I've gotten to where I can thin a piece to 8 to 1 with this method. I work lots of gravel that is smaller than the pieces I've seen you use and I really have to wade off in the deep end to remove mass fast. Finger pressure and placement have more influence than one would think. It reminds me of a crack in a windshield if you put pressure at the end of it...you can steer a crack if you're careful. I've done that to keep it from getting into the field of view. Action takes place where the pressure is. By allowing deflection after the flake initiates any residual energy is dissipated. That's just my way of interpreting what's happening. Great video and demonstration of the technique.
I’ve been working a lot on trying to direct the travel of a flake. Especially when using indirect on thinner pieces to try to take off lumps or steps near the middle. With dacite I’ve been able to start way above or below where the problem is, when there’s no good edge to use directly across or near enough to where the flake would normally fan out and catch it. It seems unreal sometimes but the satisfaction is undeniable when you lay your finger just so along the track you want and draw the force into that bad spot and pop it off. I’m still really new but I’m starting to get some control at times and actually feel like I know what I’m doing…until a new problem arises or I try finishing some of my raw chert haha. I love this stuff.
@@theabhorrentchef7226 if I have a ridge that has a slight dip in it, I get my platform up just a tad more than normal to cut under the lower spot that may stall the flake otherwise. I also support the ridge with my finger to help jeep energy in the rock and to also absorb shock. It seems to stabilize the energy to me and cause it to be focused where I want it. I'm bad about going above centerline with an isolated platform to take deeper flakes especially when it's do or die with a bad spot. Always support the piece on the opposite side in line with the attempted direction of travel to allow the energy to have a trap basically to allow it to leave the piece your working. You can tap the platform and feel the energy on the other side...reminds me of finding a stud in a wall by tapping.
@@EDBO23 it opened my eyes when I watched a video of someone removing turtle backs by placing their middle finger in line with their platform and strike angle while pulling with the finger hard. I was surprised by the result so I had to try it for myself and I was taking off thick arched flakes too. I use that a lot on small pieces that don't allow much waste at all...and bigger pieces to preserve size. I chuckled when I heard pull on the rock until I saw the result....glad I stuck around and watched. I use my fingers to stop flakes sometimes when I'm building convexity or raising the edge to keep the continuous platform more even.
Excellent teaching......what a beautiful dog Scooby is now. Thanks for doing these for us
I've gotten to where I can thin a piece to 8 to 1 with this method. I work lots of gravel that is smaller than the pieces I've seen you use and I really have to wade off in the deep end to remove mass fast. Finger pressure and placement have more influence than one would think. It reminds me of a crack in a windshield if you put pressure at the end of it...you can steer a crack if you're careful. I've done that to keep it from getting into the field of view. Action takes place where the pressure is. By allowing deflection after the flake initiates any residual energy is dissipated. That's just my way of interpreting what's happening. Great video and demonstration of the technique.
I’ve been working a lot on trying to direct the travel of a flake. Especially when using indirect on thinner pieces to try to take off lumps or steps near the middle.
With dacite I’ve been able to start way above or below where the problem is, when there’s no good edge to use directly across or near enough to where the flake would normally fan out and catch it. It seems unreal sometimes but the satisfaction is undeniable when you lay your finger just so along the track you want and draw the force into that bad spot and pop it off.
I’m still really new but I’m starting to get some control at times and actually feel like I know what I’m doing…until a new problem arises or I try finishing some of my raw chert haha. I love this stuff.
I think many knappers don't take advantage of added finger pressure. It does work.
@@theabhorrentchef7226 if I have a ridge that has a slight dip in it, I get my platform up just a tad more than normal to cut under the lower spot that may stall the flake otherwise. I also support the ridge with my finger to help jeep energy in the rock and to also absorb shock. It seems to stabilize the energy to me and cause it to be focused where I want it. I'm bad about going above centerline with an isolated platform to take deeper flakes especially when it's do or die with a bad spot. Always support the piece on the opposite side in line with the attempted direction of travel to allow the energy to have a trap basically to allow it to leave the piece your working. You can tap the platform and feel the energy on the other side...reminds me of finding a stud in a wall by tapping.
@@EDBO23 it opened my eyes when I watched a video of someone removing turtle backs by placing their middle finger in line with their platform and strike angle while pulling with the finger hard. I was surprised by the result so I had to try it for myself and I was taking off thick arched flakes too. I use that a lot on small pieces that don't allow much waste at all...and bigger pieces to preserve size. I chuckled when I heard pull on the rock until I saw the result....glad I stuck around and watched. I use my fingers to stop flakes sometimes when I'm building convexity or raising the edge to keep the continuous platform more even.