Flint /Obsidian mes te koop?

[Ds J]

Goeiemiddag, ek oorweeg om 'n flint mes te maak.

Kan 'n mens êrens in SA 'n halfklaar pakket koop?

[Tripodmvr]

https://africancustomknives.com/pages/the-makers

https://knifemakers.co.za/shop/

[Againstthegrains]

Working metal and stone are two totally different skills. I don't think you will easily find a Homo sapiens that has the same level of skill as a Homo neanderthalis to do what you want.

I'd get some raw material, an antler and a big box of plasters, and keep knapping away, until you realise that cave men 1 000 000 years ago were smarter than us, because they spent less time on social media, and more time in the real world

[oafpatroll]

Working metal and stone are two totally different skills. I don't think you will easily find a Homo sapiens that has the same level of skill as a Homo neanderthalis to do what you want.

I'd get some raw material, an antler and a big box of plasters, and keep knapping away, until you realise that cave men 1 000 000 years ago were smarter than us, because they spent less time on social media, and more time in the real world

I watched an interview with a palaeontologist and an archaeologist who worked together on an experimental archaeology project to learn how to knap flint tools typical of neanderthals from NW Europe. They reckoned it took them years and thousands of hours cumulatively to master the skills required to make the most basic stuff. They showed example of their work as it progressed and compared them to original pieces and they were clearly kak sleg by comparison.

[Ds J]

Working metal and stone are two totally different skills. I don't think you will easily find a Homo sapiens that has the same level of skill as a Homo neanderthalis to do what you want.

I'd get some raw material, an antler and a big box of plasters, and keep knapping away, until you realise that cave men 1 000 000 years ago were smarter than us, because they spent less time on social media, and more time in the real world

I watched an interview with a palaeontologist and an archaeologist who worked together on an experimental archaeology project to learn how to knap flint tools typical of neanderthals from NW Europe. They reckoned it took them years and thousands of hours cumulatively to master the skills required to make the most basic stuff. They showed example of their work as it progressed and compared them to original pieces and they were clearly kak sleg by comparison.

I beg to differ (slightly). It can be both taught and learnt, and once learnt it is repeatable.  Please watch this: https://youtu.be/_zP3jdPR3tw?si=kJf6RQsxj6Xw6cfs

My idea wasn't to start knapping - it is way too hazardous because the microscopic chips cause emphysema. I would like to buy something like this some time: https://www.crazycrow.com/native-americans-weapons/flint-obsidian-knife-kit

[Treeman]

That is actually very interesting. I remember trying to make things from stone as a kid, many hrs spent till I researched it and found my stone was wrong. The time was not wasted though, I learnt about many other things while sitting barefoot breaking rocks.

I wonder how long the fascination would last if I had one of them knives ?

[oafpatroll]

I beg to differ (slightly). It can be both taught and learnt, and once learnt it is repeatable.  Please watch this: https://youtu.be/_zP3jdPR3tw?si=kJf6RQsxj6Xw6cfs

No argument with that. Point the researchers were making is that the precision and fineness of the stuff that the neanderthals had made was very difficult and time consuming to replicate which was what their mission was. They wanted to figure out how it was done specifically by the neanderthals rather than learning the skills per se. I'm sure that with enough time one could master it. 

[Ds J]

Remember that the Neanderthals were more muscular than we are. They didn't need such refined tools.

[Againstthegrains]

I gave it a bash (literally) to make just a flake tool (middle stone age style) using the same type of material they used. The stuff was so hard, I couldn't break it. Homo habilis must have been very strong and skilled to do what he did. I think archaeologists way underestimate the the intelligence of our ancestors.

[Ds J]

I gutted two impalas with a regular knife, and it went fast. My thought was how much faster it could go with such a sharp knife.