Searching For Some Flint

[ToddsPoint]

I went to the river yesterday. My goal was to find enough flint to make a point. This is the river bank full of glacial till rocks. We’re on a moraine of the Wl glacier. The terminal moraine is about 12 mi south of here. Limestone bedrock is around 250’ down below the sand, clay and gravel the glacier brought down, sitting on top of it. The Mahomet-Teays aquifer flows in the gravel here. An underground river my well is tapped into. A virtual unlimited supply of water. The river has cut through the moraine and exposed the gravel.

Most of the rocks are igneous or metamorphic. Flint type rock is scarce. Several nodules looked promising.

I worked the last one when I got home. I managed to make a biface but it had a patch of limestone right in the middle of one side.

I figured that would be a fatal flaw, and it was.

Just too much soft material in there. I’ll have to give the other nodules a try. Better luck next trip!

I also spotted this dandy piece of porphyry. Unfortunately it’s a 40-50 lb rock and too heavy to carry out. I think it’s too big for my rock saw anyway.

I almost forgot the treasure I found. You never know what will come down the river. A brand new ATV tire on a rim!

 

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[CreekSide]

I find all kinds of things in the creek but never a nice tire like that. I never find any chert nodules either but it has to be some place out there. Nice views

 

[ToddsPoint]

Back to the river yesterday. A different spot. Looking for rocks I can make something out of. Flint for arrowheads, hardstone for a celt, or anything else that strikes my fancy. Glacial till eroding out.

I found some nice porphyry. Basalt porphyry on left, diorite porphyry on right, and a nice piece of diorite on top.

I found a decent piece of flint. It’s what I call glacial grey. It’s one of the more common types, although no flint is very common in the till.

Took the flint home and attempted a point. If I can get past cracks and crystal pockets and have enough left for point. Here’s it is reduced to a biface.

Working more, thinning out thick spots and trying to get edge straightened out. 4:1 width to thickness ratio now. Stage 3 biface. When you find a biface with a wavy edge like this you know it’s not finished. If tossed at this stage it likely has a crack or stack and the Indian wouldn’t waste another minute on it.

And here is the finished point. 2 1/4” dart point. Pretty sharp considering so-so flint. Needle point. Attached to atlatl spear, this would penetrate a deer no problem. There is a bad spot at tip I couldn’t get thin but overall width to thickness is around 5:1. That’s the number Indians were after. 5:1 gives you lowest edge angle without comprising strength.

I also found a good piece of gneiss. Or should I say a nice piece of gneiss. I’ve been looking for a piece to make a bar amulet. Gneiss was a favorite for Indians for amulets

 

[robertk]

That is so cool! You are very talented!

 

[ToddsPoint]

I soaked my little point in olive oil to try and hide the grainy areas. Spots of “concrete” looking porous rock. Brings out the color a bit better too.

I also put a penny for reference.