colibri
off to a rocking start
Member since July 2018
Posts: 8
|
Post by colibri on Aug 11, 2018 13:58:01 GMT -5
anyone know a place i could source knapping quality obsidian for making arrow points etc. ?
|
|
|
|
Post by woodman on Aug 11, 2018 15:21:11 GMT -5
What make obsidian good for knapping?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2018 16:08:05 GMT -5
If you are near (or will be traveling around) the west coast of North America, my suggestion would be to go dig your own. There are several good locations where you can pick up great quality material for free. If you are stuck in a volcano-free region, or just aren't capable of bending over to pick it off the ground, there are many rock shops that may be able to supply you (perhaps a few that contribute here may want to chime in?). Most knappers like to pick out their own pieces, however. What make obsidian good for knapping? As long as it isn't fractured, or laden with coarse crystals or other inclusions (e.g., cristobalite or mud pockets), it flakes beautifully. I've heard some folks spout that it needs to be heat-treated, but that is completely unneeded for obsidian (and heat treatment can actually cause microbubbles in the stone to explode or craze the piece). |
|
|
|
Post by orrum on Aug 11, 2018 17:07:10 GMT -5
I live in rock free North Carolina. I learned to knapp with toilet tanks, porcelain tiles, ceramic porcelain plates, vase bottoms etc. Certain beer and wine bottle bottoms. Put a 20 Nain in it and shake vigorously and the bottom falls off. TV glass is fantastic, Older monitors have nice green glass. Go to old dumps in the woods and get vinegar and bleach jug bottoms, the collectors got all the whole ones but you can get tge botyoms. Also Milk Of Magnesia bottoms, love that cobalt blue glass. Best of all is the white bottom glass of , oh oh forgot that makeup stuff that came in thick white jars, help me out folks. Some stained glass scraps are thick enough. Biggs jasper and polka dot knapp with no heat treatment. Contact almost any one one here that sells rough and they probably have obsidian. At last fheck Tony/Catmandew on here had about 4 tractor trailer loads!!! LOL. The man loves rocks! I have a good selection of heat treated Kay County chert from Ok, heat tteated Novaculite from Arkansaw, heat treated Pedernales or Edwards Plateau whatever it is from Texas and some heat treated coral from Florida but I won't sell it. I could trade you some depending on n what you got. Best obsidian is a type called Black Butter, it's the king!!! Look up Dog Valley Dick, he is on facebook. He has black butter plus others. Tell him the one legged cowboy sent you!
|
|
|
|
Post by orrum on Aug 11, 2018 17:08:26 GMT -5
20d nail to knock out bottoms. White glass is Noxsema.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2018 17:33:27 GMT -5
A couple of videos showing people grabbing some nice stuff at Glass Buttes:
Be sure to look at the knapped pieces shown toward the end of the first video. The second does a better job of showing the area itself. Glass Buttes is in the middle of nowhere (except for rockhounds - Hampton Butte is nearby), but well worth the trip to get there). |
|
colibri
off to a rocking start
Member since July 2018
Posts: 8
|
Post by colibri on Aug 11, 2018 22:16:06 GMT -5
thanks for the responses. I’m in Pittsburgh right now. so far from any volcanic activity, but close to flint ridge so I’ll just keep trying to collect there. and keep my eyes out for some nice old glass bottles!
|
|
|
|
Post by aDave on Aug 12, 2018 0:11:55 GMT -5
thanks for the responses. I’m in Pittsburgh right now. so far from any volcanic activity, but close to flint ridge so I’ll just keep trying to collect there. and keep my eyes out for some nice old glass bottles! You probably need to visit this thread. jamesp, here on this forum, has been selling/sending off glass to knappers, and they have apparently been raving about his stuff. He's honed his glass making craft to the utmost, and it's apparently in high demand among the knapping crowd. You might want to see if you can buy some. |
|
|
|
Post by orrum on Aug 12, 2018 3:23:52 GMT -5
Oh I forgot about Jim!!! Yes he has started a huge glass business and knappers are loving his wild colored slabs#!! Plus he has coral, both heated and raw!
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller 
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,602
|
Post by jamesp on Aug 12, 2018 4:06:02 GMT -5
|
|
Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,718 
|
Post by Fossilman on Aug 12, 2018 9:02:56 GMT -5
That first video is of Emory Coons, the King of Obsidian..... That man knows his knapping, taught by his dad...They live in Burns,Oregon and do sell Obsidian also..
Hell of a nice guy with great stories and skills.. I scored a nice piece of "Rainbow" from him, on my last visit... Probably will just stick it into my collection for now, worry about it some other day!!
|
|
colibri
off to a rocking start
Member since July 2018
Posts: 8
|
Post by colibri on Aug 12, 2018 9:33:04 GMT -5
Thanks for the info and advice all. Jamesp your glass is wild and cool!
I’m just a beginner knapper.
i do love the flint ridge material. i just got super lucky to get a small bucket of it though (and it’s NOT the colorful stuff). i just happened to show up to the nethers farm on a day when a guy with a backhoe was there. i made friends with him and he tossed me some flakes he didn’t want. that place is thoroughly excavated and i can’t imagine how long it would take to dig by hand. there are smaller knappable flakes lying around though. and plenty of good lapidary stuff. i got two big buckets of heavily brecciated beautiful red material. that was the whole reason i found this forum and started tumbling!
|
|
Nov 12, 2024 9:54:37 GMT -5
Nov 12, 2024 9:54:37 GMT -5
Nov 14, 2024 18:17:57 GMT -5
*
Nov 14, 2024 18:17:57 GMT -5
*
Nov 15, 2024 17:44:51 GMT -5
Nov 15, 2024 17:44:51 GMT -5
