The glass buttes knap in

Thursday March 24, 2011

After a long hard week of tough schoolwork Thursday evening finally came around. I had to do 2, three-page labs for geology and geography  and I had to do a group presentation on orangutans for an anthropology course. Let’s just say there was little sleep going on, and the sleep I did have was chalk full of intense dreams.

Only now am I starting to relax a little bit.  But even while sitting here I feel like I should be doing something..  Here I am talking to you now..  I have been looking forward to this weekend for two years now, the glass buttes knap-in!

For those of you who do not know about the glass buttes knap-in, it’s -so I’ve heard- the mother of all knap ins. 40 knappers showed up last year to the middle of the desert and got together to show off their best primitive objects and their skills. It just so happens that this small area in the middle of the Oregon desert is one of the biggest obsidian deposits in the world.  It is a dream come true for any glass knapper of any skill level. With obsidian littering the ground, no rules on where you can leave flakes (except for on the road) and a 200-pound bag limit per day per person, makes this a knappers playground.

So today on Anya and I are heading down for the event. In the little red Volkswagen golf with two buckets of rocks and camping gear in the back, going to brave the harsh winter weather of the interior of Oregon.

Crossing the Alex-Fraser Bridge we were treated with a beautiful Vancouver sunset:

At the border there was no hassle, the border guard was courteous (unlike the other drivers in the line-up for the border) and we were on our way! …   After a quick pit-stop that is:

All re-fueled we hit the road again…   listening to some acoustic guitar by Bruce Cockburn. I got the CD from my grandpa for my birthday and it is a really sweet album, it’s called speechless. I really like it.

so we drove until twenty after eleven and made it to a small town near mt. st. Helens. luckily their little motel was open and we there was internet

Well I’m getting kind of sleepy now…    I think ill say goodnight now and tell you about tomorrow ..  well..    i guess when i have internet next!!

Goodnight and thanks for reading!!

The teenage caveman

first off thank you for getting me over the 1000 view marker..  i know it doesnt sound like much but its a milestone in my books..

over the past few weeks i decided to try my hand at making some larger points out of the preforms that i have been so religiously making. here’s what i came up with:

a dovetail (possibly the best point i have ever made) a folsom-clovis cross, and my first attempt at a winachee clovis!

 

CLICK ON THE PHOTOS FOR HIGH RES. IMAGES! (they fill your screen!)

hover the mouse over the first photo of a point for a more detailed description.

enjoy…

 

the dovetail:

midnight lace dovetail

midnight lace dovetail, photograph edited to show flake scars

backlit obsidian spear point

backlit beauty

side view to show thinness of the dovetail

obsidian dovetail sketch showing detailed flaking

 

the folsom/clovis:

a folsom-clovis cross

 

intermediate clovis: backlit

clovis-folsom sketch to show detailed flaking

 

and finally the winachee clovis:

my first winachee clovis, made out of "pumkin" or mahogany obsidian.

have a good one, and thanks for looking!

the teenage caveman.