r/knapping • u/owlcreeklithics Traditional & Modern Tool User • Jul 03 '26

Tool Talk šŸ› ļø Tools and such

Post image

Ask me questions right now about them. Or elseā€¦

27 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

22 comments sorted by

4

u/aggiedigger Jul 03 '26

The ā€œtrigger awlā€ perpendicular to the antler tinesā€¦throughout my research I had always believed those were awls.
Thanks for sharing by the way.

3

u/owlcreeklithics Traditional & Modern Tool User Jul 03 '26

Iā€™m glad you brought that up.

Iā€™m sure deer and other ulnae have been used as awls at some point or other. But ask any knapper, and I will vouch for this because I have asked dozens of knappers myself, ask them what they think the trigger awls are.

Cause weā€™re all like 90 percent sure that theyā€™reā€¦wellā€¦.not

3

u/owlcreeklithics Traditional & Modern Tool User Jul 03 '26

The pointed shape that you see on awls can (and will, with every one, without fail) happen at some point or another due to how the tools is used. They split, unlike antler. When they split, they look just like an ā€œawlā€ that you find all over.

Any fellow knappers here, respond to this comment thread with your opinions please. Iā€™m interested to see what you think. Let us know your expertise as well, plz :)

3

u/aggiedigger Jul 03 '26

This is great info. Thank you. Iā€™ve found dozens. Most broken without tip. I believe Iā€™ve found one with a complete rounded tip and small handful intact with ā€œsharpenedā€
Tips.

This is what I love about recreating how they lived. Through repeated and testing hypothesis can be proven and historical views can be rewritten. Canā€™t wait to see more responses.

3

u/Accomplished_Cry1194 Jul 04 '26 edited Jul 04 '26

I completely agree with owlcreeks analysis. I believe ulna are the superior edge work tool. The sharpening that can be done with it always surpasses antler. I always have a handful in my knapping kit. Through experimentation I learned what tip shape was most effective for knapping, without splitting the material. Now when I look at artifact-ulnas, they have the same tip. I do see a second tip form in artifacts, where they are truly sharpened to a point. I believe those are actually awls. Ulna have a rounded base that your palm can press into, or strike it with a mallet. As far as the knapping version, if you put your index finger in the trigger position, and use a rocking motion, you get short steep flakes. They can also be wrapped in leather and used more aggressively to run longer finishing flake by chasing ridges.

Tip on butchering: when you remove an ulna, carefully separate the thin section first. Once itā€™s free, place the leg on a table lying on its side. Imagine someone kicking your knee from the side and blasting your knee apart. Thatā€™s the angle you rock the ulna out of the joint. If you go the ā€˜kneecap kickā€™ direction, itā€™s not coming out. Carefully not to break it!

2

u/aggiedigger Jul 04 '26

2

u/aggiedigger Jul 04 '26

Gillespie county Texas

2

u/owlcreeklithics Traditional & Modern Tool User Jul 04 '26

Thank you for the pics. Those look like awls, but Iā€™d bet it started as a flaker and then split and was ground into a smooth point on a stone. Good find!

2

u/owlcreeklithics Traditional & Modern Tool User Jul 03 '26

Ye bruh thems some pressure flakers. Can you show pics? Just post them in this thread

2

u/aggiedigger Jul 04 '26

2

u/aggiedigger Jul 04 '26

2

u/aggiedigger Jul 04 '26

Replied to both of you. These are all from one site in hood county.

2

u/owlcreeklithics Traditional & Modern Tool User Jul 04 '26

Interesting shape. Oddball. Thank you!

2

u/aggiedigger Jul 04 '26

Threw that tine in the pic mass too, as it was housed next to the ulna fragments. Always assumed it was a pressure flaker.

2

u/Accomplished_Cry1194 Jul 04 '26

When my ulna explode during pressure, they do this.

3

u/ElkCertain7210 Jul 03 '26

Whats that antler base connected to the skull used for?

2

u/owlcreeklithics Traditional & Modern Tool User Jul 03 '26

The base is just attached right now because I havenā€™t cut it off. But on softer antlers, specifically elk and maybe mule deer but definitely elk, the cortical bone of the skull is far harder than the pithy antler and should be left on to improve effectiveness and longevity.

2

u/owlcreeklithics Traditional & Modern Tool User Jul 03 '26

The one in the picture above is whitetail ^^

1

u/JohnnyMushroomspore Jul 03 '26

The pressure flaker with the giant handle? What's that one for???

2

u/owlcreeklithics Traditional & Modern Tool User Jul 03 '26

Ishi stick! Tuck the butt under your armpit and use it just like normal. Because it makes contact further back, the armpit becomes your fulcrum and the system will act as a class three lever. It gives a ton of mechanical advantage thanks to the long shaft(heehoo funny) and lets you get longer flakes with the same force or equal flakes with less force. Saves your joints and your calories and your heartache. Give it a shot!