THE PLATFORM
-a publication of the Minnesota Knappers Guild-

Editor: Gene Altiere
4329 Peabody Ln.
Duluth, MN 55804

JIM BEASLEY
TENN. RIVER AND RT. 4,
CAVEHOUSE RD.
BUFFALO RIVER, JACKSON, TN.
FLINT & CHERT
901-424-3495

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Getting to the "Point"
by Jim Regan

My flintknapping experience goes back about 6 years. Although my interest in arrowheads & Early Man go back some 30 years, when an elderly neighbor lady gave me a box of arrowheads. I began my chipping career like most knappers of today-- by getting a copy of Waldorf's "The Art of Flintknapping" (see this month's book review - editor), and trying to pressure flake. Finding material was the big problem-- I resorted to using flakes or broken pieces of original points as well as glass and obsidian from a rock shop. After a couple of years I heard of something called a "knap-in" & decided that I needed to go. I drove some 650 miles by myself to Collinsville, Illinois. I was totally wore out by the time I got there, but believe me it was worth it. I saw a couple of dozen knappers who ranged in ability from beginner to "world class". Initially I felt very selfconscious, but realized later that I needn't have. Everyone was very helpful in answering questions & demonstrating their techniques. The other major benefit was the stone--I picked up a nice selection of flakes from their "waste" pile (a selection that I might have killed for when I started knapping up here in Minnesota), & there was plenty of stone for sale as well. Where I'm heading with this rambling story is to tell you that if you really want to learn, get to a knap-in. It is absolutely true that you will learn more at 1 or 2 knap-in's than you will all by yourself in 5 years. Yes, I know you don't have the time, & it does cost something to get there, etc., etc., but the bottom line is still "if you want to learn, get to a knap-in". Another reason to go is the many related subjects you might find at a knap-in: There are usually a few knappers that bring their Atlatl & Darts along to throw, others have primitive archery equipment, you may see someone else starting a fire with a bow-drill, or someone else who makes pottery the ancient way, etc., etc.,


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LOGOS

The response to our call for logo suggestions has been super! Here is a sampling of the entries thus far. We're going to wait until the next newsletter to show all the entries and have you vote on your favorite. PLEASE! If any more of you have ideas for a good logo, send in a drawing and we'll add it to our display in the next newsletter







GREETINGS

A couple of weeks ago the editor was sitting peacefully in front of his computer consul typing in articles for "The Platform" when the phone rang. He answered the phone and a pleasant female voice with a soft southern accent said hello. Now, our editor's brain does not always function in high gear and it was still trying to determine who this voice might belong to when he realized that she had just told him who she was. He repeated the name slowly to himself as she continued to speak to him and it was still several seconds before complete recognition came through. The mystery lady with the very non-Minnesotan voice was the illustrator parexcellence and co-editor of "CHIPS", Val Waldorf. It seems our crafty (though lumbering) editor had realized that the readers of this newsletter would soon tire of his prattle and that he might be able to hold their interest longer if he occasionally added illustrations to the deft prose found in his columns. He had written a letter to Val talking about "The Platform" and the MKG (I am not going to write out Minnesota Knappers Guild every time it comes up) and had asked if we could occasionally use her illustrations to liven up the newsletter. Val was calling back to graciously consent to our requested favor. She wishes the MKG and "the Platform" well and sends her and D.C.'s greetings to the Land o' Lakes knappers. Thanks, Val!

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NEW MEMBERS COLUMN

We received a letter from Keith Matson from Deer River. He gave us the name of a potential new member Grant Goltz of Hackensack, MN. Hi Grant!

Keith talked about a rendezvous to be held in Deer River on Aug 3-5, 1990. A group over there is trying to construct a fur post/Ojibwe village. Anyone who is interested in the project or rendezvous should write to Keith Matson, P.O. box 132, Deer River, MN 56636. Keith also mentioned that he would like us to publish the names and addresses of the members in one of the newsletters. The name list is growing such that the editor thinks it would be better if anyone who wants a list would send him a self addressed, stamped, business size envelope and he'll send you a copy of the mailing list.

We would also like to greet Wayne Allen, a graduate teaching assistant in anthropology at Mankato State University. Hi Wayne!

Still another new member is Jon Nelson of Thunder Bay, Ontario ... ey! Jon's not a knapper but is interested in lithic technology. He'd particularly like to talk with anyone who has worked Knife Lake siltstone from Northern Minnesota. Hang around this group long enough Jon and we'll make a flintknapper out of you! Jon, if you'll send the editor some of that stone, we can let you know how it compares to other materials. O.K. guys quit laughing. Getting materials from this part of the country is TOUGH and it's always worth a try.

Vern Lauer also dropped us a line and sent in a contribution to help defray costs of printing the newsletter. Thanks, Vern.


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"BIKWAK"

The Ojibwe word for "arrow" is "bikwak" pronounced bic-wok'. The word for "bow" is "mitigwaab" pronounced mi-tig-waab'. The word for "and" is "miinawaa" pronounced me-na-wa'. Before the coming of "wayaabishkiiwejig" and his "baashkiziganan" the "anishinaabeg" used "mitigwaab miinawaa bikwak". And a lot of the "bikwakoon" (plural for arrow) in this neck of the woods were tipped with a stone called jasper taconite. Does anybody out there know anything about jasper taconite (except that in the poorer grades it is a B _ _ _ _ to work) ???? A little information professors Gordy or Bill or Tony, pleeease....!

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FREE! FREE! FREE!

Once again the newsletter is being delivered free of charge. It is something the editor is willing to do because he believes that this is the only way we are going to develop a strong Guild that will promote interest in the flintknapper's art. Costs have started to be a factor, however, and soon we will be charging at least enough to cover the costs of duplication and mailing. In the meantime, enjoy the newsletter, tell your friends about it, send their names to the editor and WRITE us to let us know if you want the letter continued.

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"RENDEZVOUS"

Many of us who are interested in the flintknappers art also get involved in primitive weapons and even not-so-primitive weapons. The editor was recently reading The Complete Black Powder Handbook by Sam Fadala when he came across an interesting section in the book dealing with "rendezvous". Now it's pretty hard to argue with a man who has a B.S. and a Masters degree in English and a doctorate in writing and research (Dr. Fadala) but the editor took great exception to the following statement that appears in this book. In Chapter Five "The 'rendezvous' - then and now" the author states that "The first rendezvous took place in 1825 when General Ashley gathered the fur trappers together on Henry's Fork of the Green River not too far from present Pinedale, Wyoming...". That may have been the first "Rocky Mountain" rendezvous but General Ashley was only a pup (or not around at all) when the term was coined and the spirit established. In the mid 1700's the Grande Portage on the Pigeon River (where it leads into Lake Superior) was the sight of the summer "rendezvous" of the "voyageurs" (French for traveler). This was the meeting place of the "mangeurs de lard", the so called "pork eaters" from Montreal, and the "hivernants" or "winters" who spent their winters in the interior with the Indians trapping the furs. There at Grand Portage the great Montreal canoes were unloaded of trade goods and the previous winter's fur catch was loaded on board. It was a time for a few days rest and a time for celebration by those involved in the arduous work of the fur trade. By the 1790's a thousand men were participating in the annual Grand Portage rendezvous. A Rocky Mountain rendezvous may be what many modern day black powder enthusiasts think of when they use the term "rendezvous" but our Minnesota ancestors were nearly a century ahead in coining this term.

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For those of you who may be giving some basic flintknapping courses or have need for a short description of basic lithic technology for youth groups, you may find the following article useful:

STONE WAS A BASIC TOOL MATERIAL
by Dan Bera

Stone was prehistoric man's basic tool material. Out of this material he could produce ornaments such as beads, pendants and earrings, but the most important objects he made from stone were weapons and hunting implements. This was where man's ability to shape his environment with only available resource began. He had no blueprints, no measurements, and no college courses. Yet, because he was a master craftsman, the finished products were superb. Amazingly, some stone knives held an edge to leather better than a metal knife would.

Some types of stone were more attractive in color and texture or were more easily worked than others. These were so much in demand that they were traded over enormous distances. The shiny, black obsidian that came from the Rocky Mountains was often traded into the Mississippi Valley.

The production or making of points was thought to be a lost art, when in 1911, the last known primitive Indian archer was discovered in California. He was of the Yana or Yahi tribe, and his name was Ishi. Ishi's methods of manufacturing points was closely observed and recorded by archaeologists and the much debated "historic" way of producing projectile points was verified.

To break off flakes of suitable size from a larger nodule, the percussion method was used. This was often done by hitting and impacting one stone on another. If the stone was struck with a little judgement gained from experience, a flake could be produced that was a certain size and shape.

To shape the flake further, a method called pressure flaking was used. A piece of leather was held in the hand to protect it and the flake was held in place atop the leather by the fingers. A chipping tool, made of sharpened bone or antler and held in the opposite hand, would then be set against the edge of the flake and pressure applied. Without a jar or blow, a small chip would break of the flake on the opposite side of where the pressure was applied. By constantly flipping or rotating the flake, the desired shape was reached. Secondary flaking was used as a finishing process to touch up the edges, produce notches and give the blade a uniform thickness.

The process of pecking and grinding was used to produce objects like axes and celts from stone that was too difficult or impossible to chip. Pecking at the surface with a hammerstone slowly shaped the rock. This took a lot of patience as the worker was slowly pitting and pulverizing the surface of one rock by using an even harder rock to strike it with. Grinding was done using a piece of sandstone or wet leather covered with sand (a primitive sandpaper) to rub the surface. This would give a "pecked and ground" stone product its final shape and finish.

Primitive man used his brain and natural materials to produce implements to suit his needs. Next time you see some artifacts stop and look them over. I'm sure you'll be amazed at both what primitive man was capable of doing and with the superb workmanship he demonstrated when he created objects out of stone.


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LOST SHEEP

Does anyone out there know Jim Cummins? We had his address as 905 6th Street SW, Pipestone, MN., 56165 but his newsletter came back marked "Unable to forward, Return to sender". Anyone out there know Jim?


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HELPFUL HINTS COLUMN

Jim Regan sent along this hint concerning the safety aspect of knapping, mentioned in the last issue: "When knapping indoors I set my abrading stone on a sponge which is in a shallow pan of water. This really helps in keeping the grinding dust out of the air. Actually, there's no reason not to use this idea outdoors too."


Here's another helpful hint from Jim Regan: "One of the handiest tools in my kit is one that I use for edging (setting up a continuous platform along the length of a biface) It is extremely simple to make. Just get yourself a piece of hard copper tubing - the kind used in most homes for water pipe. You can buy this tubing in hardware stores, & it is quite inexpensive. It comes in 1/2 or 3/4 inch size. I like the 3/4 inch size myself. Take a piece about 6 inches long & flatten on end in a vise or with a hammer for a distance of about 1 inch. That's all there is to it. Easy to make, inexpensive, and works very well. An added bonus is than you can turn it on edge and use it for a notching tool."


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RESOURCES

For those of you who are just starting to receive the newsletter, we do have a list of available supplies, books, videos etc. If you would like a copy of the list, send a self-addressed, stamped business size envelope to the editor with a note requesting the "resorces" list.

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Keep the chips flying,


Gene Altiere, Editor
The Platform
4329 Peabody Lane
Duluth, MN 55804


2nd ANNUAL

MINNESOTA KNAPPERS GUILD

KNAP - IN

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JULY 7 & 8, 1990

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The second annual Minnesota Knappers Guild knap-in will be held on July 7 & 8. The Minnesota Historical Society has graciously agreed to provide the site at the historical North West Fur Post located 2 miles west of Pine City, Minnesota off I-35.

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The knap-in will be held in conjunction with an artifact I.D. clinic sponsored by the Institute for Minnesota Archaeology. If you have any artifacts that need to be identified, be sure to bring them with you.

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Tent and camper sites are available but there are no hook ups. The only facilities available are latrines and drinking water. So bring whatever you'll need to be comfortable (if we suggest you bring a rain tarp we're sure it won't rain, so bring one). You will have to cook your own meals or eat in town (there are some small restaurants as well as fast food places). Motels are available 3 mi. away in Pine City [Gail Motel 1-8004018 or (612) 629-2559, Schwartzwald Motel (612) 629-2511] or 13 mi. away in Hinckely [Americ Inn (612) 384-7451].
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For those of you who have not been to a knap-in be sure to bring your tools, stone, books, trading items, a stool to sit on, a plastic or canvas ground cloth to catch the waste flakes (archaeologists do NOT appreciate these artifacts) and plenty of curiosity. DON'T leave your stuff at home because you think your too new to the game. You can always leave it in your car to begin with but when you see how many beginners are there, you'll wish you brought your gear.

ANY QUESTIONS CALL: Gene Altiere, after 6pm (218) 525-5755

The views and opinions expressed in this page are strictly those of the page author.
The contents of this page have not been reviewed or approved by the University of Minnesota.