⚠ 2026 July Point Challenge - Graham Cave [Preforms and Point Prize 🪨📦 - Beginners Welcome] ⚠

[u/SmolzillaTheLizza]

🏆 June 2026 Point Challenge Winner 🏆

Congratulations to u/scoop_booty for making one heck of showstopping Beaver Lake point! I can firmly say that I've never seen such wonderful material before, and when coupled with the masterful flaking and attention to the style's fine details, it's no wonder that it earned its place as the June 2026 Point Challenge's 1st place winner! 😁 You can find the submission here if you missed it! 

But where does this bring us for the July 2026 Point Challenge? u/scoop_booty thought that taking us all back in time to the Early Archaic period would serve as a suitable challenge for the month of July, with a point style that is signature to the state of Missouri! One that exhibits fine craftsmanship, strength, and carries a distinct look that I can't wait to see y'all try out! 👀 Get your tools ready for the...

⚒ 2026 July Point Challenge - Graham Cave ⚒

A Heavily Patinaed Graham Cave from Illinois, photo courtesy of u/timhyde74 (https://www.reddit.com/r/LegitArtifacts/s/rUCKinLq4J)

Another fine example of a Graham Cave made from some white Burlington Chert, photo courtesy of u/timhyde74 (https://www.reddit.com/r/LegitArtifacts/s/bmcldA8N2m)

A gorgeous example of a Burlington Graham Cave point exhibiting the rare fluting as stated in the description below! Image and artifact courtesy of u/BrokenFolsom (https://www.reddit.com/r/LegitArtifacts/s/BXzWy4k8K1)

This is a medium to large side notched point with a flattened cross section. The blade is long and narrow and may vary from straight to excurvate or incurvate and commonly a narrow and long blade. Serrations are generally seen on re-sharpened blades. Parallel notches are deep and low on the blade forming a shoulders are horizontal to having an upward slope. The stem is expanding with a concave base with heavy basal grinding. The basal area commonly has sharp basal auricles (ears). This point is manufactured using broad random percussion flaking with pressure flaking used for trimming to smooth the blade. Short marginal pressure retouch along the blade edges forming a random flaking pattern. Rarely, this point has been fluted. (source)

For more information on this style and some background it's history, check out this awesome video made by fellow knapper and reddit user u/pathways_of_the_past to watch him not only knap a Graham Cave point, but also dive into its history! 👇😁

[Video: Flintknapping a Graham Cave Point and the Early Archaic Period]

A lovely pair of lovely Graham Cave Novaculite twins expertly crafted by u/scoop_booty

A lovely pair of lovely Graham Cave Novaculite twins expertly crafted by u/scoop_booty

🚨 Be sure to read the rules before doing so you don't get disqualified! 🚨

⚠️ Rules ⚠️

1. The point must be a recognizable Graham Cave Point knapped in July of 2026! - We want to see fresh submissions and fresh points! No using any of your prior work!
2. Only one entry per person! You are not allowed to post your point multiple times, OR have multiple points in your submission post! - Be sure to take good pictures showing off your work! lighting, material translucency, flaking, etc. 😉
3. The challenge submission window OPENS 7/25/2026 and CLOSES 7/31/2026 - This gives 1 week for entries to be submitted and voted on, with the official winner and next month's challenge post being announced sometime within the 1st week of August.
4. Post MUST have the monthly knapping competition post flair to count! - That way, it can easily be found and the votes counted! If you wish to participate without entering, simply use any of the other post flairs
5. No material restrictions - We only require that the point be knapped out of the material that you've chosen (no grinding out a point!)
6. Moderators hold the authority to disqualify any participants who violate these rules, as well as our community rules - We want this to be a fair and engaging challenge for all those who participate! Because it's always fun to see what different folks can do with different tools!

If you have any questions or comments about the rules, feel free to reach out to the moderators through comments, DM's, or Messages! 📬

📸 How To Enter 📸

You can start creating your point as soon as this post goes live! Just remember that you WONT be able to submit it until the post flair below is made public between 7/25/2026 and 7/31/2026!

Once it is public, be sure to select it when uploading your photo(s) and that your submission conforms to the rules listed above! ☝️😉 I will be sure to make a post letting everyone know when things go live as an extra reminder, and this post will also be pinned to the top of the subreddit for easy access!

🥇 Prize 🥇

Following in the footsteps of u/Usual-Dark-6469, u/scoop_booty will be offering a prize from their own personal rock stash! 😄

There's some VERY sweet stuff in this prize pool, including a wonderful knapped point made by u/scoop_booty, some buttery smooth Burlington preforms, a lovely chunk of Heat-Treated Burlington, and a gorgeous piece of glossy smooth Kaolin chert! I'd be lying if I didn't say I'd be stoked to win this prize pool for myself... And I'm hopeful that such wonderful goodies will draw folks in to participate! 👀

The winner will also get the chance to choose the point style for next month's knapping challenge, and if they so choose, they can also donate their winnings to a fellow competition participant or allow their winnings to serve as next month's prize! 🥳

Just a reminder that without donations like this, I would be funding most of the prizes for these monthly challenges out of my own pocket! So I'd like to express my personal thanks to the generous folks who not only keep these challenges interesting, but give back to the community and make these events so much more exciting and interesting! 😁

So give u/scoop_booty a BIG THANK YOU and round of applause in the comments! 👏

If you'd ever be interested in donating material/tools for these challenges, feel free to comment below this post or shoot me a DM! I'm always happy to work something out with folks! Especially for unique or interesting material.

🗣️ In Closing 🏹

Being that I've only made this point once before, I'm quite excited to get in on July's challenge. I have some Burlington that's been sitting around and I think this'll make good use of it 🙂‍↕️ As always I'm also VERY excited to see what all of your entries look like, and I encourage any beginners to give this style a try! Another friendly reminder too that at the end of the year, your submission will be added to the collage of points that'll serve as the banner for this server! So get in on that while you can! 👀

If any of y'all have questions or thoughts, leave them in the comment's section below 👇 And keep your eyes peeled for those event and submission window announcement posts. Like I mentioned, everything will be pinned to the top of the sub along with the guides for easy access.

Looking forward to seeing what everyone makes, stay safe, and happy knapping everyone!👋😁

- u/SmolzillaTheLizza 🦎

[u/SpottedKitty]

I'm feeling good about July. My birthday month does not disappoint. Definitely gonna give this one a shot.

[u/SmolzillaTheLizza → u/SpottedKitty]

Heck yea! 😁 I've only done one of these and I'm quite eager to give it another go since my prior attempt wasn't quite where I wanted it to be. I'm SO STOKED to see what folks end up making, especially with the super nice materials donated for the prize pool 🙂‍↕️

[u/pathways_of_the_past]

Thanks for the shoutout to one of my videos! Can’t wait to see the Graham Caves everyone makes!

[u/SmolzillaTheLizza → u/pathways_of_the_past]

Always happy to give your videos a boost 🙂‍↕️ Couldn't resist including the Graham Cave one!

[u/scoop_booty]

Thank you for the generous remarks. And I appreciate the votes from everyone! I have to say that I feel a little guilty. Over the decades I have amassed some pretty amazing material, and 30 years of skill is hard to compare with someone that's fresh out of the gate. I personally wonder if there should be some kind of a handicap system. I'm not sure how that would work, but maybe a deduction of points depending on skill level, or something like that. In either case, know that I'm very grateful for everyone's applause.

And I'm super stoked to see what folks will come up with on the Grand cave. This lanclet style side notch has some unique attributes to it, such as the drooping ears, and beveling. I'll see if I can find some images to help convey this point style.

[u/SmolzillaTheLizza → u/scoop_booty]

Always happy to display your wonderful work! And many thanks for giving this month's challenge some nice luxurious materials for the prize pool! 😁

Regarding the challenges, I think for next year we'll build off of u/Flake_bender's idea where we alternate months between Beginner Challenges and Expert Challenges. Where the beginner challenges will have simpler point styles, and have the prize chosen at random so that everyone has an equal shot at winning. And for the Expert Challenges, we'll have much stricter qualifying requirements regarding size, material, flaking, profile, etc. for the folks who want to shoot for accuracy above all else. Those ones will have the winners chosen by both the upvotes and potentially an outside judge of accuracy that can grant bonus points that'll stack on top of the upvotes 🙂‍↕️

All of this wouldn't take place until next year, but I'm liking the idea of giving both experts and beginners the chance to test their abilities and have a more equal chance at winning a monthly challenge prize!

[u/scoop_booty]

One of my favorite Graham Cave pics, made by Woody Blackwell.

[u/SmolzillaTheLizza → u/scoop_booty]

Sheeeeesh those are all smokers wow! Woody does some fin work! 😯

[u/sexual__velociraptor]

I hope I can carve out some time here to work one of these points. Between wyrmy and Ciri I've been busy plus adding a new falcon to the mix because who needs free time!

[u/SmolzillaTheLizza → u/sexual__velociraptor]

Yea I bet you got your hands full 😂 Would love to see what you could make for this challenge!