Favorite Thumb Scrapers

quito · Jan 9, 2016

I have found hundreds of these over the years. But these were not personal finds. They are from years of cherry picking from several hundred that i have acquired.

Mic anyone else has some nice uniface scrapers feel free to show some.

chase2 · Jan 9, 2016

Nice display quito! Scrapers and other tools are some of my favorite artifacts.
Count me in on the show!

quito · Jan 9, 2016

Anyone that likes color or the color green would really like this one.

danasaur · Jan 9, 2016

Nice collection!

chase2 · Jan 9, 2016

spring 2014 scraper site finds.

chase2 · Jan 9, 2016

A few more colorful Colorado scrapers, found various times

The Grim Reaper · Jan 9, 2016

Here's some pictures of some of my personally found Scrapers. I have boxes and boxes of these and just display the best ones.

The Grim Reaper · Jan 9, 2016

Here are some from North Dakota. I love the materials they used on these. The bulk of them are Knife River Flint and there are a bunch of Agate ones too.

quito · Jan 9, 2016

Amazing how many of them things were made and put to use. And with there being so many sizes, I wonder about how many they had .

The Grim Reaper · Jan 9, 2016

It seems like they are always made of very high quality material too.

mainejman · Jan 10, 2016

Man that's alot of thumb scrapers.Seeing how by just size they were probably the last tool that could be manufactured from these fine quality materials.I find a few and they are rarely made from local material...mjm

quito · Jan 10, 2016

i don't think they were the last at all. Looks to me like they were just made from any shawl that would make a nice one.

diggingthe1 · Jan 11, 2016

I love this little one. I think sometimes they liked to add a little barb to aid in cutting

Any idea if this stone was mined somewhere?
Those sure are some nice scrapers by the way!

chase2 · Jan 11, 2016

diggingthe1 said:
I love this little one. I think sometimes they liked to add a little barb to aid in cutting Any idea if this stone was mined somewhere?
Those sure are some nice scrapers by the way!

The Idea of a scraper was more for hide work, fleshing the meat. the majority will be rounded with a steep bevel. Common is a uni-facial, but not exclusive where bi-facial was also used. The did have other uses in camp, but consensuses is primary use is for hide use. The barb referred to has been closley associated with the Folsom culture. called a spur. Now debate on weather this was done with intent or from repeated re-sharpening is still being discussed. There are multi functional tools (utilitarian) that hold more than one use. Here is one that is a a scraper a spokeshave and a awl. The fine example your showing is made from Trout creek chert. The quarries are west of you.

chase2 · Jan 11, 2016

The Grim Reaper said:
It seems like they are always made of very high quality material too.

Grim, I agree. Another observation I have noticed and could be nothing more than me seeing what I want to see. is that a lot are made from lithic's close to the cortext where the material is dryer and tougher. better to hold up for the repeated use. I see a few that will have stacks on the bevel, because the material is dry. Most all are of very high quality lithic.
Side note: Thanks for the artifacts again, been studying them.

quito · Jan 17, 2016

diggingthe1 said:
I love this little one. I think sometimes they liked to add a little barb to aid in cutting Any idea if this stone was mined somewhere?
Those sure are some nice scrapers by the way!

I have been amazed at how many times I find this little spur, or what's left of one, on cutting edges and thumb scrapers I find over here. It is a very common feature.