I spent and enjoyable day one to one day with Karl Lee - https://www.primitive-technology.co.uk
It was good chance to build on some some of the techniques learnt on a group course. After warming up with a scraper we moved onto a hand axe. This was a made using a combination of red deer antler 'soft' hammer, roughing stone and the odd chip with small hammer stone. The whole process took Karl about 20 minutes and me several hours. The combination of discussion and hands on tutelage meant mine took a 2/3 hours or so. The combination of being able to ask questions, the practical nature of the lesson, how to present and hold the flint and how to strike the flint with the soft hammer was fantastic.
We moved on to pressure flaking and again being able to learn practically with someone to tutor and positively 'critic' technique was great.
Karl is a patient teacher who doesn't step in every time things are not 100% and do the hard parts or try to hide 'trade secrets'. He explains, demonstrates and lets you get hands on.
The hand axe was made by me 90/95% by myself and was at a 'saleable' quality.
The last couple of hours was spent getting a good technique with ‘pressure flaking’ using a copper tipped tool embedded in a yew handle. The technique is quite hard because it involves several steps that need to come together to at the correct angle and pressure to ‘snap’ a small flake off the flint edge.
I pressured flaked a 'arrow' head that was Ok but was very pleased with what I achieved in 6 hours or so. I need to get some practice in with the pressure flaking.
It was good chance to build on some some of the techniques learnt on a group course. After warming up with a scraper we moved onto a hand axe. This was a made using a combination of red deer antler 'soft' hammer, roughing stone and the odd chip with small hammer stone. The whole process took Karl about 20 minutes and me several hours. The combination of discussion and hands on tutelage meant mine took a 2/3 hours or so. The combination of being able to ask questions, the practical nature of the lesson, how to present and hold the flint and how to strike the flint with the soft hammer was fantastic.
We moved on to pressure flaking and again being able to learn practically with someone to tutor and positively 'critic' technique was great.
Karl is a patient teacher who doesn't step in every time things are not 100% and do the hard parts or try to hide 'trade secrets'. He explains, demonstrates and lets you get hands on.
The hand axe was made by me 90/95% by myself and was at a 'saleable' quality.
The last couple of hours was spent getting a good technique with ‘pressure flaking’ using a copper tipped tool embedded in a yew handle. The technique is quite hard because it involves several steps that need to come together to at the correct angle and pressure to ‘snap’ a small flake off the flint edge.
I pressured flaked a 'arrow' head that was Ok but was very pleased with what I achieved in 6 hours or so. I need to get some practice in with the pressure flaking.
