Flaking question

[Older The Better]

Looking over the flakes I recently found, I like to look for exotic stone or missed tools and I noticed two more flakes with this certain form. They are long large flakes with a center ridge that forks near one end. It’s got me thinking a specific manufacturing technique is being employed, maybe there’s some information to be teased out, or maybe they are just flakes, I’m curious if anyone else has any insight on these.

 

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[newnan man]

Struck off a core as expident knives would be my guess.

 

[tamrock]

I've wondered that also about those larger flakes. I've thought they were just set aside to fashion into a more refined tool later or a made up quick and easy utility blade for a single use and then just left behind. They no doubt had a very keen edge when they were freshly flaked and some I've found still do after what ever how long it been knocked off a core stone. When you see some videos of modern day flint knapper's demonstrating how flint knapping was done, you'll see the knapper knock off a flake like that and then take that very flake and a thick piece of leather just to demonstrate how that flake will cut with ease through that slab of leather. I have think, why wouldn't the people of the stone age have done the very same thing with a fresh unrefined flake as that?

 

[releventchair]

I've wondered that also about those larger flakes. I've thought they were just set aside to fashion into a more refined tool later or a made up quick and easy utility blade for a single use and then just left behind. They no doubt had a very keen edge when they were freshly flaked and some I've found still do after what ever how long it been knocked off a core stone. When you see some videos of modern day flint knapper's demonstrating how flint knapping was done, you'll see the knapper knock off a flake like that and then take that very flake and a thick piece of leather just to demonstrate how that flake will cut with ease through that slab of leather. I have think, why wouldn't the people of the stone age have done the very same thing with a fresh unrefined flake as that?

If you ever watched me bust up flint , anything sharp would be a bragging sucess!

The luxury of time could not have always existed.
Cold hands. Tired old hands. Kids crying. L.o.l..

For flint and steel all that's needed is to shave steel.
Why fuss around with creating a piece of artwork when you're damaging your flint every use? It's rainin. Momma wants a fire. You been on the move and used your pieces you'd worked weeks ago when you had the luxury of time.

Then there had to be novices to the guild like myself too.
In the process of learning there would be a lot of discards. Or , pieces others would discard that I'd be all happy with if pressed for a sharp edge. L.o.l..

 

[newnan man]

I have several of these type "flakes" from here in Florida. I also have a lot of the cores. Some flakes actually have been retouched on the edges. Others are dull from obvious use and some are still razor sharp. Some of the cores too look like after they were reduced so much they were used as scrapers or some such thing and a few have had their edges retouched.

 

[Tdog]

I have several of these type "flakes" from here in Florida. I also have a lot of the cores. Some flakes actually have been retouched on the edges. Others are dull from obvious use and some are still razor sharp. Some of the cores too look like after they were reduced so much they were used as scrapers or some such thing and a few have had their edges retouched.

Same here in Alabama--mostly all quartz and quartzite if you can believe that!

Those ridges or "deltas" exist on many flakes as they are present from previous removals from a core. Plus, with their linear trail, the flakes are more rigid as they have backbone of sorts. Still, I think they exist whether done purposely to make a better tool or they just happened to turn out that way. No doubt the Indians knew that too.

 

[Older The Better]

I could get behind a core knife deal, I suspect there is a hopewell component at this site, it’s definitely on the fringe of hopewell influence but there are known sites around. I’m curious if the others who find similar flakes are within that same hopewell sphere of influence… if I’m not mistaken blades struck from a core are common in hopewell sites

 

[Injunbro]

Injun pocket knife. Stuck in a folded piece of leather, they make a decent cutting tool. I have one from 1881 in my collection.

 

[newnan man]

These are some cores from here in Florida. I'm having a little trouble posting pics and can't get rid of the double pictures. Some big brokes in the mix. I pile them around trees

 

[newnan man]

Some of the flake knives. All from Florida.

 

[Tdog]

I love pics like that. Thanks (showoff)! Mine is not nearly that colorful--mostly shades of white and gray.