Michigan Flintknappers meet at the Kalamazoo Traditional Archery Expo 2014

The Kalamazoo Traditional Archery Expo is a huge show for those interested in traditional archery. This category includes all natural, primitive bows but mostly "longbows" (fiberglass backed). This expo is meant for people all ages and experience levels. You can buy bows and other archery equipment, tools and materials to make your own archery equipment, and hunting gear. But such a show would not be complete without stone arrowheads and flintknapping. In order to accommodate this, the Michigan Flintknappers set up a booth there to demonstrate flintknapping and sell their work. I have came to knap there for four years; it is a special event for me because it is where I received my first hands-on instruction. This booth is put on by Don Gilson, Dan Belknap, Clay Wykes, and Greg Bennick. Other members of the Michigan Flintknappers filtered in and out of the booth to talk and observe. I had a great time and made a few decent points as well.

Here Don is demonstrating how to spall a nodule of Sonora hornstone. He is using a basalt hammerstone.

In mid-strike.

Here Don has set all of the usable flakes back where they came off

A close-up of the nodule.

Here Dan shows a point he just finished.

Here is a close-up of the same point. It is called a Thebes and is made from heat-treated pedernales flint. It is a very nice points and good replica of the style.

Here is Clay focused on making a point.

A case of Don Gilson's work. All of these points are large and very-well done. The "flint Ulus" are not replications but a unique, modern style that I have not seen elsewhere.

Here is my display

More of Don's points.

A four-sided arrowhead by Don.

Dan's beautiful display.

Arrows by Dan.

Arrowheads for sale made by Greg.

Greg's keeper case.

A Burn's green obsidian knife with ivory inlays by Clay.

A few large points by Clay.

A large Snyders point made from Keokuk chert, by me.

A Hopewell point from gray novaculite, also by me.

Point-In-the-Hat trade, Winter Soltice

Being a flintknapper, I am not only interested in collecting the points that I make but those of other flintknappers. This is shared by many of those who create stone tools. For this reason many knap-ins (gatherings of flintknappers) and flintknapping web sites have events in which people trade with each other. I happen to currently host one of these events on Paleoplanet. Here's how it works: two weeks before every solstice or equinox, I post a sign-up topic so that people can have their name included. On the solstice/equinox I randomly pair the names by drawing them out of a hat. The pairs then exchange points by sending them through the mail. Pictured below is the point I received from the gentleman who goes by "Pebblepimp" on Paleoplanet. His real name is Tom and he is a very good flintknapper. I will enjoy having this beautiful point in my case.

Another pic to show of the flake pattern.

These are the points that I sent him.

Wrapping up 2013 arrowhead video!

In order to show off my favorite points of last year I decided to make a video. The sound is really quiet and the picture is crappy but you should still be able to watch it.

I also have included pictures of the points featured in the video. They are in the order in which they are shown in the video.

This Hopewell-Gibson point is my favorite because of its nice workmanship without any major flaws in it.

I like this Flint Ridge Snyders point because of its good workmanship and beautiful notches.

The workmanship and thinness of this point are the reasons it is one of my favorites.

And I like this one mainly for the beautiful material it is made of. It is still a pretty nice point.