I use a rock called chert. Well, it's really called Onondaga chert. The Iroquois used to call it Devil's rock cause it was hard to knapp.I know for a fact that there is a vein of it running right through the middle of New York state and continues into lake Erie. I found out about this at a flint knappers show. Now, when I say ya just have to bend over and pick up the flakes it's not quite that easy. Right now it's the time to start looking the fields for it. Round here, I walk through the plowed fields looking for grey semishiny rocks. When ya pick them up they are smooth and usually have one or two good edges for the lock. If you're real lucky that half baried rock is n arrow head. Anybody in the North East go to the state geological department and get a geogologic survey state map. It will show where in the state the veins are. All ya have to do is find an outcropping or look in the farmers fields. I've never met a farmer yet that would not let you take rocks out of his fields. The best time during the summer is a day after a rain, it washes off the dirt and the chert has a semigloss look to it, it's the shiny spot in the dull dirt. I got this idea by looking for arrow heads. PS find some guys that knapp flint in your area, they'll be glad to give ya tips. Oh ya, ya might just find a great hunting area.

 

[tg]

Just wanted to add one thing, keep the sun at your back if it is low in the sky when you are looking for the stones.

 

[Ghost Wind]

why is that, shadows make them easier to see?

 

[tg]

you can see them easier if you are not looking into a low surise or sun set, and on uneven plowed ground the sunny side shows them better as those on the shadey side of a clump of dirt won't catch the sun and give their positions away

 

[pichou]

Flint is usually defined as a chert that has a small crystal size, giving it a wax-like luster.

Grainy cherts are more difficult to work, in general.