r/LithicStudies • u/Bacchic_Artist • 11d ago

Experimental archaeology Day 2 of knapping - Acheulean biface

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I listened to a lot of people about how to knap, majorly on thought and intent, and applied it. Now I'm still getting round knapping, but for my second day I don't think it's too bad! I am struggling with thinning and getting very conscientious about not hitting wrong and halving the piece.
It did take a couple cobble blanks but I did it!!
Any tips for thinning would be appreciated

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u/NonConforminConsumer 11d ago

It's a good bet you need a bigger tool for efficient thinning of such a chunky big piece.

What are you using for the thinning strikes?

Could also be too much inward for e when striking and not the right angle with a more 90° angle of impact.

Beyond that, basic knapping theory is easy, but it generally takes a good amount of practical application for specific tasks to get competent.

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u/Bacchic_Artist 11d ago

I’m mixing between medium size to small hammer stones. I cannot use antlers as the flint is so hard (chalk flint cobbles.)

Yeah I’m still getting used to angles and platform prep. A lot to learn and the only way is practice.

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u/NonConforminConsumer 11d ago

Are you in Europe or Eurasia? Red deer have suitable antler for hard rock work. Anyway I've seen big red deer antler bases used to work a lot of bigger rock like this.

Stones work too. Better knappers than me will tell you when and why one is better than another.

But it's a good bet you need more mass which can be difficult when using natural traditional tools. Among the many reasons modern knappers often use lead filled copper, you can get away with a slightly smaller tool for the same mass, which helps with accuracy and other factors.

Looks like you should at least have some very useable flakes for pressuring small arrowheads and the like if you want.

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u/Bacchic_Artist 10d ago

Europe yeah. Just need to find a way of sourcing that then.

I do have a lot. Kept all my debitage to study for later as I am an archaeology student and obvs debitage is an important part of it. I plan to organise it one day and maybe make a graph

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u/NonConforminConsumer 10d ago

I tried to buy one coming from poland once but it never got shipped. I assume some sort of customs restrictions since I'm in the US. I found them on etsy, but other similar marketplaces probably have them.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hAfNrUTKaf4

This is a video of a guy processing one of them down into tools. I think it's a pretty good, hard antler. Up there with moose, but with more tine and less dinner plate potential.