Basic Flint Knapping Instruction
Flint knapping, sometimes referred to as pressure flaking, is the process used to create projectile points out of stone, such as arrowheads and spear tips used for hunting and defense. This method has been used for over 10,000 in North America, and evidence of this process can be found all over the continent, particularly in the southwestern region, where ancient projectile points have been found and documented. For a beginner, flint knapping is a time consuming process and may take some time--and a bunch of broken rocks--to perfect.
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Things You'll Need
- Obsidian, chert or other glass-like rock
- Hammer stone (hard, round river rocks)
- Leather or rawhide
Instructions
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1
Find a suitable stone to produce the projectile point. Traditionally, obsidian, quartz, sometimes chert and other glass-like rocks were a preferred stone to use for flint knapping. Obsidian is a very sharp glass-like volcanic rock, appearing black, and when held up to the light is slightly opaque.
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Find a stone to flake the rock. These stones are referred to as hammer stones by archaeologists and are typically hard and round in shape, or have a blunt protrusion end about the size of your thumb. Round or oddly shaped river rocks work well as hammer stones.
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3
Drape a piece of rawhide or leather over your less dominant hand, then place the stone you wish to shape on the leather, and grip it with your hand. The leather will provide a bit of protection from flying debris, and prevent you from bruising your hand while you shape the stone.
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4
Strike the stone hard with the hammer stone along the edges. The idea here is to create a triangular shape, with two sharp sides, and one side about as thick as half the diameter of your finger, for mounting in a spear staff or arrow shaft. Strike the rock at an angle, all along the edges until the material starts flaking off, and the triangular shape is produced.
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Tips & Warnings
In the sitting position, place your less dominant arm across your knee to support the hand when striking the stone.
If flint knapping obsidian, use caution because shards of fine rock may fly up into your face. You may want to wear protective eye gear.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit indian arrowhead image by Jim Mills from Fotolia.com
