Flintknapping - anyone know how to?

[madd0ct0r]

I've recently aquired a big lump of flint and I fancy doing something with it. How do I do this in a controlled fashion?

[Isolder74]

You will need a piece of large thick leather. A piece that is supple enough to wrap around your piece of flint.

You will also need a large round hammer stone made of something like granite or other hard stone. You will also find a piece of deer antler very useful for when you get to doing finishing work.

Firmly hold the flint with your hard while it is wrapped in the leather. Examine it for cracks etc. Carefully use your hammer stone to break flakes from the stone and slowly work to make it into your planned tool shape. When you have it close to the final shape, use the antler to lever off smaller and smaller bits of stome until you have your finished tool.

[Broomstick]

Here is a prior, somewhat related thread pointing you to YouTube and internet resources on the subject.

[Imperial Overlord]

I've only worked with obsidian, but it's not hard. The more practice you get, the faster and better at it you'll become. Don't worry about wrecking a piece, because it will happen. The pieces tend to get repurposed into candidates for small tools (broken spearheads become arrowheads, etcetera.)