My Son signed us up for this dig and as we had arrived early, we helped to set up chairs and a tent for the day’s class. After the rest of the participants arrived, the instructor preceded with the orientation. After the history of the site was cited the folks with previous experience were released to a plot to begin digging while the rest of us were instructed on the manner of the work ahead. My son joined that group as he had been on a previous dig a couple of days previously.

 
After the orientation I was able to join my Son’s group and as I walked up there was a stir of commotion as a member had just unearthed an arrowhead. I asked what style it was and the leader said “we just call them Burkies”. It was most likely almost 600 years old. I was eager to find more arrowheads but no more were to be found that day, however, my son found a clay game piece and everyone in our group found sherds of pottery in the piles of soil that we sifted throughout the day.

 
In the past I have found arrowheads independently in plowed corn fields and in a creek, but an archeological dig can give you some sense of history associated with the artifact that has been found. I heartily recommend participating in an event like this that gives greater meaning to artifacts that are uncovered and contributes to the history of the community where they are found.

This method uses a 12 oz. bottle for the break out. A dime is small enough to fit inside the opening of the neck and once inserted the bottle is grasped by the neck and the thumb placed over the opening, then the bottle is shaked up and down vigorously for quite a time, perhaps a minute. I was delighted when the bottom finally broke out whole. This is best done over a soft surface so that when the glass bottom comes off it won’t break into pieces when it lands.

I use a tire iron to poke out the bottom of a 40 oz. bottle (because the glass is thicker) but some folks use a nail or bolt to shake in the same manner with this larger size as I did with the 12 oz. bottle and dime. I wondered that if a dime worked, could a small stone work as well. Sure enough, it worked, but it didn’t come out as cleanly as with the dime. I stepped up the test and used a heavy steel nut but the bottom was shattered and broke out in many parts. I’m guessing that there is an optimum ratio of weight-to-glass for best results.

In the end I would call this the “shake” method and it’s good to have alternative methods of removing a glass bottle’s bottom for various uses. Although water can be used for breaking out the bottle bottom (see “Popping Off Bottle Bottoms By Hand“) the “shake” method can accomplish the task when water is not available. Give it a try and share your results.

Dacite Spalled In Half

When we met I handed him the rock and after a brief examination he said “I’m not sure this is obsidian, but let’s open it up and see what we’ve got here”. He selected a baseball sized hammerstone and placed a leather apron over his thigh, then layed the rock on the side of his thigh and with an arched swing, struck the rock’s edge with a downward blow. After a few strikes, the stone split open the full length of the rock. He said “oh… this is dacite… similar to obsidian but different. Dacite is a volcanic rock that has cooled under salt water and it works differently than obsidian”.

Not too surprising, different materials require different tools to achieve the best results. A gritty-surfaced hammerstone worked best in this case but a hardened dogwood billet works best for harder stones like quartz and rhyolite. The effectiveness of the tool has to do with it’s surface contact time during the strike.

Dacite Flake

After having observed the reduction of the first half of the rock I now have the remaining half of the rock to work with to apply what I have learned from his demonstration. I expect that exciting times as well as frustrating times lie ahead but I’m sure that they will be rewarding in my quest to master flintknapping skills.

Whether the steel strikes the flint or the flint strikes the steel, the sparks that are created are actually micro particles of the carbon rich steel that are “red hot” when shredded off by the percussion of striking.

In today’s modern world there are materials that are very hard that can be used instead of traditional flint. These are usually found in the form of ceramics. A common source is broken sinks or toilets that are often referred to as “john stone” or “thunder stone”. Another source is broken Corning® Dinnerware or Bakeware. These materials can be acquired in an urban environment and are occasionally used by flint knappers to hone their skills.

This alternative source was the case for me as I was assembling a DIY flint & steel kit for a friend recently. As I searched my basement for all of the kit’s components, I couldn’t find a suitable stone. I passed by my flint knapping area and noticed some Corning® pieces where I had been working on an arrowhead. I picked up a piece to test it for sparks and “presto!” it worked great! It dawned on me that I no longer had to rely on rocks for a flint to make a functional kit.

Esthetically a rock is more traditional to flint & steel firecraft but now I know that alternative materials can be used to make a fire when needed.

Obsidian, a glassy rock, is a favored material but only found on the West Coast. A number of other states have flint. Here, in North Carolina, there is no flint. The local material in this region is quartz that is tough to knap and can be found in various shades of white. However a similar material to flint is found on the Southern boarder of the state that is called rhyolite and is usually greenish-gray in color. When this material is found locally you know that it was “imported” and is referred to as “trade stone” because Indians would trade goods to obtain this nicer material to fashion into arrowheads.

Local arrowhead hunters recommend that one of the best places to look for arrowheads is in a freshly plowed field after a heavy rain. The artifacts in the photo were not found in a field but rather in the mulch beds around an apartment complex that I tend. Fortunately for me the general public does not recognize these as artifacts and have been left as “rocks”. Having done some flint knapping I can recognize the signs of man-made shapes created by hammer stones, billets, and pressure flaking.

The two quartz pieces are rough compared to the finished points using trade-stone. Arrowheads can have different shapes based on tribes and differing eras. Some artifacts that are roughly shaped mid process are known as pre-faces. The rhyolite shown here is a piece off of a stone as it was reduced to the final shape. This is known as a spall from the spalling process. It’s not an arrowhead but a byproduct of the process to make one.

My guess is that the grounds where the mulch was processed happened to be located over old Indian campgrounds and were picked up when they loaded their trucks for delivery. It’s a delight to discover these bits of history in the course of tending the landscaped grounds. What can you find in your gardens?

Before And After Break

You may have seen a popular craft idea that makes drinking glasses out of glass bottles. The method uses a string tied around the top edge of the bottle body, soaked in alcohol, then lit with a match or lighter. When the flame burns out either cold water is poured over it or the bottle is dipped in a container of cold water. The contrast in temperature causes a fracture that “pops” when it breaks along the string line. The edge is then sanded or ground smooth. (The top part could be used as a funnel.)

My particular application of this method was employed to break out the flat sides of a square bottle in order to use the glass for flint knapping a knife blade. I initially used some jute twine to tie around the side of the bottle but found that the burn time was not long enough so I retrieved a shoe lace that was thicker, thus enabling a longer burn. That did the trick. I was able to break off the remaining sides in similar fashion.

As illustrated in the photo, I placed the bottle in a bread pan in order to contain all liquids, whether it be spilled alcohol from wetting the string or the water that is poured onto the glass after the string burns out. I used “Heet” gasoline anti-freeze as my fuel (obtained from an auto store/department). It is methyl alcohol that burns clean and comes in a yellow bottle with a long neck. I poked a small hole in the foil seal that allowd me to carefully pour the fluid onto the string that was placed on the bottle.

I also have a technique in tying the string. First I tie a small slip knot loop, then I roll that loop over the remaining line. The first loop when tightened cinches onto the main line to make a very stable but adjustable large loop around the glass. Make sure that the string loop when tightened contacts the glass surface.

Final note: the flat pieces of glass from this bottle are quite thin so I am needing to learn a more delicate way to knapp the glass but then that’s part of the fun!

There are different methods to remove the bottle bottoms. One interesting method used for small 12oz. bottles is by using only your hand as illustrated in “Popping Off Bottle Bottoms By Hand“. Larger bottles become progressively more difficult and I have yet to break out a 40oz. bottle.

For larger sizes I find that a metal rod works well. My friend uses a steel chisel or punch, blunt side down, inside the bottle and shakes it up and down while his thumb covers the top. I prefer to use tire irons and rebars to poke it out. In the past, when I have used a tire iron, I would place the blade parallel with the seam at the bottom to strike it. However, I found that it was easy to punch small holes in the process that could jeopardize the removal. Recently I discovered that I could rotate the blade slightly, say about 15 degrees inward or so and the bottoms would break out quite consistently in a single piece.

Should you have the need for glass, bottles are easily obtained from trash or recycle containers and you can try these techniques for yourself. It’s wise to wear eye protection and perhaps sturdy gloves too. Don’t forget to pick up any glass shards left behind when you’re finished.

My interest in removing bottle bottoms is that it provides material that I use to develop my flint knapping skills. Admittedly, a 40 oz. bottle is preferred because it provides the most glass to work with but requires a rod of some sort to strike it out from within the bottle. But a regular 12 oz. size bottle still has usable material for practice and is much more plentiful to acquire.

There are other uses for the remaining bottle. For instance, when inverted, the bottle becomes a funnel and can be strategic for adding fluids to your automobile in an emergency situation. Another use is as a stationary or mobile candle holder complete with integrated chimney and handle.

How do you remove the bottom? Begin by filling the empty bottle with water until it is 2 inches from the top. With one hand, use your thumb and fore finger to surround the lip of the bottle while holding the neck, and with the other hand strike the opening with the butt of your palm. It’s best to do this over a soft area like a lawn to prevent breakage of the released glass and to absorb the spilled water. Be sure to pick up any remaining glass shards that fell to the ground during the process. It’s important to note that thin glass bottles might crack upwards while releasing the bottom. I have had no problems from this but you should take any safety precautions that you deem necessary.

With a little practice you should experience success. I’m still working toward larger bottle sizes with hope of overcoming the 40 oz. barrier of resistance.Click HERE to view a short video demonstration.

Heritage crafts of that time were demonstrated throughout the day that included cooking, spinning, blacksmithing, flint knapping, Indian skills, and Civil War drill re-enactments. My part in this event was to display my era-associated items such as my Cheyenne style teepee and stretched deer hide. I brought a 5 foot “fish pillow” replica to add to the atmosphere by hanging it on a tripod as if ready for cleaning. Although I was prepared to demonstrate era cooking skills, my interest in firecraft and flint napping took precedence for the day and I enjoyed meeting many friendly people.

If you find yourself in this area next May, it would be well worth your effort to experience this celebration. I expect you’ll see me there having fun.