California Knappers

Monthly Flintknapping Get-Together

The California Knappers is a knapping get-together of flintknappers who like to flake stones, learn from each other, trade for materials and meet fellow lithic knappers. The get-together is open to beginners, intermediate and advanced knappers. Anyone who is interested in the skill of making stone tools is more than welcome. We will meet one day in every month. Check this webpage for monthly dates.

Flintknapping:
Knapping is the shaping of flint, chert, obsidian or other conchoidal fracturing stone through the process of lithic reduction to manufacture Stone Age tools.

"The word knap means 'to snap or break by a smart blow'. The word flintknapping was coined to describe the manufacturing of gun flints. Not all stones that can be worked into tools are flints, but the label stuck. In present day, the term is commonly and broadly used to describe the prehistoric skill and ancient craft of making flaked stone points, arrowheads and tools."
Definition by Grog Verbeck

Knapping tip of the month:
You take your swing and you hope that you kept everything in position during that time. You try to keep from flinching or tilting the stone at the wrong angle. If you’ve been having trouble with the accuracy of your strikes or holding the correct angles, why not rest the preform on your leg where you can easily hold it at the proper angle. You’ll have better control and accuracy this way, as opposed to freehand knapping or holding your preform out in the air with one hand.
Everyone has their own style, but if you are having trouble with accuracy and angles, give knapping on the leg a try. The more you can control the variables, the better your knapping skills will be.

Update on the September 3 knapping get-together:
Six people attended the California Knappers get-together in September. We discussed the arrow making project for October. Three people were interested in working on the project. We even gathered toyon wood for the arrow foreshafts and learned how to straighten them.
Troy made some great notching tools and offered them to anyone who was interested. Thank you for your generousity, Troy! Everyone worked on their lithic project.

Photos of the "Stone Age Olympics & Knap-In" event on September 25:

Information for the NEXT California Knappers Get-together

Date: October 23, 2011 (Sunday)
I will spend the majority of the day helping the people who will be working on their arrow making project. Knappers are welcome to join us during the knapping get-gether, but I will not be doing any basic knapping demonstrations. If any beginners are interested in learning basic knapping techniques, sign-up for the "Skills of the Past: Flintknapping" program at Coyote Hills Regional Park on October 8.
Time: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Location: Karl Nordvik Park, 5850 Commerce Drive, Fremont, CA 94555
The park is on the corner of Commerce Dr. and Ardenwood Blvd. We will be located across the restrooms, on the far end of the park, near a small pine tree. Look towards the children's playground. Parking is free.
Information: Contact Dino Labiste via e-mail for any questions at kahikoarts@yahoo.com
Check this webpage the night before the get-together for any last minute changes.

DIRECTIONS TO KARL NORDVIK PARK:
Heading I-880 south, take the Decoto/Dumbarton Bridge/84 exit near Fremont. Turn right onto Highway 84 headed west. Take the Ardenwood Blvd./Newark Blvd. exit. Turn right at the end of the exit. When you get to the cross street called Commerce Dr., turn right (the park is on the corner). Park in the parking lot closest to the restrooms. Parking is also available along the street. Look toward the restrooms and past the children's playground at the far end of the park. We will be located near a small pine tree.
Heading I-880 north, take the Decoto Rd. exit near Fremont. Turn left, headed west. Take the Ardenwood Blvd./Newark Blvd. exit. Turn right at the end of the exit. When you get to the cross street called Commerce Dr., turn right (the park is on the corner). Park in the parking lot closest to the restrooms. Parking is also available along the street. Look toward the restrooms and past the children's playground at the far end of the park. We will be located near a small pine tree.
Coming from the Dumbarton Bridge, headed towards Fremont, take the Newark Blvd./Ardenwood Blvd. exit. Turn left at the end of the exit. When you get to the cross street called Commerce Dr., turn right (the park is on the corner). Park in the parking lot closest to the restrooms. Parking is also available along the street. Look toward the restrooms and past the children's playground at the far end of the park. We will be located near a small pine tree.