4 ½ inch Texas Root Beer Knife Step-By-Step

[Ron Kelley]

Today I will see what I can do with this Texas Root Beer tab. The tab is 4 7/8 inches long and only 7/8 inch thick.

Here is my biface along with several of the big percussion flakes. The percussion flakes are real thin. It is still 4 ¾ inches long. At this point I have removed all the cortex and thinned it a little. All the edges are bifaced with none of the rounded edges of the original tab.

Here is my preform. I lost a little length: It’s 4 ½ inches long now. I thinned it down to 7/16 inch (half the thickness I started with.) I tried to sweep up all the flakes for this step but I’m sure I missed a few that went flying. At this point the only tools I’ve used are a copper-bopper and an abrading stone.

And finally here is my 4 ½ inch Texas Root Beer Knife along with the pressure flakes from this step. I used one of my Ishi sticks for this final step in the knapping.

[Kyflintguy]

Cool Ron! Beautiful blade! I like seeing the stages like this and I know Chuck and many others will enjoy seeing it too! Nice percussion work with that tab!

[Scorpion68]

Josh - you couldn't be more right. Those pictures are truly worth a 1,000 words and there's nothing like pictures to pass the information along to a learning audience. The more I see the more I get the itch to try it myself!!

[Hoss]

Nice job Ron

[2ndoldman]

That is a gorgeous blade Ron and the step by step pictures are very helpful.

[Scorpion68]

Damn Ron - Only way this could have been better is if I was there in person to watch the process. We can see the initial reduction by percussion and the resulting pieces. Then we see the preform shaped and the debitage from that process. Lastly we see the final product from pressure flaking and the resulting debitage. It's interesting to note that the further the process goes, the smaller the debitage and it makes sense. But the proof is in the final product and that knife is one of the finest I have ever seen. As usual, an awesome product. But Ron - I've often wondered - what do you do with all these pieces you've made.?? IMO they're museum quality but I'm just curious.. And thanks so much for sharing this most informative post. TAM - are you looking at this???

[Ron Kelley]

Thanks Chuck, I was thinking of your earlier questions when I did this. I have never made a video and this is as close as I can come to that. I have framed a lot of my pieces and I have given away a lot too.

[Scorpion68]

I'm really glad you did Ron because I've watched countless videos of people making points and blades but I'm always watching from a few feet away and can't get to see the detail. I had the idea in my head of the process but not the actual results. Now I do. Still - maybe I'll hire ya a production team and you can make us our own video.. :-)

[Tam]

Ron , that is a beauty . I have to say I just love all that pressure flaking . That makes a point for me and a really cool base , great ears whoa .. Thumbs up to you for the patience to even do this hobby . Chuck I do think you should take this up ... I really enjoyed seeing this process step by step as well . Boy this really explains all those reduction flakes I find big and small . So many from just one point ..
when I walk that camp now and find them I will have this image in my mind . 👍

[Ron Kelley]

Thanks Tam, If I didn't knap I would have no idea that you would get this much debitage from one knife.

[JoshinMO]

Nice looking Point, cool process shot's also!

[Ron Kelley]

Thanks Josh, You did some good knapping and I hope you continue. I know you find some good burlington: You gave me some.

[gregszybala]

That's cool! Thanks for taking the time to do and share the process. Now if every neewbie could take a look it would help them out immensely.

[Ron Kelley]

Thanks Greg, My thoughts too. Even if a collector has no interest in flintknapping this thread could answer many questions.

[Pointhead]

Ron that is incredible. Someday I’ll have to send you a hunk of material, and some $ for your time, but I’d love to have one of your blades someday

[Ron Kelley]

I would love to knap a blade or two for you but please don't send money. I don't need it and i don't like the idea of selling my stone art. I retired 15 years ago and flintknapping is a hobby that i love.

[G10+]

Really love the way u showed the steps Ron !!! Now that was an awesome post !!!!

[Ron Kelley]

Thanks Everett, I could have knapped three or four points in the time it took to make this post. Good to know that people appreciate the effort.

[Pointhead]

Ron that would be awesome!! I’ll have to find an ancient spall one of these days, If you’d be interested in trying New England argillite I’ll look for a size able chunk in the upcoming year

[Ron Kelley]

Good deal Ben, I have knapped very little argelite but I will give it my best.

[BabaORiley]

Hey Ron...excellent...what a piece...I asked you about a time lapse earlier...thanks man. Who would have known that a product like that could come from just an ordinary looking rock? Awesome finish man...I gotta start cracking some of the would be stones open to see just what lays there...gives me an idea....

[Ron Kelley]

Thanks Frank, Yes some of the best lithic material just looks like hardstone field rocks until you take a chip off.

[p kurt]

I am really liking these as ya go photos. That is one heck of a point.

[CGriff61]

I just learned more in one post than I’ve learned in a lot research.... thank you! Seeing the process just helped me understand what I’m finding in the fields. So many flakes and debitage I’ve picked up wondering how it all plays in. Excellent!!!

[Ron Kelley]

Thanks Griff, Someday I will have to post a picture of Chip Mountain (my debitage pile).

[oldrocks2]

This post was worth your time. Really appreciated.