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THE PLATFORM
-a publication of the Minnesota Knappers Guild-
Editor: Gene Altiere
712 MEDICAL ARTS BUILDING
DULUTH, MN 55802
VOLUME 4, NO. 3
August, 1992
GUILD NEWS
MKG members have been very active in bringing
the flintknapper's art
to the public this year. Last February, MKG helped archeologist Scott Meyers of
the Institute for Minnesota Archaeology, put on a flintknapping demonstration
and class for IMA members. It was so well received that we were asked if we would
be willing to put on a flintknapping demonstration as part of the activities
of an "open house" at the IMA offices in early May. This affair offered
the general public a chance to become acquainted with the work of the Institute
and was well attended.
The knapping demonstration by our members was very well received.
The
MKG also participated in a knapping demonstration for the U.S. Forest Service at
their McDougal Lake dig site near Isabella. This is the fourth year that the
Forest Service has asked the MKG to participate in this informative public program
and those members who helped with the demonstration were given beautiful brass
"Passport in Time" U.S. Forest Service volunteer pins. The dig is
known as the Misiano site and
information gathered thus far would indicate it was occupied from paleo through
the woodland period. This is a fascinating site with many Knife Lake Siltstone
artifacts being uncovered. There are plans for the site to be open again next
year and if you can take the time, it is worth the trip. The editor is going
to try to get one of our members to write a short article on the site. Watch
for it in future issues.
While we are talking about public relations,
it should be mentioned that our
Annual MKG Knap-In is held at a Minnesota Historical Society site and our event
is always listed in their widely circulated calendar. Every year we have a few
hundred people learn about the knapper's art because of the association with
the Society.
We mentioned in last November's Platform that MKG members
had helped with a hafting project for the Winnabago Area Museum. Just after
the last issue went to print, we received a beautiful little hand-carved wood statue
from the museum curator as
a thank you for our help. Many MKG members enjoy helping educators, government
programs, schools, clubs etc. just because it feels good and because we are
proud of our art. It is nice, however, when people take the time to say "thank
you" in such a special way.
One final comment in the "Guild
News" for this month. On behalf of the MKG the editor would like to thank
Steve Kittlitz for his praise of the guild in the last issue of The Flint
Knapper's Exchange. Steve, we
appreciate the kudo's but we are just like every other guild, club, society or
association that tries to bring flintknapper's together. We have a diversity of
opinion, purpose, goal and agenda. The mere fact that someone would choose to
pursue such an outrageous (excuse my choice of words) activity as flintknapping
says a great deal about their individuality. We wish well to any organization
that tries to bring these unique people together to promote the art and science
of flintknapping. It is not
an easy task. The "group" morals and ethics associated with this activity
are slowly evolving and will continue to do so. Thanks to the pioneering
effort of many people both dead and alive, we have a rapidly growing network
of communication. The editor is aware of three regularly published knapping magazines
or newsletters; "Chips", "The Flint Knapper's Exchange"
and "The Platform". There may be others, of which, we are not
aware. The point we are trying
to make is that communication is helping (???) to point out the diversity of the
opinion which exists. In some respects this communication may be making it
"seem" worse. Give it time.
As our "group" opinion
evolves, there are those who will disagree and go their separate way. There are
those who will want it to evolve faster and will go their separate way. There
are those who will tend to be elitists and go their separate way. There are
those who will pine for the "old
days" and will go their separate way. Give it time. The editor believes
(and others may not) that "group" activity is healthy for the
individual and for the art.
Join a group. Participate in a group. In the end,
the art, the ethics and the technology of flintknapping will be better for
it.
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A SEARCH FOR MATERIAL
THE
FOLLOWING LETTER WAS RECEIVED FROM: Ray Harwood, 1141 East Avenue R-7,
Palmdale, CA 93550. ANYONE WHO
IS INTERESTED SHOULD RESPOND DIRECTLY TO RAY. EDITORIAL COMMENTS ARE HIS!
-ED.
TO: Gene Altiere, The Platform
As you Minnesota Knappers
know, flint is getting very expensive, especially heat treated fine grained
grays and tans. Obsidian is being protected by Environmental Wackos and chert
never was that good anyway. We've all tried glass bottles, plate glass and
such and all know it works very well for controlled fracture. Works great, but
looks lousy. I have met some
glass factory reps, however, that say they will custom make opaque gray with black
or white veins for $1.82 a square foot, but I don't know how thick they can
make it. They can make any color! Green, tan, black, and milk white plate glass,
at a little less than 1/4 inch thick, is available at Carara Glass Inc., but
you have to have a business license to buy it. If anyone is interested in going
in on a batch, please let me know. Also reprints of the old Flintknapping
Digest are now available from
me. SASE for information.
Ray
PRESSURE FLAKING
PADS REVISITED
THE FOLLOWING LETTER WAS RECEIVED FORM: WILLIAM H.
BISHOFF, 4026 S. CHEROKEE, ENGLEWOOD, CO 80110 -ED.
Gene;
Been
reading the articles by Jim Regan and have some comments. I have been using a
rubber block as Jim uses, but of different construction. Mine is constructed
thus:
This can be made from any rubber matting, mud flaps, tire sidewalls,
etc. I have also used strips
of leather to duplicate aboriginal materials. I use a back pad about 1 3/4
x 3 inches, then cement two strips about 5/16" wide and about 5/16"
apart across the backing pad. The point is laid across the center strips and
the flake removed between. The flake removed is totally unrestricted.
I
often get flakes the full width of the point. Often enough that I
learned to use a leather palm cover or a leather glove. Otherwise, I wind up leaking
red body fluids from flakes
driven into my hand. I also cement the pad to a piece of 1 x 2 pine and round
the back to fit my hand. This wood block moves the stone being worked away
from the heel of the hand, making the edge more accessible and not crowded by the
wrist.Jim mentions the point flaking and breaking. The rubber pad that
I have described will help eliminate this. The point is supported on each side
of the flake only, not clear out on the ends.
Jim's article in the May
92 Platform mentions rolling up
a piece of rag for a pad. I do the same thing with a piece of soft leather about
2 - 2 1/2 x 18 inches. I also sometimes take a piece of soft leather and simply
wad it up in my
hand and then kind of push the point being worked into
it.
I can not claim any of these ideas as original as I have watched and
learned (am learning?) from some local experts. A couple of which are well known
in Knapping. Although I am not above taking an idea and modifying it to suit
myself.
Well, I have
rambled enough for this time. Have heard there is going to be a Knap-in at Folsum,
New Mexico in September. No other information now, but if anyone is coming
west, they may want to check it out. Supposed to be September 12-13.
Wm Bishoff
We have received several articles
from Mike Potter and enjoy his lighthearted style. We choose to print the
following article first just to introduce you all to Mike. Other articles will
follow in future issues. -ED.
"AN
INTRODUCTION"
A hearty "hello" to all
you knappers up in the frozen tundra. My name is Mike and I'm a novice knapper
from Missouri. Now that would be fine, if I had just started knapping, but unfortunately,
I've been busily busting rock for ten years now. More on that later.
I
live in nearly the exact geological center of the state in the Ozarks
ridge country which extends down to the Arkansas border. There's a really
boring little story about how
the Ozarks got it's name, but I'll spare you that. This time. The important point
is that these ridges are made of limestone and, where there's limestone, there's
often flint.
The good news is that I live on top of a solid ridge
of limestone laced with flint. The bad news is that the flint (or chert, if you're
an intellectual snob or a geologist) is of poor quality. But, I have to
admit, it's kind of nice to just walk down the road in front of my house with a
sack, gathering up whatever goodies
the road grader has bestowed on me this time. The flint comes in fist-sized
nodules, lenses and layers. Naturally, everything accessible has weathered
into useless cubes, sort of like huge clustered grains of salt. Hitting a hunk
of it is like snapping your finger against a house of cards. The mean altitude
of my ridge has decreased by approximately five feet in the past few years and
they're beginning to haul out gravel by the truckload. There are vague mutterings
about making me register
as a quarry and charging me a special tax. I don't care; I'm having a good time.
My
"collection" consists of a vast number of awls, stone toothpicks
(the result of my work getting thin at exactly the same rate that it
gets narrow ...the awls are my more successful work), and bird points under an
inch in length (thick bird points, made from stray chips mostly).
Now I
used to blame this on the poor flint around here but, alas, a few years ago I ordered
some perfectly lovely Arkansas
Novaculite which chipped like a dream and cost me my favorite two children
and my second best motorcycle. Now, I didn't really mind so much paying a high
price for quality material but every fiber of my being screamed in anguish
at paying postage for rocks! Definitely a loosing proposition, especially when
all I have to show for it is an empty bedroom, space in my garage and two awls
of lovely white material.
Since my problem obviously wasn't the rock I
was using, I was led to the inescapable
conclusion that it must be my billet. Now, I already had a perfectly
good one inch deer antler billet, but obviously it wasn't good enough. Thus began
my Quest for the Perfect Billet.
I now own an even dozen antler billets
ranging in size from bigger than your fist down to the size of your index finger.
I have billets of moose antler, elk antler, deer antler and one rumored
to be from a Jackalope. I also have billets of copper, bronze, brass, phenolic
nylon, rayon, orlon, wood, plastic
and a round stalactite from a cave. But can I get past the 2:1 width to
thickness ratio? Noooooo.
It is now obvious to me that as I lay in my cradle
and all the Good Fairies gathered round to bestow their gifts upon me, making
me a fair rifle shot, a good driver and a decent electronics technician, one
leaned down and waved a tiny billet thrice over me and crooned: "Thou
shalt not knappeth flint."
Anybody want to buy an awl? Cheap? Oh,
by the way, does anybody have
any idea what a "striking platform" might be?
LITHICS MATERIALS
OF SOUTHEASTERN MINNESOTA
by LEROY GONSIOR
Part III
Grand
Meadow Chert
Grand Meadow chert was named by its association with an American
Indian quarry site near the town of Grand Meadow in Mower County. It is
found as cylindrical, elongated, and rounded nodules up to one foot in length.
Grand Meadow chert is derived from a fossiliferous, argillaceous dolostone (a
dolomite formed from more clay-like
particles - Ed). Shells and crinoid stems are uncommonly seen attached to
the cortex of nodules, but are not incorporated in the chert. (Crinoids are "stemmed
echinoderms" or "spiny skinned animals", related to
starfish, sand dollars and sea cucumbers. For an interesting article describing
these fossils read the article by Val Waldorf in "CHIPS", Vol 4, No.
1, 1992 - Ed.) Small white bits, 1 to 2 millimeters and smaller, can be very
numerous in some samples and
nearly absent in others. These bits are apparently carbonates, but it has not
been determined whether any are fossil fragments. The larger nodules can have
cavities filled with chalky carbonates and sand. Grand Meadow chert is a fine
grained, medium gray chert varying from a consistent color and texture to splotches
or mottled areas with varying gray colors, to irregular banding. Many cylindrical
nodules have banding near the cortex. The color is gray to dark gray
[10 YR 4/1, 5/1, and 6/1] but varies
from light gray [5 YR 7/1 and 8/1] to a very dark gray [7.5 YR 3/1]. An
olive colored patina is diagnostic of weathered surfaces with slight variations
of light olive brown [2.5 Y 5/2 and 5/4] to an olive [5 Y 5/2 and 5/3] to a light
olive gray [5 Y 6/2]. Heat treated specimens vary from gray to dark gray [10
YR 4/1, 5/1, and 6/1] with the cortex changing to a red to dark red [2.5 YR
4/8 and 3/6]. The cortex of nodules recovered from secondary (moved by natural
phenomena - Ed.) or lag deposits
are brown to olive colored with some exhibiting a cortex with swirled, wood-like
growth ring concretions.
Grand Meadow chert is found in the Devonian
age Rapid Member of the Cedar Valley Formation. The Cedar Valley Formation
was deposited as part of the Ancestral Forest City Basin in the bay known as the
Hollydale Embayment (Austin 1972). The Rapid Member was formed as a deep water
deposit and is identified as a argillaceous dolostone (Mossler 1978). The
stratigraphically associated (occurring
in a neighboring layer - Ed.) Rapid chert has been defined as a chert
from the Rapid Member in east central Iowa, however this material is a lower grade,
highly fossiliferous chert that is apparently different (Morrow 1984). The
use of Grand Meadow chert is slowly beginning to be understood after its identification
by the Minnesota Statewide Archaeological Survey during 1980 and consequent
identification from archaeological sites in Minnesota and portions of
Wisconsin and Iowa. The Grand
Meadow Quarry Site, (21 MW 8), is a large site that encompasses several hundred
acres of intensive quarry pits (Trow 1981). All but about ten acres have been
severely disturbed by agricultural use. The remaining eighty or so quarry pits
are 1 to 2 meters deep and generally about 5 meters wide, although some meandering
and co-joined pits may be 25 meters wide. The chert nodules are in a dense
layer a meter below the surface where they have eroded from the parent material.
Secondary deposits have also
been identified in gravel pits along the south branch of the Root River in
Fillmore County. Grand Meadow chert is a high quality chert that was extensively
used and traded some distance from the source area.
Grand Meadow chert
is an excellent lithic material for flintknapping because of its lack of inclusions
and faults, and surprising strength which allows some error in flintknapping.
It is unquestionably the highest quality chert found in Minnesota. Its
workability is improved, especially
for pressure flaking, by heat treating in the 400 to 500 degree Fahrenheit
range, however it is unnecessary for percussion flaking. The elongated or cylindrical
nodules, can be initially opened with bi-polar percussion. This is done
by placing the nodule on an anvil stone and driving off large usable flakes
with a hammerstone or preparing a nodule as a core or blank by removing the exterior
portions. Antler billets or hammerstones can then be used for the remaining
percussion knapping. This
is thought to be the reduction method used at the Grand Meadow Quarry Site which,
although minimally studied, has yielded numerous hammerstones, anvil stones,
and sandstone abraders.
PATAGONIA, SOUTH AMERICA
Our scope
of contact has become hemispheric! Hugo Nami, a trained archaeologist, from Patagonia
in Argentina (located toward the tip of South America) occasionally writes
to The Platform. Hugo has had a continuing interest in flint-knapping during
his career, but says there has
been little activity along those lines in his area. He does report that there
are three indigenous Indian tribes represented in his surrounding regions, and
the art of flint-knapping still survives in a rudimentary fashion in one tribe.
Unfortunately, all they do, currently, is some simple chipping of glass for
scrappers. Interestingly, his search for a knapper has not been in vain. He
finally found a self-taught knapper who produces some very nice hafted knives
as shown in a photograph he sent
along. We were going to try to reproduce the photo for the newsletter but much
to the editor's embarrassment, it has been misplaced. The unique effigy-like
handles were as interesting as the blades and we will contact Hugo and request
another if it is available.
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NEW MEMBERS
Rick
Vollner, 8550 Harrison Pike, Cleves, OH 45002 has joined the MKG
as a new member. Speaking of Cleves, OH, we never did get Tim Murphy's correct
address. Does anyone out there
know Tim? Send us his address PLEASE! Cliff Lindquist, 2134 Doddridge Ave.,
Cloquet, MN 55720 has also joined the MKG. Cliff is a novice knapper and
is looking forward to learning technique from some of the more experienced guild
members. The editor knew Cliff from some years back when they took Boy Scout
Woodbadge training together but wasn't aware of his interest till now. Welcome
aboard, Cliff! We also received dues and a request for back issues from David
Wescott, Box 3226, Flagstaff,
AZ 86003-3226. Dave is the director of the Boulder Outdoor Survival School and
sent along one of the School's brochures. For those of you who are interested
in learning primitive living skills, the programs offered by this school sounds
Super! If you are interested, you can write him at the address listed above
or call (602) 779-6000. Dave also sent along a flyer for the Society of Primitive
Technology (same address). This group publishes a bi-annual Bulletin of Primitive
Technology and while the
editor has not yet seen it, it does list flintknapping as one of its fields
of interest.
MKG KNAP-IN NEWS
Well the 4th Annual Minnesota
Knappers Guild Knap-In is now history. Two days of decent weather, small numbers
of mosquitoes and hundreds of visitors to the Fur Post and the Knap-In made
for a successful event. Knappers from Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Illinois
and Ontario shared stone, skills and stories. The editor stayed completely
out of the running of this
year's knap-in and consequently was able to do a lot more knapping! Unfortunately,
when you have your head down you don't get to see everyone but I did manage
to talk to a lot of those folks who have attended in the past and some of the
new ones. Dick Grybush from Wisconsin was on hand to catch grief about his preference
for Hixton quartzite. Actually, Dick and his brother are probably two
of the most knowledgeable guys around when it come to this material and it very
interesting to hear him talk
about it. Of course, no Pine City Knap-In would be complete without Tony Romano
and Joe Neubauer. Tony had fun arguing with Dick Grybush and Joe enjoyed frustrating
Vern Lauer with various "materials" of dubious geologic background.
A coppersmith
by the name of John Waldo was on hand to demonstrate
his skills and the
editor thoroughly enjoyed watching him and trading points.
His copper "tang" knives were beautifully done. Emmett Amdell
was on hand to demonstrate his
ability with pipestone (catlenite). Frank & Linda Bera came with their tepee
and added a rendezvous touch to the gathering.
Sage Junction proprietors
Susan Brown & Katie Luther from North Dakota were on hand with Knife
River Flint for sale. Katie's husband Mark Luther spent some time knapping but
more discussing various archeological and geological questions with the other
professionals in the crowd. At one time I looked up from my knapping and counted
six archaeologist involved
in knapping, identifying artifacts or watching more experienced knappers. George
Christianson & Dan Pratt from the Ft. Snelling Historical Center were two
of the archaeologists on hand to help with artifact identification. We have
made this artifact identification program a regular part of the Knap-In and it
greatly adds to the event. Pat Schefferdecker, the site manager for the North
West Fur Post, spent some time working on his knapping skills also. Leroy Gonsior
who wrote the super articles
that have appeared in The Platform on Southeastern MN lithics was there with
some Prairie du Chien and Grand Meadow chert samples for some of the more skilled
members to try. Leroy has been working on a fellow archaeologist to write a
paper on Western MN lithics for The Platform. This would help us tell "the
rest of the story" of Minnesota lithics. Darrol Schmidt was on hand for
a while and promised to bring me some material he has found near Hibbing, MN
that sounds very much like Gunflint
Lake silica. Jon Nelson was down from Thunder Bay, Ontario and his son kept
a lot of the members and visitors entertained with his atlatl skills.
I
did get to meet a few of the new comers. Cliff Lindquist of Cloquet, MN joined
as a new MKG member and novice knapper. George Pelphrey of Lacon, IL and
Gary Eldred of Sleepy Hollow Trail, WI had obviously seen their way around a billet
before and it was nice to seem them there. Dave Schorn and Dale Cannon,
both from Minnesota were a couple
more newcomers to the MKG event.
We didn't get to talk to everyone who
was there and probably missed seeing a few but hopefully we'll catch them next
year. The 1993 date has been set (June 26-27) and we look forward to another
good time. On behalf of the MKG members, the editor would like to thank Jim Regan
for the outstanding job he did again this year to make the event a success.
Thanks Jim, we're looking forward to next year!
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CHIPS
Subscriptions
for 1992. The price is $10 yr/4issues. Back copies for
all previous years available for $9/4issues. Make checks payable to: CHIPS,
P.O. Box 702, Branson, MO 65616
THE FLINT KNAPPER'S EXCHANGE
Subscriptions
for 1992. The price is $12 yr./6issues. Back issues are available
for 1991 for $12.00 per set of six. Payable to: The Flint Knapper's Exchange,
11220 Hopper Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70818
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NOTICE
PLEASE
NOTE THE CHANGE OF ADDRESS FOR THE PLATFORM !!!
THE NEW ADDRESS
IS: 712 MEDICAL ARTS BUILDING, DULUTH, MN 55802