Got a harsh critique on my flint knapping technique at a demo in Tulsa last weekend

I was showing off some arrowheads I made when this older guy told me my platforms were all wrong... he said I was crushing instead of flaking. He spent 20 minutes showing me how to set up the striking platform by grinding the edge first. I changed my whole approach after that and my flakes are way longer and cleaner now. Has anyone else had an old timer completely change how they work a stone?

3 comments

3 Comments

ray61310d ago

Used to think edge grinding was just for show. Calling it a game changer is an understatement.

oliviabutler9d ago

Yeah, 'game changer' is exactly right. I read somewhere that the way edge grinding works is it actually puts a micro-bevel on the blade, which makes it sharper than a standard grind. It's not just for looks, it changes the cutting geometry. I tried it on my kitchen knives after seeing that and it made a huge difference on slicing through tomatoes and onions. Have you noticed a big difference with tougher stuff, like cardboard or wood carving?

joseph_green139d ago

Edge grinding actually reduces friction on softer materials surprisingly well too lol.