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Post by RickB on Apr 24, 2022 15:32:04 GMT -5
Makes my arthritis flare up just watching him dismantle this boulder. RickB
Knapping A Massive Brandon Flint Nodule with Dr. James Dill
"One of the most famous locations in the UK for flint is Grimes Graves and Brandon. For around 300 years between 2600 and 2300 BC Grimes Graves was mined for thousands of tons of high quality flint from the solid bedrock chalk. Earlier mines on the south coast had been dug for axe making flint, while Grimes Graves was primarily mined for flint that could be used for flake cores. The nearby town of Brandon is known for the gun flint trade that created millions of flints which were sent around the world. I was recently lucky enough to get special access to flint from the area including an absolutely enormous nodule! It was only right to share the breaking open of this massive lump of stone to see what is inside."
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Post by jasoninsd on Apr 24, 2022 16:35:58 GMT -5
That was cool! Thanks for posting this Rick!  I did fast forward (or skip ahead) and watched most of it. That first split on that massive piece was cool to see! |
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Post by parfive on Apr 24, 2022 20:46:03 GMT -5
Enjoyed that, even though my knees cringed for half an hour. : )
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jamesp
Cave Dweller 
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Apr 25, 2022 10:03:56 GMT -5
A job left best to a younger man for sure. Love the high pitch ring at 4:40, fine rock.
His accent doesn't fit the typical knap-in Rick.
If that is British flint it is amazing material. I tumbled it in the past, makes a super high polish.
It can be found as ballast on the shores of the barrier islands(Sapelo for sure) down your way.
I had heard that true flint is a specific rock and not so common across the world. SHARP
Is it specific to gun flints ?
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Post by RickB on Apr 27, 2022 12:20:09 GMT -5
A job left best to a younger man for sure. Love the high pitch ring at 4:40, fine rock. His accent doesn't fit the typical knap-in Rick. If that is British flint it is amazing material. I tumbled it in the past, makes a super high polish. It can be found as ballast on the shores of the barrier islands(Sapelo for sure) down your way. I had heard that true flint is a specific rock and not so common across the world. SHARP Is it specific to gun flints ? I have about a 15 lb nodule of it but haven't done anything with it yet. Don't see it too often and you have to get it when you see it. Rings like a bell. Some people refer to true flint as being black or dark grey in color and formed in nodules in chalky limestone. Others use the term flint to cover most anything that is knappable. I've seen gun flints made from dark English flint and many different varieties of chert. Georgetown flint and Root Beer flint from Texas make great gun flints. I have friends that metal detect and sometimes they will find gun flints when they dig. All the gun flints I've seen that were found around here have been black/dark grey in color. I have personally never found one myself while looking for artifacts. |
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Post by HankRocks on Apr 27, 2022 14:08:49 GMT -5
Looking at the video, the outside "skin" looks very similar to the piece I started with when tumbling the big piece pictured below. The inside was dark as pictured in the video. Since these came from an area on the east coast and were supposed to have been ballast rock from the sailing ship days; origin possibly Britain. I suppose they could have also been early stock for musket flints. I have 3 or 4 more pieces that have not been tumbled yet with the skin still on. They are in a bucket somewhere in the boneyard!  IMG_3840 by Findrocks, on Flickr |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Apr 28, 2022 7:26:35 GMT -5
Looking at the video, the outside "skin" looks very similar to the piece I started with when tumbling the big piece pictured below. The inside was dark as pictured in the video. Since these came from an area on the east coast and were supposed to have been ballast rock from the sailing ship days; origin possibly Britain. I suppose they could have also been early stock for musket flints. I have 3 or 4 more pieces that have not been tumbled yet with the skin still on. They are in a bucket somewhere in the boneyard! IMG_3840 by Findrocks, on Flickr Gracious Henry, that is a giant tumble with a supreme polish. The barrier islands along Ga Fl Va and Carolina's do have English flint laying around at deep water dock sites. Sapelo Is. in Georgia is a known location. Never thought about it serving as gun flints too. |
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Post by HankRocks on Apr 28, 2022 7:40:21 GMT -5
Looking at the video, the outside "skin" looks very similar to the piece I started with when tumbling the big piece pictured below. The inside was dark as pictured in the video. Since these came from an area on the east coast and were supposed to have been ballast rock from the sailing ship days; origin possibly Britain. I suppose they could have also been early stock for musket flints. I have 3 or 4 more pieces that have not been tumbled yet with the skin still on. They are in a bucket somewhere in the boneyard! IMG_3840 by Findrocks, on Flickr Gracious Henry, that is a giant tumble with a supreme polish. The barrier islands along Ga Fl Va and Carolina's do have English flint laying around at deep water dock sites. Sapelo Is. in Georgia is a known location. Never thought about it serving as gun flints too. Of all the rocks I have tumbled this piece of flint has an other-worldly polish, the size and the color really work to bring it out. I have another piece about 6 pounds that I hope to polish one day(it's on the list!!). My friend on the east coast is going to look around for some he may have in his yard somewhere. Need to figure out a nice stand for this one, that will really show it off. The modern sculpture look to it would make it a nice centerpiece. So many rocks, so little time. |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Apr 28, 2022 8:19:21 GMT -5
A job left best to a younger man for sure. Love the high pitch ring at 4:40, fine rock. His accent doesn't fit the typical knap-in Rick. If that is British flint it is amazing material. I tumbled it in the past, makes a super high polish. It can be found as ballast on the shores of the barrier islands(Sapelo for sure) down your way. I had heard that true flint is a specific rock and not so common across the world. SHARP Is it specific to gun flints ? I have about a 15 lb nodule of it but haven't done anything with it yet. Don't see it too often and you have to get it when you see it. Rings like a bell. Some people refer to true flint as being black or dark grey in color and formed in nodules in chalky limestone. Others use the term flint to cover most anything that is knappable. I've seen gun flints made from dark English flint and many different varieties of chert. Georgetown flint and Root Beer flint from Texas make great gun flints. I have friends that metal detect and sometimes they will find gun flints when they dig. All the gun flints I've seen that were found around here have been black/dark grey in color. I have personally never found one myself while looking for artifacts. 'True' flint might be a special rock associated with chalk marl. Some Florida corals and chert are packed in chalky type marls and resemble that glass like texture that makes such sharp points and knap friendly. One of the knapper groups had a guy selling gun flint rough and it was not cheap, and it's probably a waste rock in England. It can be seen used on masonry buildings in England. Seems like root beer flint might be the most similar US comparison to English flint with it's glassy structure. Never found a gun flint. |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Apr 28, 2022 8:36:45 GMT -5
Gracious Henry, that is a giant tumble with a supreme polish. The barrier islands along Ga Fl Va and Carolina's do have English flint laying around at deep water dock sites. Sapelo Is. in Georgia is a known location. Never thought about it serving as gun flints too. Of all the rocks I have tumbled this piece of flint has an other-worldly polish, the size and the color really work to bring it out. I have another piece about 6 pounds that I hope to polish one day(it's on the list!!). My friend on the east coast is going to look around for some he may have in his yard somewhere. Need to figure out a nice stand for this one, that will really show it off. The modern sculpture look to it would make it a nice centerpiece. So many rocks, so little time. Impressive tumble Henry. Maybe 'glassy' is a poor description. If a chert agate flint acts like glass when struck it is going to take an other-worldly polish. Often time these type rocks are translucent. It's the rule though. Something to do with a lack of graininess and shiny/waxy chip faces. And they 'ring like a bell'. They also do well as large tumbled rocks. 6 pounds is a moose, anxious to see it done with that high polish ! |
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Apr 28, 2022 9:17:41 GMT -5
HankRocks that is a gorgeous rock! Reminds me of a seal. I think it would look fantastic in one of those stands made out of wood.
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