Using Jasper as a flint substitute

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underground

Full Member
May 31, 2005
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Sheffield
Hi, can anyone tell me whether Jasper is a suitable rock to use as a flint? It was mentioned by Val Lord as a stone which can be fashioned in a similar way to flint, and since I have a big lump I thought I may try it with a steel.

However as I'm not sure if it will spark, I'd rather not break the piece up unneccesarily.

I don't know how to knap flint yet so I don't mind keeping the lump intact till I can...

Ta!
 
Hi MM, hmm how can I describe it? It's came from a quarry above Porth Oer on the Lleyn peninsula, the quarrying being for the purpose of providing decorative stone.

It's almost sedimentary in appearance having linear planes and sharp corners- it looks nowt like a flint nodule. There's a bit of an ochrous deposit on it too.

A pebble I found on the beach has a similar deep red appearance to the quarry stone, and is 'marbled' with white and black veins....
 
Thanks Toddy- I didn't know it was a form of quartz (not got round to reading my book yet). Hopefully I'll do something with it one day....
 
underground said:
Hi MM, hmm how can I describe it? It's came from a quarry above Porth Oer on the Lleyn peninsula, the quarrying being for the purpose of providing decorative stone.

It's almost sedimentary in appearance having linear planes and sharp corners- it looks nowt like a flint nodule. There's a bit of an ochrous deposit on it too.

A pebble I found on the beach has a similar deep red appearance to the quarry stone, and is 'marbled' with white and black veins....
Sounds either like a Red or Brecciated Jasper, I'll give it a go and let you know, although I'm not too hopeful. Some Jaspers would be better for this than others
 
Jasper Flint and Chert are all closely related and tend to grade into ine another to some extent so a good quality piece of jasper can be better than a low quality flint.
 
I've made arrowheads out of bloodstone which is just another form of jasper. It pressure flakes well but getting a suitable piece off the main block was a bit hit and miss.
 

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