Question regarding bases

[Superdup]

I don't know if I'm framing this question correctly. I have noticed in many of the points I have found, when looking down the length, the base (part below the shoulders) is not in alignment with the body of the point; rather, it's rotated or "twisted" slightly at an angle. Is this intentional? I have always assumed that it was, given the obvious skill of the makers.

[Hoss]

Depends on type. For instance the Buck Creek are thinned from the sides rather than from the end. this causes a slight bevel to the base . I believe the Darl Is simmilarly thinned from the sides.

[Hoss]

take some photos show some examples please

[BoilerMike]

I nearly started a post recently asking the same question - I have had the same observation, including uniface flake tools that look hafted, as well as worn-down stems with nothing more than a beveled edge left (often at an angle).

My suspicion is they’re knives, hafted like a chef’s knife with an offset blade that comes down further than the handle on one side. And if there are shoulders, I’ve noticed the one opposite the blade is often higher and/or less pronounced, which would make sense because you need more support on one side than the other for an asymmetrical hafted knife..

[Mattern]

I believe they may be knives. Kim

[Superdup]

I will post a few examples

[Hoss]

If you think about it most points with a straight base would have material removed from the sides iof the base. That said it would be easy to bevel the base in relation to the blade edges . Hey Boiler I like your assumption that these were knives . I was thinking the same thing as I wrote my response last night.

[Superdup]

Hopefully these are illustrative enough. See how the base is off kilter from the rest of the point in these examples? Maybe to force the projectile to spin in flight?

[DiversionHound]

I've seen resharpening where one side each face is beveled that creates a twisted appearance, but that doesn't look like what's going on there.

[Hoss]

When material is removed from the sides ( see circles ) the point is just flipped and worked from the other side it will become beveled.

[Hoss]

The material is removed from either side not from the base. this is what I meant when I said thinned from the sides.

[UpNorth]

The Kramer and the Lamoka found in the Midwest.
have bases similar to that.
They were made that way and never truly finished.
it could be hafted and function with the best of them.

[UpNorth]

Perhaps, a off “kilter”-“twisted”base.
with many often thicker at the base than blade.
was made that way to prevent breaking at the halft.
which many are suceptable to do.

[Superdup]

Thanks guys. Up north, very interesting take. Would be interested to know if the physics back that up. Hoss, not following how thinning from the sides would create a base that, longitudinally, is at a different angle of rotation than the rest of the point....I will reread your posts.

Regardless and as always, thanks for your time!

[Cecilia]

I know I have some academic articles on the physics of points’ projections. I will look….

[Stevie_GoodGravy]

I've seen this on several, usually older, points that I've found. It almost does seem like whoever knapped it was going for a rifling-type effect, but it was explained to me that it were because of the method of resharpening i.e. only resharpening one side on each face.

[Superdup]

Interesting. Thanks for the input