Plains Late Prehistoric arrow shaft abraders (additional pictures)

[11KBP]

Larson1951 has recently posted some fine pictures of nice sandstone abraders from the northern Plains. I think these sandstone abraders are very interesting tools and thought I would post additional pictures of Late Prehistoric abraders used specifically for abrading/smoothing arrow shafts.

[creek astronaut]

very nice artifacts,informative thread,thanks for the pics.

[larson1951]

very very nice pieces

[The Grim Reaper]

Very cool pictures and a very informative post.

Thanks.

[Neanderthal]

Nice abraders! The last set look like they were abrading stones used in knapping, to smooth off the platforms (necessary in knapping). We find sandstone abrading stones with regular frequency here, but don't find the shaft smoothing type really. Sometimes they will use every side of them and down until they are completely exhausted. Very nice pieces!

[11KBP]

Nice abraders! The last set look like they were abrading stones used in knapping, to smooth off the platforms (necessary in knapping). Sometimes they will use every side of them and down until they are completely exhausted.

That is very possible Neanderthal. I have no knapping experience but have watched many knappers at work. I know you have a considerable amount of knapping experience and am wondering if you use sandstone to smooth off platforms during the knapping process?

Most of the knappers I have watched use a more durable stone for that purpose. Sandstone comes in many grades of hardness and the sandstone used in these abraders is not very durable. Smoothing platforms on hard marterials like chert/flint would certainly exhaust this stuff in short order.

Now speaking of Knapping, I have a couple of pieces of antler which were found in a cache and I would like your opinion if you think they are knapping tools. The cache also included a small hammer stone so I have been assuming the cache was possibly a knapper's cache.

[jamey]

thanks 11 i now know i should of kept a piece i saw something like these jamey

[Charmin]

Good and informative post 11KBP! I learned something new !
regards~~sandcreek4

[Tnmountains]

Great post. All I have ver seen around here are the small bone awl sharpeners. Cool tools...
TnMtns

[Neanderthal]

That is very possible Neanderthal. I have no knapping experience but have watched many knappers at work. I know you have a considerable amount of knapping experience and am wondering if you use sandstone to smooth off platforms during the knapping process?

Most of the knappers I have watched use a more durable stone for that purpose. Sandstone comes in many grades of hardness and the sandstone used in these abraders is not very durable. Smoothing platforms on hard marterials like chert/flint would certainly exhaust this stuff in short order.

Sandstone makes some of the best chert abraders there are. I have some of them around here and will try to take a picture of them for you sometime - they look identical like yours there at the bottom. They get a groove wore in them pretty quick, and that's why you'll see about every surface used. The grooves in knapping abraders can look similar to shaft smoothers - but they aren't perfectly rounded in that groove, and sometimes they will just have a "dished out" look, instead of that long, straight, round groove. I'll see if I can't take a pic of some of my used modern abraders too, for comparison. Most modern knappers use piece of grinding wheel (aluminum oxide or carbide), and will use sandstone if they are purist/abo knappers. The harder and more homogenous the material you use, the more dense and fine gritted you want your abrader to be. I use a very fine grained abrading stone for obsidian and some agates.

Would love to see the bone tools you found!

[Pinellas Man]

That's some nice finds, I'd like to find one here, Thanks for posting.

[Tnmountains]

That is so interesting. I need to pay more attention to what I would have thought of as plow marks. I have seen the small ones for awls but not one for shafts. Thanks for such an informative post and following up on Larsons post.
TnMtns

[lostlake88]

Awesome post. Indians were smart, splinters suck.