Knives!

[chase2]

What constitutes a knife? There are flake knives,(some are called utilized flakes). You have knives that are specifically designed with that intended purpose. Still others (IMO) were used as utilitarian. I tend to view it, untill the bow and arrow came prevalent most were utilitarian. Atlatls by design would lend credibility to this theory. Dart points would be hafted and carried able to change/exchange into a shaft for use in killing animals. they could also be used with the haft as a handle as a knife. Depending on the task at hand would dictate on how large or how delicate the need was needed. Like modern day we use several types of knives for various tasks. That is to say I would not use a meat cleaver to skin an animal, and I would not use a flake knife to butcher an animal.
So knives would be used in many forms and would be of varied sizes and shapes.

Please feel free to add your opinions and examples.

 

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[chase2]

A flake knife (utilized flake) This not to be confused with waste flakes. Depending on the area/region will constitute the amount of full use of any and all lithic material. General consensus is a flake knife will show use wear, often taken off a core. They are sharp and show little retouch.These are meant to do the fine delicate work. They can be called expedient in the fact that they need no retouch.
Please feel free to add comments!
Here is an example of a flake knife.

 

[quito]

I am amazed at the many forms of cutting tools.

In determining the use of a stemmed piece, one needs to consider how wide the base is for an indication of what it was halfted to, or in.
Here are a few example of what I am comfortable calling stemmed knife forms....edited to say... Stemmed in this case covers the different notching variations, not to mean a specific type of base.
.

 

[diggingthe1]

Here are a few various ones unless the one above the nickel is a paleo broken point. I love to think about how they used them and on what. The one on the right shows unbelievable amount of use. I'm sure some tools were handed down for generations. Others were reworked by other tribes.

 

[chase2]

Here are a few various ones unless the one above the nickel is a paleo broken point. I love to think about how they used them and on what. The one on the right shows unbelievable amount of use. I'm sure some tools were handed down for generations. Others were reworked by other tribes.

Cannot tell on the second one from the left is Paleo, or not. can't see the flaking. The first one on the left I would like to see the other side. The lithic looks like Elizabeth chert (p-wood) The third from the left again would like to see the other side. Thou used as a lithic it generally does not hold an edge and is a least likely candidate for a knife. The last one on the right (broken record) would like to see the other side. but I see great edge work. Lithic looks like trout creek chert but would need a better pic to confirm.
Thanks for sharing!

 

[chase2]

I am amazed at the many forms of cutting tools.

In determining the use of a stemmed piece, one needs to consider how wide the base is for an indication of what it was halfted to, or in.
Here are a few example of what I am comfortable calling stemmed knife forms....edited to say... Stemmed in this case covers the different notching variations, not to mean a specific type of base.
. View attachment 1259025

Quito, what is the size of those great examples? The top left and second one from top right, look more like true arrowheads. but I can see them used for that fine delicate work.
Thanks for sharing!

 

[diggingthe1]

Cannot tell on the second one from the left is Paleo, or not. can't see the flaking. The first one on the left I would like to see the other side. The lithic looks like Elizabeth chert (p-wood) The third from the left again would like to see the other side. Thou used as a lithic it generally does not hold an edge and is a least likely candidate for a knife. The last one on the right (broken record) would like to see the other side. but I see great edge work. Lithic looks like trout creek chert but would need a better pic to confirm.
Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for the reply! The one on the left I thought was an odd colored clinker in a railroad bed! After I picked it up I saw it was petrified wood.

 

[Jon Stewart]

Good post. I like the looks of that tan material with black streaks in it diggingthe1

 

[quito]

Quito, what is the size of those great examples? The top left and second one from top right, look more like true arrowheads. but I can see them used for that fine delicate work.
Thanks for sharing!

The larger one is about 4". The smaller still to big for arrowhead.

 

[chase2]

The larger one is about 4". The smaller still to big for arrowhead.

WOW! that size! Thanks!

 

[chase2]

Uni-faicial knife, Found on a small site that is now under? or gone with a barn in place. This was hafted.

 

[quito]

Very Nice example of a uni-face knife that's been bi-facially resharpened, or touched up a bit.

That other piece looks like it was part of something mighty fine too!

 

[chase2]

Very Nice example of a uni-face knife that's been bi-facially resharpened, or touched up a bit.

That other piece looks like it was part of something mighty fine too!

quito, that is one site that I wanted to get back to. I was living in AZ at the time and my son was born. We went up to Colorado for the meet and greet with the grand parents. I had a few hours and took off with my wife and son to a friend of theirs property. I got out and walked over a small bench. A few flakes and these two artifacts, was all I had time for before going back. Made the mental note: (MUST GO BACK) but that was 12 years later. and a Barn was sitting on the site. My thoughts from the tip, (I know the diagnostic end is missing) was Cody. The flaking and the head on profile dose suggest this, or at least Paleo.

 

[Charl]

Here is a recent find. A semilunar knife, aka an ulu, that consists of a notched spall of rhyolite with razor edge. And compared to a ground slate comb back ulu. These are usually interpreted as knives used to process sea mammals. Good for slicing blubber in seals, for example. Mostly a Northeast tool. The term ulu is itself derived from Eskimo tools of that name with a similar function.

 

[chase2]

Here is a recent find. A semilunar knife, aka an ulu, that consists of a notched spall of rhyolite with razor edge. And compared to a ground slate comb back ulu. These are usually interpreted as knives used to process sea mammals. Good for slicing blubber in seals, for example. Mostly a Northeast tool. The term ulu is itself derived from Eskimo tools of that name with a similar function.

Charl, I was hoping to see that blade again. Amazing find! We do not find such artifacts here.
Thanks for sharing!

 

[jamey]

Nice post,i wish i could tell them apart,i thought that they may of started making big knifes after they saw the bowie knife.

 

[chase2]

I was hoping that we could discuss the many forms of knives and also the hafted knives that resemble points. So I am going forward with this discussion and please all comments, examples and opinions are welcomed.

 

[chase2]

brought up in another thread, about Folsom scrapers and knives. Brings to mind the Folsom Ultra Thin. This knife form is most noted for the width to thickness ratio. These knives can be 100 mm long and thick as 6 mm A master of thin blades.
Thou I do not have a definitive artifact that exudes this standard, or found in association with other artifacts from the Folsom culture and out of context(but in an area of known sites of this culture. This is as close as you can get to a representation of such a knife. As it stand even broken it measures 80 mm long and 7 mm thick at it's thickest point. Found in north central Colorado Made of Windy Ridge quartzite. Here is an example of what one might expect to find.

 

[chase2]

Tang knives, mainly found in Texas and surrounding states. There are three different types Back Tang, Base Tang and Corner tang.

 

[chase2]

Ovate knife, This knife, is an example of how a knife could be refined into a projectile point. Nothing special but the form is like a refined blank. Easy to transport, used as it is and can be modified into other tools.