@master3573 I got my copper rod for pressure flaking at a knapp-in back in the 80's, a few pieces will last for decades! You can buy copper grounding wire at Lowes or home Depot, it comes on a round spool and you can buy it by the foot. It is too flexible, so to make it stiff you can place one end in a vise and the other in a drill and twist it with the drill until it becomes very stiff. All my large solid copper billets have come from trading but can also be bought at metal shops. good luck.
Howdy Jim, I have a neat way to secure a pressure flaker. After I drill a hole for the tip, I reenforce the handle with a copper sleeve, Drill a 1/4 inch hole through the sleeve to meet the tip. I take J-B weld steelstick, mix it and plug that hole. After it has hardened I drill and tap for a 8-32 set screw. It does not take much to pressur to hold it and can be loosened to remove the tip for easier reshaping or to insert a new one
@themushroomman1212 The lead is heavy and soft, making the bopper head very similar to antler. The softer head will grab the biface platform better, pulling off the flake. You can use solid copper also, but my experience is that the boppers are more efficient....
Question...couldn't you use a hacksaw to cut a square end on the part going into the copper cap, and drill a hole crosswise in it, and then when you fill the cap with the lead, gently push the handle down into the molten lead and allow it to flow into the hole in the handle. Wouldn't this be Less likely to come loose from all the beating that you're about to do with the tool.
I think the soldering irons will work fine and I know of others who have used them. I have used solid copper in the past and my preference is the boppers. I believe the softer head and weight distribution makes the leaf filled boppers more user friendly....jim
Good question. Copper is fairly soft and grabs the stone to pull off a flake, much the way a good soft hammerstone does. Steel is so hard it does not grab the edge very well, but instead just shocks the stone and shatters it....
Jim: It was interesting to see how you added extra weight to the billet head by adding lead. I have made a couple of boppers using copper caps and PVC pipe but they seem a little light. I intend to try your technique and see if the added weight gives the result that I hope for. gardover
@SaltRock0000 Hinges can result from many things, including poor support of the biface, wrong angle of the blow or incorrect angle of the biface, a weak hit, poor platform, etc. Cant really say for sure without seeing it. The boppers grab the edge of the platform and pull the flake off. Good hammerstones will be stong but gritty which also gives them a good pull on the platform upon impact to nrelease the flake. Antler billets are also great and I highly reccomend them, especially large bifaces
Jim: I am only a novice knapper. I would like to see you do a segment on evaluating the workability of lithic materials; specifically flakes as one might buy at knapp-ins. I have spent a lot of money on different lots of colorful flint flakes from Ohio, MO, etc. but often do not have enough to make anything by the time the curvature of the flake is removed. For those of us concentrating on making small points, it would be good to know when a piece of rock is hopeless. Cpl Rey
I don't know why.. But I find this very, VERY interesting lol. When you said you were going to make the copper stick thingy-ma-bobs.. I was wondering how on earth you were going to make the dome on the top and laughed when I saw how simple it was in the end. Keep it up with the videos.. They're really interesting. :)
Hammerstones were the tool of choice in the field for most stone age cultures. Is some cases other tools such as antler, bone, ivory or wood were used for finishing. These organic tools were used as direct percussion billets, or as punches (indirect percussion, or for pressure flaking.
Both copper and antler/bone work great. For me the antler is more satisfying but the boppers are a bit easier. Overall I prefer the hammerstones and antlers but its all good.....jim
I was wondering if you could use the round part of a ball peen hammer to create the dome of the copper cap and for the larger 1 1/2 and 2 inch copper caps maybe a ball trailer hitch for your billet?
Nice work, I will now try to make one of these as well, but do you like copper or antler/bone? I have used both but metal seems harder to use? thanks Aloha knapper
It is the one metal that most closely approximates antler or bone. Lead is too soft, iron too hard, aluminum too light. Copper is just right and has the correct softness to GRAB the edge of the biface to pull flakes off, similar to antler and good gritty hammerstones.....
hey jim, really new knapper here. Im having some issues with hinges forming on many of my pieces. Is that due to my strikeing angle being wrong or the tools i am using. Tools are just random pieces of rock i have found. Definatly thinking of making a bopper when i get a chance tho. Another question, are boppers/hitty things ment to be of a material which with grip the flint as struck, so as to kind of pull off flakes. Any help or advise will be awsome
Actually some metals were believed to have been used by certain stone age cultures. Native copper was sometimes hammered into a ball shape and used like a hammerstone for percussion, or pointed shapes of copper for pressure flaking. The Egyptians and the Dane's both are believed to have used copper to make their daggers and Gerzean knives. Most stone age cultures did not have access to copper though and used other natural materials such as stones, bone and antler. ....jim
Hello and thank you for your videos ! I want to learn flint knapping, and at this moment I'm making my tools. So here is my question : what kinf of wood do you use for boppers ? Heavy wood or not ? Thanks !
Any wood is fine. Weight is insignificant because the bopper head is full of lead and provides the weight forward that is desired. I prefer to just use tree branches but any wood dowel will do. Happy chipping.....
Just a thought. It's supposed to be for beginners. Beginners do not know the terminology you use at the beginning. For example..."Bopper" What is a bopper and what is it used for?
The hammer is to hard and will shatter the obsidian. I suggest going to the nearest creek bed and finding a hammerstone, preferrably something smooth and gritty like sandstone. Good luck!.....jim
No, heat treating is not necessary, the stone can usually be worked raw or treated. Heat treating softens or weakens the stone and makes it glassy and easier to work. The down side of this is that the finished knife or point is weaker and will break easier in use. Many native Americans did heat treat, but not all. The quality of flint varied across the country so areas that had tougher rock may have heat treated.
Yes, lead is needed both for weight and because it is soft and allows it to grab the edge of the biface better. You can also use solid copper bar but it does not work as well. Ebony might work, but antler or copper works much better for pressure flaking.
bowden r - Of course. For several hundred years metals such as lead were melted using a metal laddle (similar to soup serving spoon; use one made of cast iron or stainless steel for good results) and a camp fire. Put the lead in the laddle and hold it over the fire (or place the laddle on a hot bed of coals) and the lead will melt. You can add some candle wax to the lead (one or more teaspoons). The tavish (junk in the lead) will stick to the candle wax and you can easily remove it by skimming it off the top of the melted lead. Then, carefully pour your liquid, hot lead into your billet cap. Let the hot laddle air dry. Wear thick leather gloves ($5 at Walmart) when handling a hot laddle and don't breath the fumes (wear a P99 or P100 mask [disposable mask or half face respirator works great] to protect your lungs from hot lead fumes). I reload shotgun shells and convert lead birdshot in a shotshell by melting the birdshot and pouring it into a Lee Lead Casting tool to make 710 diameter round balls for muzzleloader rifles. Always protect your lungs and wear leather gloves to protect against heat. If you're in the city, you can buy a small camp stove from Walmart for under $15 dollars that you can use to melt the lead on your porch (not in your home). A Barbecue grill will also work. Sincerely, SurvivalGeek
bowden r yes. You can purchase a LEAD-POT in a sporting-goods store, that's designed to melt lead and it has a spru that is controlled by a handle and drop pin. Itll cost you about $80.00...or you can use a solid, non soldered tin can and a torch and a pair of vice grips to use a few times. Make sure you are wearing protection, because if a small amount of water comes in contact with the lead, it can erupt onto you...so...what the fellow was showing in this video, of melting a tire-weight directly into a prepared cap, is clearly the safest and cheapest route you can take. Thanks. Hope this answers your question
OK! I got it. thank you. Tomorrow I'll see if I find a copper cap like the ones you are using . They also serve the copper nails .... the real problem is that I have flint stratified . I live in Italy , I have not found large stones compact
+Michael Bowers Never tried pewter and I know nothing about it. Lead works well, but yes anyone melting lead should treat it with respect and avoid the vapors. Once the lead is melted inside the copper cap and the wood handle installed the lead is essentially sealed inside and thus safe. Thanks for your concern, always good to think about safety.
+Paleomanjim2 thank you, and do you know any good rocks for knapping in michigan, because I only found a small fracture of obsidian! maybe there is a synthetic property or a man made one ( not glass) that would work.
I saw you smooth out that epoxy with your finger. That is really not kosher. Read up on epoxy allergic reactions. They seem to be cumulative, so that you might not experience anything now, but one day you could get an extremely nasty reaction. Check it out, man. It will scare the bejezes out of you. Use a latex glove or something, and don't breath in the sanding dust either. (I know you didn't sand it here. Just so you know.) Just concerned for your health. And thanks for the vid.
+Dupa Krowa lead salts are absorbed. lead metal, unless it has oxidized or or is a chemical compound, can stay in the body for decades. Soldiers theat have been shot aren't harmed by the lead, other then the wound that got it in there and the possibility of infection from the clothes fibers in the wound. Lots more info out there.
@master3573 I got my copper rod for pressure flaking at a knapp-in back in the 80's, a few pieces will last for decades! You can buy copper grounding wire at Lowes or home Depot, it comes on a round spool and you can buy it by the foot. It is too flexible, so to make it stiff you can place one end in a vise and the other in a drill and twist it with the drill until it becomes very stiff. All my large solid copper billets have come from trading but can also be bought at metal shops. good luck.
Thanks for this series, Jim. Nice to show those new to knapping they don't have to spend a small fortune getting started.
Jim, thanks for doing these videos and putting them out there for everyone to see.
Howdy Jim, I have a neat way to secure a pressure flaker. After I drill a hole for the tip, I reenforce the handle with a copper sleeve, Drill a 1/4 inch hole through the sleeve to meet the tip. I take J-B weld steelstick, mix it and plug that hole. After it has hardened I drill and tap for a 8-32 set screw. It does not take much to pressur to hold it and can be loosened to remove the tip for easier reshaping or to insert a new one
@themushroomman1212
The lead is heavy and soft, making the bopper head very similar to antler. The softer head will grab the biface platform better, pulling off the flake. You can use solid copper also, but my experience is that the boppers are more efficient....
You can buy copper caps in sizes from 1/2" to 2" at Lowes, Hope Depot, Ace hardware. Check the plumbing section...
Question...couldn't you use a hacksaw to cut a square end on the part going into the copper cap, and drill a hole crosswise in it, and then when you fill the cap with the lead, gently push the handle down into the molten lead and allow it to flow into the hole in the handle. Wouldn't this be Less likely to come loose from all the beating that you're about to do with the tool.
I think the soldering irons will work fine and I know of others who have used them. I have used solid copper in the past and my preference is the boppers. I believe the softer head and weight distribution makes the leaf filled boppers more user friendly....jim
Good question. Copper is fairly soft and grabs the stone to pull off a flake, much the way a good soft hammerstone does. Steel is so hard it does not grab the edge very well, but instead just shocks the stone and shatters it....
Jim:
It was interesting to see how you added extra weight to the billet head by adding lead. I have made a couple of boppers using copper caps and PVC pipe but they seem a little light. I intend to try your technique and see if the added weight gives the result that I hope for.
gardover
0:56 I didn't know my girlfriend was a flint knapper, I found a set of boppers just like these under her bed.
Hah
anythings a dildo if your brave enough
Lol
Good question. Copper is a modern substitute for antler billets and/or hammerstone.
@SaltRock0000 Hinges can result from many things, including poor support of the biface, wrong angle of the blow or incorrect angle of the biface, a weak hit, poor platform, etc. Cant really say for sure without seeing it. The boppers grab the edge of the platform and pull the flake off. Good hammerstones will be stong but gritty which also gives them a good pull on the platform upon impact to nrelease the flake. Antler billets are also great and I highly reccomend them, especially large bifaces
@hilocomtoot Austin, awesome! You are close to the center of flint heaven. I go there almost yearly to visit family and usually load up on flint!
Jim: I am only a novice knapper. I would like to see you do a segment on evaluating the workability of lithic materials; specifically flakes as one might buy at knapp-ins. I have spent a lot of money on different lots of colorful flint flakes from Ohio, MO, etc. but often do not have enough to make anything by the time the curvature of the flake is removed. For those of us concentrating on making small points, it would be good to know when a piece of rock is hopeless. Cpl Rey
I don't know why.. But I find this very, VERY interesting lol. When you said you were going to make the copper stick thingy-ma-bobs.. I was wondering how on earth you were going to make the dome on the top and laughed when I saw how simple it was in the end. Keep it up with the videos.. They're really interesting. :)
I think you will like the added weight. More mass allows slower billet speeds and better accuracy....jim
Hammerstones were the tool of choice in the field for most stone age cultures. Is some cases other tools such as antler, bone, ivory or wood were used for finishing. These organic tools were used as direct percussion billets, or as punches (indirect percussion, or for pressure flaking.
Both copper and antler/bone work great. For me the antler is more satisfying but the boppers are a bit easier. Overall I prefer the hammerstones and antlers but its all good.....jim
Thank you for your time to share your video.
can you please post a diy on your hand pads made of rubber
I usually fill them to 1/2 to 2/3 full of lead, just enough to allow the wood handle to fit securely and be glued solidly....
Hey thanks Mark, glad you liked it!....jim
I was wondering if you could use the round part of a ball peen hammer to create the dome of the copper cap and for the larger 1 1/2 and 2 inch copper caps maybe a ball trailer hitch for your billet?
Nice work, I will now try to make one of these as well, but do you like copper or antler/bone? I have used both but metal seems harder to use? thanks Aloha knapper
It is the one metal that most closely approximates antler or bone. Lead is too soft, iron too hard, aluminum too light. Copper is just right and has the correct softness to GRAB the edge of the biface to pull flakes off, similar to antler and good gritty hammerstones.....
@kyletango I have not tried it, but yes I think it will work...jim
Do you think you could show how to make a pressure flacker too?
Hi Jim,
I recently came across several old solid copper soldering "irons," and I tought they might make boppers. Any comments?
Big John
This is a TOP series.
Thanks from Holland
I used small fishing weights mixed with 5 minute epoxy then pushed the handle in.
hey jim, really new knapper here. Im having some issues with hinges forming on many of my pieces. Is that due to my strikeing angle being wrong or the tools i am using. Tools are just random pieces of rock i have found. Definatly thinking of making a bopper when i get a chance tho. Another question, are boppers/hitty things ment to be of a material which with grip the flint as struck, so as to kind of pull off flakes. Any help or advise will be awsome
Great video, really informative, and easy to understand. Thank you. :)
Actually some metals were believed to have been used by certain stone age cultures. Native copper was sometimes hammered into a ball shape and used like a hammerstone for percussion, or pointed shapes of copper for pressure flaking. The Egyptians and the Dane's both are believed to have used copper to make their daggers and Gerzean knives. Most stone age cultures did not have access to copper though and used other natural materials such as stones, bone and antler. ....jim
Hello and thank you for your videos ! I want to learn flint knapping, and at this moment I'm making my tools. So here is my question : what kinf of wood do you use for boppers ? Heavy wood or not ? Thanks !
Any wood is fine. Weight is insignificant because the bopper head is full of lead and provides the weight forward that is desired. I prefer to just use tree branches but any wood dowel will do. Happy chipping.....
Thank you very much !
No, it is just my hobby. How did your approach differ?
Awesome you are truly a artist great job
The rubber in my palm pad is conveyor belt rubber. I got these from worn out conveyor belts before I retired.....jim
Just a thought. It's supposed to be for beginners. Beginners do not know the terminology you use at the beginning. For example..."Bopper" What is a bopper and what is it used for?
T.R. PufnStuf Obviously a bopper is something that bops.
Really though, he points to it as he says what it's called.
huh..i was just at the hardware store looking for some aluminium rod 3/8 ..and stopped at plumbing thinkin those end caps looked like bopper ends
The hammer is to hard and will shatter the obsidian. I suggest going to the nearest creek bed and finding a hammerstone, preferrably something smooth and gritty like sandstone. Good luck!.....jim
Is it mandatory to heat treat flint before knapping? If so, how much and for how long?
No, heat treating is not necessary, the stone can usually be worked raw or treated. Heat treating softens or weakens the stone and makes it glassy and easier to work. The down side of this is that the finished knife or point is weaker and will break easier in use. Many native Americans did heat treat, but not all. The quality of flint varied across the country so areas that had tougher rock may have heat treated.
Do you need lead for this? or can you just use the copper caps? And for the pressure ones could you just use a very hard wood like ebony?
Yes, lead is needed both for weight and because it is soft and allows it to grab the edge of the biface better. You can also use solid copper bar but it does not work as well. Ebony might work, but antler or copper works much better for pressure flaking.
hmm what would you suggest for just trying it out? I found a website to buy raw stone and supplies to knap its called www.neolithics.com
Craig at Neolithics is a great source for stone and tools. Many of the tools you make your self once you get started. Good Luck!!
You should explain what these tools are and what they do before you start naming the different types.
im 12 trying to make weapons out of obsidean can i use a hammer as a bopper????|
is it still ok if you dome it a little more? of will that take away from the quality?
great vid thanks for teaching us
Thanks for the tip...
Is there any way of avoiding the blow torch part
bowden r - Of course. For several hundred years metals such as lead were melted using a metal laddle (similar to soup serving spoon; use one made of cast iron or stainless steel for good results) and a camp fire. Put the lead in the laddle and hold it over the fire (or place the laddle on a hot bed of coals) and the lead will melt. You can add some candle wax to the lead (one or more teaspoons). The tavish (junk in the lead) will stick to the candle wax and you can easily remove it by skimming it off the top of the melted lead. Then, carefully pour your liquid, hot lead into your billet cap. Let the hot laddle air dry. Wear thick leather gloves ($5 at Walmart) when handling a hot laddle and don't breath the fumes (wear a P99 or P100 mask [disposable mask or half face respirator works great] to protect your lungs from hot lead fumes).
I reload shotgun shells and convert lead birdshot in a shotshell by melting the birdshot and pouring it into a Lee Lead Casting tool to make 710 diameter round balls for muzzleloader rifles. Always protect your lungs and wear leather gloves to protect against heat.
If you're in the city, you can buy a small camp stove from Walmart for under $15 dollars that you can use to melt the lead on your porch (not in your home). A Barbecue grill will also work.
Sincerely,
SurvivalGeek
bowden r yes. You can purchase a LEAD-POT in a sporting-goods store, that's designed to melt lead and it has a spru that is controlled by a handle and drop pin. Itll cost you about $80.00...or you can use a solid, non soldered tin can and a torch and a pair of vice grips to use a few times. Make sure you are wearing protection, because if a small amount of water comes in contact with the lead, it can erupt onto you...so...what the fellow was showing in this video, of melting a tire-weight directly into a prepared cap, is clearly the safest and cheapest route you can take. Thanks. Hope this answers your question
why do you need led???
Thanks, sounds good!....jim
Thank you.
could you use just plain solder instead of the tire weights?
yes
hi man , in my town I can not find copper that size . I am trying with the brass, you say OK?
+Self Reliance Skills -outdoor- Brass is too hard. Copper is soft and will grip the platform which is what is needed.
OK! I got it. thank you. Tomorrow I'll see if I find a copper cap like the ones you are using . They also serve the copper nails ....
the real problem is that I have flint stratified . I live in Italy , I have not found large stones compact
+paleomanjim why do you need lead? I mean, it's bad for our body, so why not use pewter?
+Michael Bowers Never tried pewter and I know nothing about it. Lead works well, but yes anyone melting lead should treat it with respect and avoid the vapors. Once the lead is melted inside the copper cap and the wood handle installed the lead is essentially sealed inside and thus safe. Thanks for your concern, always good to think about safety.
+Paleomanjim2 thank you, and do you know any good rocks for knapping in michigan, because I only found a small fracture of obsidian! maybe there is a synthetic property or a man made one ( not glass) that would work.
I got the same multi tool
Irwin pull saw. excellent
Thank you
why copper?
What is the lead for?
weight. The heavy lead allows a slower swing to carry more force and thus detach a flake easier
I shall use the 9 Ball
Why do you use copper and not steel
Its too hard of a material and will just shatter the object u are working on
Leatherman? Nice.
THANXXX
if you leave the flux on without cleaning it, it will eventually erode the copper......
I'm going to try to become a student
I don't care for copper as it leaves very ugly streaks on the product. I use antler and bone instead for the billeting process.
why copper
By "copper stick thingy-ma-bobs" I meant "billets". Sorry, excuse my ignorance lol. :B
I saw you smooth out that epoxy with your finger. That is really not kosher. Read up on epoxy allergic reactions. They seem to be cumulative, so that you might not experience anything now, but one day you could get an extremely nasty reaction. Check it out, man. It will scare the bejezes out of you. Use a latex glove or something, and don't breath in the sanding dust either. (I know you didn't sand it here. Just so you know.) Just concerned for your health. And thanks for the vid.
u sound canadian!
Gy
"modern tools"
lead is toxic
+Dupa Krowa if you eat it ... dont eat it
1brotz2
it is also absorbed trough the skin
+Dupa Krowa lead salts are absorbed. lead metal, unless it has oxidized or or is a chemical compound, can stay in the body for decades. Soldiers theat have been shot aren't harmed by the lead, other then the wound that got it in there and the possibility of infection from the clothes fibers in the wound. Lots more info out there.
@@PCSInternational I have four bird shot pellets in my leg. They have been there for over fifty years with no problem at this time.