2013 Yosemite Knap-in Announcement*
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| BEN CUNNINGHAM, HOST |
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| CHIP, THE FLINTKNAPPING BEAR |
Ben Cunningham will host the 3rd Annual Yosemite Knap-in at
the Indian Village in Yosemite National Park, California the first weekend in
August.
Ben
209-372-0303 - office
209-352-4086 - cell
Blog by: Ray Harwood. (contact at: figflint@yahoo.com)
Ray Harwood's Points of light, dreams of glass comes true.
Title Points of light, dreams of glass: an introduction to vitrum technology, Publication Type Journal Article 2001 was written by Ray Harwood, for Wescott’s Journal Bulletin of Primitive Technology. Volume 21, Pages 24-36 Publisher Society of Primitive Technology. Place Published Utah.
Title Points of light, dreams of glass: an introduction to vitrum technology, Publication Type Journal Article 2001 was written by Ray Harwood, for Wescott’s Journal Bulletin of Primitive Technology. Volume 21, Pages 24-36 Publisher Society of Primitive Technology. Place Published Utah.
In the article
Ray Harwood predicted a massive glass knapping revolution, from restrictive obsidian collecting laws and amazing diversity in color of modern glass. It is upon us!
GLASS KNAPPER'S CORNER
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| GLOWING GLASS! OF ELMER SNAGNASTY |
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| ELMER SNAGNASTY |
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| ELMER SNAGNASTY |
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| ELMER SNAGNASTY |
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| ELMER SNAGNASTY |
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| ELMER SNAGNASTY |
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| ELMER'S ART |
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| ELMER SNAGNASTY |
Knapping is part of a broader sculptural interest. I went to
Texas State University in San Marcos Texas and got a Bachelor's Degree in Fine
Arts, while there I studied Archaeology and Anthropology too.
The trick to working glass, particularly colored glass is
that it needs to be encased in clear glass so that the different
inconsistencies in the types of borosilicate glass aren't interfering with the
knapped work, which the flakes will dive or bounce if the flake runs into a
(air pocket) or an inclusion.
However, I still like knapping all types of materials and
find that the eccentric styles and challenging myself, also mixing metals into
the process through Electroforming, this keeps it interesting. I regard
knapping, in the modern sense as a sculptural process as it's no longer
critical to survival. I'm attracted to it because when you are a child and you
see an arrowhead, you have a mysterious feeling about it, maybe you try to
smash a rock on the pavement, but it just doesn't quite come out the same. Then
later you come to learn about how you can manipulate the stone, and you're
hooked, there is something primal about it and satisfying, like popping bubble
wrap, but much more satisfying, challenging and primal. It's addicting. It's
kinda dangerous. I've busted my thumb and cut myself, I figured out a hundred
ways NOT to make an arrowhead, but ya know I'll heal up, then go do it again.
Then eventually, people start asking about it, and you realize you're totally
into this esoteric hobby that hardly anyone has a clue about....even though it
took up a good chunk of the entire world's last couple hundred thousand years
as a pastime."
Blue Green Insulator Glass Point Made By Ishi.
...Ray Harwood
Blue Green Insulator Glass Point Made By Ishi.
Native Americans and Australian Aborigines both made arrowheads out of Insulators. The telegraph companies got fed up with the knappers steeling their glass isolators that they would leave free ones piles up by the poles so they wouldn't have to repair the section taken down by the knappers.This style insulator, nicknamed "signal", is one of the most diversely colored styles produced by Hemingray. Colors exist in practically the entire spectrum! The example shown above is blue/green and you can see the point made by Ishi, at the museum is the same color
Primary Embossings:
H.G.CO.
Hemingray
No Name
S.S.&CO.
Style Number:
19
Date Produced:
c.1880's-c.1940's
Rare Ishi Points From Private Collections
Through a shadowy maze of secret connections and back room meeting and a plethora of mass mailings fallowing up on leads and dead ends. Here is a portion of the Ishi points given away or sold by Ishi from his museum flintknapping demonstrations. All on this first post verified as authentic by chain of position and eye witness testimony and expert lithic technology diagnostics.
This point is extremely rare, made by Ishi from MAN MADE blue-green insulator glass
Point one is a classic side notch point with uncharacteristic wide notching, Insulator glass is brittle and tends to brake away on delicate tear drop notching.
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| Chris Nichols |
GLASS KNAPPERS' CORNER: FUSING WITH
Chris Nichols
"I've been a huge fan of things made from glass all my life, as a kid I started collecting old bottles and marbles because I loved the different colors you get with glass. I also started looking for Indian artifacts at a young age with my dad. I think those were the seeds planted in my soul, that got me on the path I'm on today, with my flint knapping and glass fusing. For a long time I've seen glass arrowheads that were of a single solid color of glass, and always thought that it would be cool to create a multi colored piece using stained glass panels, I purchased a slab of glass at a knap-in that was fused from many colors that was an American flag and new at that point, that it could be done. I'm a month in to fusing glass and there's no looking back! Can't wait to see what the future brings me as I learn new methods of glass fusing!"
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| Chris Nichols |
CHRIS NICHOLS : glass sequence:
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| Just about $50 for three panels, these are the best combo for camo I could find with the same melt temp! Coming soon! :) |
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| in the kiln to melt/ fuse |
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| loafs of amazing chippage, out of the kiln. |
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| lapidary saw -Slab the chipage into from |
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| knap AWSOMENESS! |
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| CHRIS NICHOLS |
Marion
Fillancq, French Female Glass Knapper
How speak
about human intelligence when you are glass worker and jeweler? Well, I found
an answer with flintknapping few years ago as I decided to make people consider
their origins, thinking about progress notion.
While our
ancestors used to work on rocks for their basic needs, we still do, but for our
desires. Must we damn that luxury? Can’t we consider it as… a tool… of charm? to
finally make our regard interrogate us, attracted by the seducer…
Every piece
feeds on a reflection, and on a concept which feed an aesthetics which
emphasizes semantics of a technique, and of one material, between raw and
precious.
At the
beginning I used to study flintknapping alone using books… and my brain ! I
remember my teachers thought I was crazy because it’s not a glass technic
Later I
could develop my work to do bigger works thanks to Vincent Lascour, a French
archeologist I met form Crognongnon, who goes on working with me for many
sculptures today.
2006:
Upgrade in Decorative arts, Toulouse
2007: CAP
glass-blower, Sarrebourg
2008: CAP
decorator on glass, Vanne le Chatel
2009:
companion European Glassworker " Glass and Light "
2012 : CAP
jewelry, Boulle School, Paris.
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Daniel A Pierce: Native American Master Jeweler of knapped Glass
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| Daniel Pierce, Native American Flintknapper |
Daniel Pierce is a young Native American flintknapper from the Eastern Sierra Nevada.
Flintknapping was not something he happened upon, it has always been around the area and part of his cultural upbringing. "No other reason than us being Paiute & Shoshone, Native. Had access to obsidian and that was it. It all began with obsidian". Daniel still knaps flint and his traditional
obsidian, but that's in the next issue.
,
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| Daniel knapping on TV . Traditional Native dwelling. |
LUKE SATTLER FROM COLORADO...KNIFE KNAPPER IN GLASS
15 years old
published geoscience writer avid
rock-hound and knapper
wrote a couple lithics articles on
artifacts and thought it could help write better and it looked fun so I bought a
few spalls and started learning to knap.
"No one taught me ... YouTube and
people's advice . But mainly James Shipley, Chris Nicholas, Andrew Keith, j hull and kris Johnson are the ones who helped me
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RAY HARWOOD
I once sat and observed the trade of a flintknapper.
The artist was at a later stage of reducing a large white stone into a long, thin well flaked blade. With each carefully planned flake detachment, a new opportunity for yet another flake removal arose, a new fork in the road.
Life is like a flintknapper taking flakes off a biface, each new flake that is removed, good or bad, long or short, yields a new opportunity and a new fork in the road, he must decide which path to take.
After quite some time, the thin well shaped blade was nearly complete; a load snap broke the repetitive metronome like blows, some choice vernaculars from the flintknapper’s tongue. Yet the flintknapper did not discard the stone. The flintknapper reached into his kit and pulled out an abrasive stone, removed the jagged spots from the end shock and began thinning down the area. After a bit of time and “clank, click, clank” of the flintknapper’s tools, I heard a bystander comment;"those are the two most beautiful matching white spear points I have ever scene”. It appeared as if the knapper had set down with the purpose of creating this beautiful matching set of white spear points and this flintkanpper was the star of the knap in. Life is like that, sometimes we have our biface of life snapped in half, and when all seems lost, and after some flakes of time, and against all odds, something great comes out of it
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| Ray Harwood. Montezuma Castle, Arizona |
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According to the park ranger at Montezuma Castle, Arizona this copper anomaly was discovered here. The artifact is now on display at the visitors' center at Montezuma Castle, Arizona.
Nestled into a limestone recess high above the flood plain of Beaver Creek in the Verde Valley, stands one of the best preserved and most easily accessible cliff ruins in North America. This 5-story, 20-room cliff dwelling served as a "high-rise apartment building" for prehistoric Sinagua Indians more than 600 years ago. ... ....
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Vincent Lascour, French Flintknapper of Mesoamerican Art
Vincent
Lascour French archeologistgist/ Flintknapper of Eccentrics since 1991 in Inrap
(Institute of Preventive Archaeological Research) I worked for 15 years on the
flint knapping. After reviewing all the stone tools techniques from prehistoric
times, a strong attraction to the Mesoamerican art has led me to study Mayan
religious sculptures in flint and obsidian called "eccentrics".
These
unique items are the most complex of flint knapping art expression where the
artist was able to sublimate and overcome the technical limitations of hard
stone work. It is therefore logical that my research turned to the ultimate
expression of the art of pressure flaking. I worked on different types of
sculptures whose theme is related to the god of the dead Kawil. This extremely
codified universe is imbued with a sacred dimension that adds to the difficulty
of achieving these artworks. This particular approach excentrique (1) of flint knapping, applied to this sacred art,
gives a unique spiritual dimension, directly from prehistory ...
JAKE WEBSTER AND THE HAUNTING WHITE FLINT GHOST POINTS
Email- JakeWebster07@hotmail.com
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| JAKE WEBSTER |
Ghost - or spirit or apparition - is the energy, soul or personality of a person who has died and has somehow gotten stuck between this plane of existence and the next. Most researchers believe that these spirits do not know they are dead. Very often they have died under traumatic, unusual or highly emotional circumstances. Ghosts can be perceived by the living in a number of ways: through sight (apparitions), sound (voices), smell (frangrances and odors), touch - and sometimes they can just be sensed. In the case of the hauntingly amazing ghost points by Jake Webster, the ghost is a series of notched negative images of arrowheads knapped into the base of a white flit bifaced point. Stuck between this plane of existence and causing the onlookers eye to stand in gaze. phantom - specter - spirit - apparition - specter – shade- shadow. Energy, soul or personality of a person who knapped the stone stays with the knapped art forever as it lays upon the sand.
“ Hello, my name is Jake Webster. I put my first antler
to stone at the early age of 12. My fascination with field finds was the jet
fuel that propelled me into the world of knapping. I taught myself how to make
these primitive weapons in an eleven year rock breaking, deer killing, journey.
When I finally got a chance to meet and work with a few fellow knappers who I
respect and appreciate greatly. Through there knapping generosity, Ed Mosher and
Aaron Lincoln removed the scales from my eyes and opened the door to the world
of knapping at its best for me. With their constant encouragement and
challenging me, I have been able to branch out and truly become saturated in
this art form Thanks for visiting! God bless “(flintknappers.com)
“First, are the "ghost" points, these were the
first to catch my eye on your gallery. You have several variations of them, Snyder’s,
corner, heart, and an eccentric. Where did you get the idea for these?
Typically my thought process in designing my points is
what would turn heads. I want to get attention and known among my fellow
knappers and I'm not going to get that making the same thing everyone else
makes. So I came up with the "Ghost" point and label each with my
name so that I have something out there that is somewhat original to me. Like a
signature point in the knapping community. I learned how to do this point style
while knapping with Aaron over the winter and fell in love with notching points
mainly because I just learned and was still learning how to get them deep.
Aaron challenged me to make a fish hook like one he made and I raced to start.
I broke so many of those little things and frustration had sunk in.. UNTIL I
learned what I was doing wrong. Little did I know that just the slightest torque
or bending force you put on a point will snap it every time and that’s what I
was doing to these hooks! So I grabbed a paint stirring stick cut it to match
my leather pad and was able to start cranking out fish hooks! This hollowing
out process became very fun to me when the idea hit me. Could this work on a
point? with notches?? I don't know how many casualties of nice points I lost
through this learning and developing process but it was worth it. The
"Ghost" point style ideas just came through wanting to challenge
myself because every time I do I learn immensely. “(Dwayne, Modern Flintknapper’s
Blog. Nov. 2011)
' Stone Tool, Bison Butchering Experiments; By Ray Harwood
Zac Scida, Bill Eddy and John Piri-above photo.
Stone Tool, Bison Butchering Experiments
At the last Bakersfield Knap In, I was telling John Piri that I was planning on going out and collection some Coso obsidian the next week end, John said “no your not”. John went on to say that his wife Carol, he, and fellow knapper Patrick Aims had made arrangements to slaughter two 1,500 LBS bison at a ranch Northwest of Bakersfield. John said anything goes in regards to stone tool butchering experimentation.
All week, as soon as I got home from work until night fall, I was out in the yard flintknapping my heart out, making flakes and bifaced obsidian tools for experiments. I posted on the "Lithics List", to see if I could get some ideas from some of the worlds leading lithic specialists and I was not disappointed. All the suggested experiments were systematically undertaken to the best of my abilities.
All humane and spiritual aspects were considered.
Gary Picket burning white sage.
The experiments were conducted Saturday, March 2, 2009 at a Ranch NW of Bakersfield, CA.
Those participating were; ranch personnel, flintknappers: Gary Picket, Patrick Aims, John and Carol Piri and Patrick’s ever growing extended family, and myself.
Bison in corral
Cowboy drove bison into corral
Bison was humanely shot and bled out.
Bison was skinned and butchered with stone knives.
Ray Harwood with his buffalo knife.
Unmodified Flakes and the Bison Experiment
Gary Picket and I were able to do some fairly extensive experimention on the bison butchering experiment. Unmodified flakes worked well for slicing through hide backed by bone (legs, skull). Unmodified flakes did not work well for skinning, lack of serration, to sharp to separate hide from carcass, leaves to much meat on the hide. Unmodified flakes are very hard to hold and control the get slippery with fat and blood on them. They are awkward to hold during the cutting process without a bone support behind them. Unmodified flakes do leave striation cut marks on the bones, very thin and highly distinguishable from biface butcher marks. The first cut in the skinning process is to free the hide from the legs of the carcass; this is where the unmodified flakes were most effective. Furthermore the Unmodified flakes we very important in the separation of the liver from the gallbladder and other delicate operations requiring very precise surgical slicing.
Western Crescent Points, Experiments in Bison Butchering
John Piri and I were discussing the possible function of a strange artifact anomaly know as the Western Crescent point.In the western United States, as in most geographic regions, there are a few classes artifacts which pose inerpretive problems regarding their possible uses, In California and a few adjoining states one of these artifact classes is the "crescent point". I had published a paper in 1983 on experimental results using the crescents as pond skipping projectile points. Attached to an arrow the point is like a French guillotine on a stick, skipping across pond water lopping the heads off unsuspecting water fowl - don't laugh- it actually worked very well. John's vision was that the crescent was a stone "ulu" type knife blade for skinning and butchering. The crescent is similar to the Eskimo Ulu, which appears to be a multipurpose knife like tool.
Crescents, dated by modern methods, have been documented at the following archaeological sites; San Dieguito, Pauma, Lake Mojave, Borax Lake Fallon,Danger Cave and Scotts Valley. Acluster of radiocarbon dates from San Diego County, California range in age from 5,000 B.C. to 100 A.D.
This week I was able knap several obsidian crescent point replicas, this morning John and I were able to put his theory to the test during our bison butchering experiment. John states that the crescent was the best skinning tool he has used, and he is an expert in large game butchering. While the finest steel knives and pattern flaked flint blades separated the skin from the carcass very well, the crescent did the same job but left the hide cleaner and nearly blemish free. The crescent also cut much faster. The slightly wavy -alternate flaked blade edge- gave just enough serration to keep a speedy cut.
Historic Clovis Points Made By J.B. Sollberger and Errett Callahan in about 1985
Were Part of "Bison Butchering Experiment". The wide Clovis was made for me by Errett when he was in Denmark (circa 1985) and the slender Clovis was made for me by Solly about the same time,at his home in Dallas, Texas.
Sollberger was a famous flintknapper in the 1970s- 1990s. He was noted for starting the Texas "school" of flintknapping and mastered the lever fluted methods common today. He was very well published and is concidered to have been true master flintknapper.
Errett Callahan, of Virginia, is concidered a master at flintknapping many styles, including Danish Daggers and fantasy obsidian knives. He has published much on the stages and sytematic methodologies of knapping. He aslo came up with the "lithic Grade Scale".
I found that the more even the edge of the Clovis the better it was for perferation but not for cutting. Callahan's point was very sharp and worked well to slice. The bit of alternate flaking on the sollberger point made it better at cutting. The point first perferation on both points was outstanding. Callahan's was better for slicing but Sollberger's point cut better. Both points held there edge well during the butchering experiment. The blade edges will be magnified in future studies.
Here are the two historic Clovis points:
Above J.B. Sollber knapping the Clovis at his home in Dallas, 1985.
Above Errett Callahan works on a Clovis point.
Obsidian verses chert: As expected, the obsidian was sharper and seemed work but more effectively overall, but the bifaced knife that held its’ edge longest and did the brunt of the work
Was a hafted, Greenstone chert, knife. The theme of the day was, if a kinife has a slight, unintentional serration, caused by alternate flaking, the cuts much more effectively than an evenly knapped or unmodified blade edge, be it obsidian or chert. If I would have known this going into the experiment, I would have made my implements accordingly.
Above 3 photos John uses my green chert knife to skin bison. Below, obsidian.
Separating the joints with flint hand axe, We were so fatigued
By the time got to this experiment that we switched to a steel saw and will have to do it next time. Gary Picket had knapped a nice flint hand axe and used it effectively in the skinning process.
The day after the butchering, I noted that all my muscles were sore from the taxing physical requirements of task. To my surprise, insects and small animals had cleaned the knives fairly well. I had to re-glue almost all my handles and apply oil to the wood. I also had to re-glue beads on my large buffalo knives and re-tar the knives hafting. After some close analysis, pressure retouch will be needed for a fresh sharp edge, and I will be ready for the next butchering experiments. Another bison butchering experiment in 9 months, anything you want tested let me know, or maybe you can come along. The next one will be all Clovis tool kit replicas. (figflint@yahoo.com)
KERN RIVER GREEN OBSIDIAN, A COMBUSTIAN METAMORPHIC
Similar to Grimes Canyon Fused Shale, this material was created from supper heated surface combustion. The sand melted between the layers of dirt and rock creating lenses of beautiful green glass. The variant here would be the absence of micro-vesicles found in the Grimes Canyon Fused Shale. When I first found this deposit a few years ago, there were about eight colors ranging from dark blues through yellow. Now the only color left is olive green. The Kern material also occurs in lenses. The Fused Shale was utilized by native cultures for flintknapping and many artifacts can me seen made of this material. The Kern River Green Obsidian was created sometime in the historic period, and it was not likely utilized for flintknapping until I found it two years ago. It appears a localized oil fire burn here for an extended period, with great amounts of heat. Until today, I am the only one that knows about this rare lithic resource.
...... .... ... .. . THE AMAZING SURVIVAL AND RETURN OF EMORY COONS, FLINTKNAPPING MASTER
"It's not been and easy and still not recoverd from the horrific accident, that almost killed me, on February 12, 2012. 10:30 am, the day after my 41'st birthday. I was already out in the Arizona sun digging fire agate for the season. The day was a day like any other. I had driven up the long dirt road to the " steep spot". Tim, my friend, parked his "400" and I started up the steep spot at 5 mph. Strange, I have been up that grade 50 times or more before. This time however, something went very wrong. As I ascended I bumped a rock about the size of a baseball with the front of the vehicle. The bars were jerked out of my right hand. I reached back for it only to bump it off 4x4 mode and the Polaris 700 put all the power to the rear wheels, the vehicle went into a high speed forward flip coming right over the top and crushing me in a cloud of dust, noise and intense weight. It all seemed to happen in slow motion, I new what was going to happen but couldn't jump off left or right. Tim, seeing the horror that was unfolding, instantly took of towards me in a dead run. I looked up to see the 4x4 on top of me, the headlight sitting beside my head on the ground, my adrenaline, and will to survive, gave me the power and I kicked the vehicle off me. Engine still running, I could feel everything as the weight was removed, my cheekbone crushed, and the bones splintered as the 4x4 rolled down the hill. I lay there put my hands over my face from the extreme pain. At this time Tim had arrived by my side "let me look" he said. I sat up reluctantly, drew back both hands as two full hands of blood gushed from my wounds and splattered on the rocks below, I could barely see as Tim's face went white. I actually credit the plastic milk crate I had lashed to the back of the 4x4 with saving my life. The crate just propped up on the ground unevenness to allow enough room under the 600 to 800 pound machine to keep from crushing me to death. Next, Tim helped me up and together we made it all the way down to my truck.
After the horrific hike to the truck we went back up the hill to call out for aid. In my truck, I sat with the thoughts of my rapidly approaching pending death, I gathered my self together and began wrighting my "last will and testament" on a blood soaked paper on the seat. Spitting out yet more precious blood the entire time. Tim had been gone for some time trying to signal for help, he got back in 45 minutes with no luck of getting a signal out, time was of the essence, and he asked me what to, we quickly decided to attempt ride back up with him driving, it was 17 miles to the main road .At this point drove into Quartzite, friends looked at me and threw me into the truck and rushed me to Parker ER, at 5pm at 8pm they brought anougher 4x4 accident victim in that had broken a rib and it had shoved through a lung, that lady died on the other side of the curtain from me. 11pm the doc comes in says "Vegas or Pheonix?" I had a friend I stayed with before the accident in Pheonix so it was there went. It was 1:00 am when the ambulance got to Phoenix 3 :am when they roled me into a room to rest and 3:00 pm the next day they released me with pain pills. They never even washed the blood off my face. I stayed almost 2 weeks on my friends couch and he took me back to Quartzite I stayed almost another week there, then to another friends house just out of Bullhead City, Nevada for a week and a half, it took 3 days to get home.
Now I can still chip but being cold and broken bones don't do well in cold. I went to the glass buttes knapp-in 3 trips only the day. The doc put me on steriods thinking I was allegic to pain meds took me off them in May. Later, went to Brad and Jim Hoppers' knapp-in only to break out in hives (later found out it was nerve damage) and was having trouble seeng so in July the doc said I had shattered the ocualer cavity 8 to 16 months heal time. As a very long year rolled around they put a prism in my glass's I could see but the left eye focus's at 15 to 17 inches and the right 12 inches infront of my face. I found at the glass buttes knap-in I could still percussion flake but preasure flaking was to close and my eyes, and my eyes would cross tryng to focus giving me major migrains. There is alot of depression, from just not wanting or being able to do anything while you are tripping over your own feet, but sooner or later you have to decide what you are going to do about it, it helps to have friends that don't give up on you no matter the time and effort even, if your an ass, the pain was overwhelming at times and it's still frustrating not being able to do much.
. It's not
been easy to make any sort of living being a flintknapper, sure you meet a lot
of people, but your still alone in a crowd. Most knappers are either white
haired and choose this as a retirement hobby, not a career. You want to learn
from the best to be the best. When no
one is there to guide you on angles, edge prep or what material is the best and
so on, it's very discouraging. Most tapes on the subject are saying one thing
and doing another, for instance; telling someone to “hit below the centerline”
but everything that comes off will keep the piece thick and looking like a
speed bump, take note, when you change the degree of hit to that platform it
can do many things some of the worst being: put a hinge fracture in it, snap
the piece with too much force or occasionally over thin by sending a flake across
the piece 1/2 to 3/4 . I tell my students if the edge is tipped toward the
inside of your leg, a shorter flake is produced. If you the set the biface on
top your leg, you get a longer flake and on the outside of your leg you might
overdue it and send the flake all the way over. The main thing is consistency.
When I was
learning, I was fortunate to be able to watch a couple of the best
flintknappers at work, notably, Steve Allely from Sister, Oregon, an artist in
his own right, and Brian James. Steve used copper and one angle and Brian used
mostly horn and stone. One hit would be above the centerline later actually at
the holding angle it was always below the center line because it moves as you
tip the piece; I did not catch on to this variable dynamic right away. You
could see what Steve was doing by the angle and platform below the center line.
I adapted both of their techniques to work for me and started making larger and
larger blades. I had never heard of Ted Orcutt before Ray Harwood of Western Lithic's
sent me an article he had written on the subject. It was never about beating
Ted Orcutt’s record, I just wanted to make and share things that no one
attempted doing. If not for knapping, I would have gone nuts long time before
this. It's nice to sit out in the hills watching clouds or a creek knapping a
point, thinking of how my ancestors did this out of necessity, rather than
going and ordering a Big Mac. One of my proudest moments was when I was given a
few arrows my dad killed deer with and I took off the “bent herders steal tips”
and put my own obsidian arrowheads them. I took these special arrows out on the
hunt into the deep wilderness and was fortunate enough to fell both a cow elk
and a forked horn buck. Yeah, I have chipped tons of rock in some pretty weird
things, and I’ve loved every minute. Flintknapping has gotten me through all
the rough times in my life and if I couldn't do that anymore I would not have
the wherewithal to be typing this for you all.
the blades i made the summer before i found out 1 month ago are in the new crhonnicls of Riddick movie comming out in september gives me something to look forward to so i still can't see my arm close to my nose but doc says last week i need bi-folkles and the one before him a week said i broke every bone in the left side of my face..... i will never fully recover my left inner ear was totaly crushed and my right needs a hearring aid so the story goes on??? div> Emory Coons; Big Blade Maker : By Ray Harwood
Emory trade mark eagle.
Emory, the young prodigy.
"I told that kid to leave my rocks alone, he would cut himself, he was 5 years old - DARN KID IS STILL BRAKING MY ROCKS!" - DAD
"As of late many knappers are creating ever larger
pieces of lithic art in the form of huge bifaces.
Emery Coons reportedly percussion bifaced a 50 inch
preform and managed a 40 inch finished neofact. I
wrote the Coon's family and requested information and
a photo by received no response.
At the California knap in this year, large the key
word.
Many from other states, such as Coons in Oregon, are
also thinking large and obsidian suppliers are selling
more mega slabs than ever.
Named the Orcutt syndrome after an old time knapper
named Ted Orcutt, whom was known for his massive
biface work. More later..." Ray Harwood Aug. 30. 2000
Emory's work. 2
Emory's work. 3
Emory 4
Two of my first flintknapping buddies were Jim Winn and Barney DeSimone. During the old days they starting going up to Glass Buttes and they would tell me stories of the great biface knappers they had up there. One such knapper was really good at the giant blades and he was just a kid.
His name is Emory Coons and he is one of the few big blade makers in the world. His biggest to date is 41 inches finished (mud sedimentary) and he has a 47 inch (world record) pumpkin blade in the shop waiting to be finished. Emory keeps his blades thicker than Cole’s because he transports them to a lot of shows. He sometimes makes them thinner or even pressure flaked. He has been chipping large blades since the 1990's and most have been 20 to 36 inches. If you are interested in purchasing a large blade he is only limited to what pops out of the ground for color and length. Most large blades are out of silver sheen obsidian, pumpkin or red are harder to find and several out of dacite it's a steel grey color. But you never know what color the next large chunk will be.
Above photo is a 42 inch flake. The 18 lbs billet (The billet he got from Dan Stuber) is sitting above the pit, he used this to strike the rock and remove the monster spall.
One of my favorite stories is when Emory traded a 21 and a 31 inch blade for a Winchester riffle with Leopold scope. To make these giant blades Emory Coons digs a ditch and makes sure there are no rocks left in there that can cause vibration. The 30 lbs billet to the rock then as it gets smaller the 18 lbs billet then the 9 lbs, then, use a 1 inch solid or copper cap to build a lot of platforms to take massive flakes. The first stages involves alternate flaking, driving massive spalls off with a 9 pound copper Billet. For finer work he uses a 2 and a half inch copper bopper to reduce end shock. Barney DeSimone introduced Emory to copper billet technology when Emory was 16 years old and Steve Allely taught his copper platform preparation and use. Brian James was a big influence on horn platforms. Emory was introduced to flintknapping by his father, another great knapper, at the age of five years. Emory met Jim Winn a few years back and Jim began making large blades as well.
Emory makes three to four giant blades a year, this since he was 18 he is now 38. which is about 54 mega-blades to date. Emory is so good at spalling that people nearly kidnap him to reduce giant boulders. He is getting a 43 pound billet and the late Rick Woodram left him a 6 foot drag saw, so who knows what monsters may emerge.
Emory 10, blades
Emory 11. dacite blade
Emory 8. knapping
Emory 9. Face off
Emory 12. dacite blade
Emory 13. blade
Emory with Jim Winn 14
Emory 15
Emory 7 A News Paper
Emory 7 B News Paper
Emory 6, NewsPaper.
Emory 5, in News Paper.
BIO:
Emory Coons was born in Burns Oregon in 1971 and started flintknapping at the age of five, 33 years ago. He has resided in Burns most of his life and attended Burns Union High School winning awards in the crafts department for jewlery two different years. He has been perfecting his skills as a artist ever since, flintknapping, silversmith, lapidary and teaching his craft to others. He has been on OPB on The Caveman at Glass Buttes and Channel 2 News Boise Idaho about the Nyssa rock and gem show multiple times. Several news paper articles have been written on his art from gem and mineral shows he has attended in Nyssa Oregon, Burns Oregon, Madras Oregon, The Dalles Oregon, Pendleton Oregon, Mission Oregon, Salem Oregon and the Oregonian in Portland Oregon and Golden Dale Washington. The Pendleton Mission papers had a mention for round-up as well as the blades he chipped were built into the Umatilla Veterans’ Memorial. He has taught classes in flintknapping at Indian Lake for the Umatilla tribe four years also the wild horse atl-atl demonstration as well as Pipestone Creek Alberta Canada and in Medicine Hat British Colombia Canada for the Jr. Forest Wardens, at Northern Lights out of Slocan Canada twice, also demonstrated flintknapping along the Oregon Wagon Train in 1993, Baker interruptive center, and Windows to the Past for the BLM and Forest Service. Then there's knapp-ins (arrowhead makers conventions) at Glass Buttes Oregon, Ed Thomas Golden Dale Washington knap-in, Richardson’s rock ranch knap-in and the Brad Boughman- Jim Hopper Knapp-in on the upper North Umqua some of the worlds best knappers come to these events to show there skills and teach. Emory attends gem and mineral shows like the Confederated show in Onterio, Nyssa Thunder Egg Days, Prineville Oregon, Hines Oregon Obsidian Days show his father started and the Madras, Oregon gem and mineral show. At these shows he can find most of the exotic materials from other countries, like fire opal from Australia, Brazilian agate, Condor agate from Central America, or crystals, Idaho star garnets and other gems to make arrowheads or jewlery out of. The Fire Obsidian is one of his favorites to find and work. His work can be seen at Boise University (display), Omsi (display), Great Basin Art in Prairie City, Oards 'War Hawk'(tomahawk heads assembled by Great Basin Art), The Edge Company magazine (War Hawks), or some of the local Burns stores. Most of his work has been sought after by private collectors and as gifts. His friend in The Dalles, Jason Hinkle, has oregonthundreggs.com and has put a web page up for Coons Lapidary with pictures and contact information for the selling of his art.
Notes:
Progression of age pictures are numbers 1,13,10,8,4,9,14,15,11,12,oldest to now, the eagle was made 3 days ago, the first picture, at the top of the article, knapped inbetween snow storms.
11 is silver scheen obsidian, the one pictured with Jim Winn is dacite and
picture 15 is the mud sedamentry.
Emory Coon's axes and Danish Daggers(above).'War Hawk'(tomahawk heads assembled by Great Basin Art)
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By Hank Ray
I once new a man named Emory Coons
He lived out in the woods just like- Daniel Boone.
He knew how to live out off the land
Just like Ted Orcutt and Ishi the Indian man.
Emory made giant blades out of obsidian and flint
He stayed out at Glass Buttes in a canvas tent.
He learned how to knap when he was very young
even Errett Callahan couldn't believe what he done.
I once new a man named Emory Coons
He lived out in the woods just like- Daniel Boone.
He knew how to live out off the land
Just like Ted Orcutt and Ishi the Indian man.
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Interesting Research Project
Harwood, Ray and Cay Singer Northridge Archaeological Research Center : OBSERVATIONS ON BROKEN POINTS: EXPERIMENTAL DATA. A series of experiments were conducted to determine something about the variables affecting the breakage patterns of projectile points. Thirty identical points were made from fused shale (a local meta-sedimentary Sio2), and then hafted to three different types of arrow-shafts: 1) One-piece solid hardwood, b) two piece hardwood, and c) two-piece hardwood and cane. The three groups of arrows, ten of each type, were shot at identical Wood plank targets with hand held bow from a distance of 25 feet (8m). More than 90% Of the points broke on impact leaving the broken tip imbedded in the plank. Breaks occurred either at the tip or midsection, sometimes accompanied by basal fractures (broken tangs0. Both hinge and languette fractures were generated but no burinations occurred in the thirty trials conducted. Fracture type and location appear to be strongly correlated with hafting form and style of shaft. Compound shafts of wood and cane seem to absorb more shock on impact and therefore fewer points are broken. Also, breaks tend to occur closer to the tip with compound shafts. Points with broken tips are easily resharpened and reused, whereas medial breaks usually render the point useless as a projectile. Broken projectile points from archaeological contexts may be understood more clearly if the cause and mechanisms of use-fracture are better understood.
2010, WESTERN LITHICS, WORLD FLINTKNAPPING CHAMPION, KING NOTCHER, STEVE ALLELY, SHOWS YOU HOW TO MAKE WORLD CLASS NOTCHES
2010 WESTERN LITHICS. KING NOTCHER WORLD FLINTKNAPPING CHAMPION TROPHY.
2010, WESTERN LITHICS, WORLD FLINTKNAPPING CHAMPION, KING NOTCHER, STEVE ALLELY
Steve Allely is knapper who began breaking rocks in 1967 and hasn't slowed
down much in the last 40 plus odd years of working stone. He specializes
in beautiful high color points of the Western US although he can make many
styles of points and knives. He is also an accomplished flat work artist
in painting and illustration. Additionally, he is a bow maker specializing in the
subject of Native American archery for over 20 years and has illustrated a
number of books and written the periodic chapter on the subject in the well
known Bowyers Bible book series with Jim Hamm of Bois d' Arc Press.
He has taken a number of deer with his sinew backed bows obsidian tipped
arrows and dressed them out with obsidian knives. He also replicates various
Native American material culture items for museums and interpretive exhibits.
When he's not breaking rock, scraping on bows or wielding paint brushes he
periodically plays Celtic music and doodles with several kinds of bagpipes. Steve and
his wife make their home in central Oregon, a "rock rich" area for a western
knapper.
ISHI, FATHER OF NOTCHINGThis years runners up: Second place: Ray Harwood, third place: Joe Dabill.
Nocthing Ishi points #6 [-]
Posts: 3
(05/04/10 9:34 AM)
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My Recent PostsMessage MeBlockingIgnore User's Posts A few helpful hints on narrow notching is that first you have to make the area of the point you're going to notch, very thin to begin with. That will solve a number of problems before you even start and is essential. You'll need that part of your point thin so you're not fighting any thickness which is highly helpful. I use a filed down very flat and thin welding rod tip with the end having not a point but a tiny flat area as if one flattened off the end of a wooden popsicle stick but at a slight angle instead of at a 90 degree. This flat and thin tip is tiny and miniature is size and looks something like a tiny screwdriver tip for eyeglasses screws only its at a slight angle if that makes sense. You can use a horse shoe nail, regular nail or any other piece of mild steel or iron like Ishi did. I used a 7 or even a 10 power jewelers hood when doing this (its really hard to see it!) and it took several attempts as its very hard to do. I made a very tiny micro notch to start with using the flat thin flaker that I gradually went into the edge of the point a ways. Then as I got the notch started an in a ways from the edge maybe a 11/16" or so, I inserted the flat tool into the notch from the side, gently set up a little platform, and carefully pressed off a little crescent shaped notch flake to expand the notch outward and into the point but not too big, because if that flake is too large it circles back and tears open your tiny narrow notch entry and wrecks it. One has to "micro narrow notch" a little ways into the point from the edge, and then start to take off larger flakes a bit more aggressively. After you get away from the edge it gets much safer and a bit less of a risk to break it. As you notch you have to set up your platforms to the next side you take your flakes off of. I pop off a flake, very gently crunch my way in a ways but build the platform to the opposite side and very gently scrape (grind) it with my flaking tool which is setting up the platform for the next flake on the other side. Then the process repeats if all goes well. What you don't want is to get your edge to thicken up too much in the mid line of the notch and then you can start to get "stuck" and spin your wheels in taking a flake off as your platform is too far from either side stuck in the middle and it starts to get too thick so your tool keeps slipping instead of taking off a flake. You can sometimes power through and pop off a large one but you can wreck it very easily at that point and will be heard quoting Homer Simpson with a loud "D'oh!"...or worse... In short, it takes lots of practice and I've seen a number of Ishi's old points at the Hearst Museum where he "messed up" and popped his notches out wider than he wanted or had planned. That's essentially it, its just meticulous mirco notching. Its not a deep dark secret nor rocket science, just very careful tiny flaking with lots of practice (and many failures) This is probably the tiniest notched point I've ever managed to make with the entries under 1 mm but I was pushing the envelope even for me and it took several tries as I messed up somebefore I was successful. When I notch this way I work on my knee on an old green chain leather apron and hold the tool straight down when I get to the 'insert it into the inner notch" stage if that makes sense. The tiniest mistake of twisting your tool wrong can mess you up if you aren't super careful. Practice on glass or obsidian flakes a lot, the more you do it the better you'll get at it. I'll try to post some pics I have if I can ever figure out how to attach them as this web site doesn't seem to allow to pull a saved jpeg off my computer to post.
Description follows..
The welding I use rod is numbered 6013 and is a type you can get at most any Ace hardware store and is a mild steel (I think) a kind of multi purpose rod about 1/8 thick. I don't use the big thick heavy 3/16 rod nor stainless rod as its a bit too hard. I cut the rod in half and get two flakers out of each half. I use them as they are with no handles and then file the tool end down fine like a little eye glasses screwdriver for miniature tiny notching stuff. The rods eventually shorten down with repeated filing (you have to re file the end constantly) and get too short to hold over time. I like holding them just as they are while others prefer something in a handle, its up to the preference of the knapper really. You can do the exact same thing with a simple slim nail 1/8" thick or a horse shoe nail with the head cut off and stuck in a wood handle. Everyone makes their own tools a bit different.
When I looked at one of Ishi's small flaking tools in the Hearst museum, it was simply a piece of about 1/8" iron or a slim nail stuck in a wood handle. I made an exact same sized copy of it (see photo #004) and I'm sure its one of, if not the tool he probably used for his retouch and narrow entry notching although I've never seen anything written up on the specifics of how he did that. I did make an exact copy of his one of Ishi's larger regular iron flakers too which was a soft iron rod lashed into a wood handle with cordage. (pic #004)) Ishi's flake tools did not come to a sharp point but were metal version of the old antler tools in which they were shaped something like a screwdriver end with slight rounded edges or akin to the end of a popsicle stick that has been flattened slightly and not too rounded. The platform is prepared and the edge of this kind of flaker is put placed vertically on the edge of the piece one is knapping to press a flake off. Its how I flake with copper tools that look basically like Ishi's pressure flaking tools and I've been doing it that way for many years.
Lots of knappers pressure flake with a pointed sharp tipped tool. They prepare a platform, then place the point of the tool just above the edge that they are going remove a fake off of. That works ok and many folks flake like this, but I'm convinced from old flake tools I've seen and from looking at tons of original lithics in the far west, that the old guys (Ishi included) mostly made pressure flaking tools with a flat edge then placed that tool edge on the edge of their preform or point. Its really about the only way you can really get an antler tool to flake like you see on old points and it sort of surprises me that a lot of modern day knappers don't flake that way at all. The flat tool type edge flaking method is fast, easy, takes less of a platform and you remove the platform as you go and get super sharp edge which is how I make my points I shoot deer with.
For the ultimate challenge, one can make all antler flaking tools like this and try flaking the narrow notches with them. I've done it that way too and they are basically the made the same, very small flat and narrow but you have to constantly redress the edges as you go as they are more frail but it does work. I've seen old Wintu points and other points from the Great Basin that were made that way. Now THAT would be a fun narrow notch competition wouldn't it?...antler only tools!
Way too much here to write and elaborate on further in this short of a space. Good luck all!
Photos are as follows:
#004 Exact replicas of Ishi's soft iron flake tool lashed on wood handle and his smaller retouch or notch tool
#006 My fine flaking tools, welding rod and a horse shoe nail with end cut off and inserted in wood handle which is a favorite of Jim Hopper.
#008 Close up of how welding rod tips look. Upper one is for super thin entry notching
#015 Point made from white novaculite and Montana banded agate full of "pepper" spot swirls
#010 Close up of back lit Montana agate point. Entry notches are slightly less than 1mm. The blue glass Ishi point was less than that.
Bakersfield Knap-In, 15 Years Of Monthly Flintknapping
Photos By Dennis Mahan
Flintknappers still “Knap-in” after 15 years
By Dennis Mahan
Flintknappers from near and far gathered in Bakersfield’s Hart Park on Sunday to mark the ten-year anniversary of the longest-running monthly “Knap-in” in the world.
The Bakersfield Knappers, started by Gary Pickett, Ray Harwood, Danny Raines and Sherry Pauley, meet the first Sunday of every month to practice the ancient art of making stone tools such as arrowheads, knives and other projectile points.
“I like the camaraderie,” said Harwood, 53, of Bakersfield, who is an archaeologist with a degree from California State University, Northridge. “We advance our knowledge by keeping in practice and sharing ideas.”
Harwood and other group members give Pickett a lot of the credit for the group’s progress and success.
“Gary is an excellent teacher. He has the gift of teaching and has a lot of patience with us,” said Jim Boatman, 65, of Tehachapi.
Pickett’s interest in flintknapping came more than 20 years ago when he began finding old arrowheads in the creeks of southern Missouri where he grew up. He was fascinated by the arrowheads and thought he could make them himself.
“I just started beating two rocks together,” said Pickett, 48, who moved to Bakersfield in 1997.
It was five years of trial and error before he made much progress, but moving to Bakersfield and meeting Harwood through a flintknapping Web site helped both of them progress faster. They decided to meet every month and work on rocks, but didn’t expect for the small group to grow like it did.
“I’m pleased with the progress and the people it’s brought,” said Pickett.
Every meeting brings folks from all over the state — Inglewood, Ridgecrest and Sacramento — and even from out of state. One man visiting California from Louisiana heard about the group and came out for a visit.
Flintknapper Fred Swanson comes from Weldon for the experience he gets from talking with Pickett. He feels that flintknapping can be good therapy.
“You get hooked on it. It’s an enjoyable, relaxing endeavor. You get started and you kind of forget about everything else,” said Swanson.
For anyone interested, the group will provide the tools, rocks and lessons to get started during the “Knap-in.” For those who would like to get started on their own, tools include deer antler, hammer stones and the more modern “copper bopper,” along with a chunk of obsidian rock. www.lettherockroll.com GARY'S PHONE 661-444-6163
The next demonstration will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, FIRST SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH near the east entrance of Hart Park. For more information go to ED MOSHER, FLINTKNAPPING AT THE STATE FAIR
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Notes..Jim Shipley a.k.a. Grinning Bear
My name is Jim Shipley a.k.a. Grinning Bear and I have been knapping for about 2 1/2 yrs but the first yr was spent lost in the chip pile. I am mostly self taught and am still searching for my "inner rock" or style. I try to learn and use all aspects of Primitive Arts to support my craft.
I was a Black powder enthusiast and crafted trinkets for the Rendezvous years ago and knapping seems to be a natural step back in that process. I am currently using copper but still have my Abbo tools that I started with. I have been fortunate to make many new friends thru knapping and find that this group of "like minded people" are Good Honest Folks! Here is some photos
I was a Black powder enthusiast and crafted trinkets for the Rendezvous years ago and knapping seems to be a natural step back in that process. I am currently using copper but still have my Abbo tools that I started with. I have been fortunate to make many new friends thru knapping and find that this group of "like minded people" are Good Honest Folks! Here is some photos
Hi. Off the wall question for you. I want to get in touch with Ray Harwood. It's a long story but I have a family heirloom that belongs to someone he knows and I'm trying to track them down. Could you provde an email?
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing all of this information. I've always hunted arrowheads, attempted at knapping a few, and knew there were groups "out there" who did that, but never looked into it. This really opened my eyes. Joe Chandler, Gilmer, Texas.
ReplyDeleteI lost my password, or I would wrire on here every day. Find me on YouTube, Amazon Books, Kindle Books and Facebook
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