Kimberley points

[Hairyman]

Here are a couple of links to info and images of Australias own spectacular Kimberley points for
stone knapping and flaking skills to aspire to.
http://archive.archaeology.org/0809/etc/points.html
http://australianmuseum.net.au/Collection-Stories-From-stone-to-glass
http://donsmaps.com/kimberleypoints.html
http://www.lithiccastinglab.com/gallery-pages/2004aprilkimberleypointspage1.htm

 

[Mozzie]

I notice the kimberly points have no "notchings" just resin fixtures!!

they all seam to look like gum leaf shapes!

Aboriginal toolmakers found that glass and ceramic, including ceramic telegraph line insulators, were very well suited to the production of Kimberley points

bet these went missing off telegraph poles

some awesome points there, thanks HM

 

[Aussie123]

I notice the kimberly points have no "notchings" just resin fixtures!!

they all seam to look like gum leaf shapes!


bet these went missing off telegraph poles

some awesome points there, thanks HM

The notches are usually for arrow points, spears seem never to be notched (?).

Beautiful work - obviously the locals must have had the skill and knew exactly how to work the material, so that when a new source of material was available (glass, ceramic) they must have quickly taken advantage of it.

 

[Greatbloke]

"...they were often made from glass bottles or ceramic telegraph-wire insulators instead of stone"


Years ago I was told that the early installers/repairers of telegraph poles, left a small amount of insulator material at the bottom of each pole, due to the fact that Aboriginals would climb the poles and knock off the insulators, otherwise.

 

[Hairyman]

My DC Waldorf replica Kimberly points in bottle glass and Burlington chert from Rocky Instincts.

 

[robwilliams]

Anyone ever tried knapping using old glazed tiles?

 

[Browny]

Haven't tried but the copious amounts of reading I have done suggest it can be good. I would think thicker would be better.

I understand any sufficiently chunky ceramic is a possibility.

As always, if in doubt, give it a bash!

Anyone ever tried knapping using old glazed tiles?

 

[Aussie Forager CQ]

Anyone ever tried knapping using old glazed tiles?

Hi mate, I haven't used tiles to date but I have done a bit with an old toilet bowl (Johnstone). I made a couple of small pieces, I will get a photo of them up when I get the chance......

 

[John P]

Hi folks. I am based in the UK and learning to knap stone tools. Flint is the primary material used in the past in Britain, but flint is located mainly in the south and east of England and I live in the post-industrial north. Consequently I have been using glass and ceramic and have become interested in Kimberley Points and how they are made. Two questions: does anyone have any experience making them? Has anyone used this technique of quartering a glass bottle using hot wire? John...

 

[koalaboi]

Hi,

I have made a number of Kimberley points and they are very difficult to finish off. The notching along the edge of the point is not too bad but the very fine point at the tip is excruciatingly difficult!

I have made them using bottle glass and mookaite.

You should make a trip south to get yourself some flint.

KB

 

[John P]

Hi KB. I had a look at some glass examples yesterday in the Manchester Museum and the pressure flaking is very impressive. What did you use? I have read that a number 8 wire, and / or kangaroo ulna were used for pressure flaking.

John

 

[koalaboi]

Hi John,

I was at the National Museum of Australia last week with an Aboriginal mate who has been commissioned by them to produce some artefacts for their collection.

We were taken down to the special collection of traditional artefacts from all over the country. The collection is only intermittently open to the public and it was sensational.

When I arrived at the section with Kimberley points there were three artefacts next to them called "fabricators" . Tow were clearly bone pressure flakers but another was a solid length of round section steel/iron around 10 inches long and 1/8th inch in diameter.

I tend to use the commercial pressure flakers available from the US which have a plastic handle with a copper nail secured by a screw at one end.

To protect my hand I use a small steel plate with a layer of conveyer belt glued on with a section cut away to allow the flakes to peel off easily.

If you search this site for threads using knapping as the search word you'll find some really good advice.

Also go to youtube and search for paleomanjim...a great teacher.

KB

 

[John P]

Thanks KB. I have just bought a book, Over the Range by Ion Idriess and chapter seven describes quartering a beer bottle using a hot wire, and it also describes the pressure flaking method. What is interesting is that it describes 'pulling' the flakes off, rather than 'pushing' which is I think the standard approach taught. Have you seen the work of Kim Akerman? He has a lot of publications on this topic, if you do not have academic access I can send you a couple of good pdfs. I had another go this morning and my tip was pretty good, pressure flaking getting better but still not getting it fully bifacial. Absolutely no success with the wire pressure flaker or the pulling method. Re: Youtube I like Shawn Woods stuff, in particular when he exploring the original materials. This is a link to my blog. I am recording my progress on it. Let me know if you want the pdfs

https://learningthroughmakingblog.wordpress.com/

John

 

[koalaboi]

Hi,

Great blog.

The best resource I found was Flintknapping Making and Understanding Stone Tools by John C Whittaker.

Really really good.

Living in Australia, driving long distances is something we have to get used to,. I'm leaving tomorrow for a camping trip to lake Mungo. It's 13 hours driving away at a minimum and possibly more as the roads will be closed after recent rain out thereand I will not even have left NSW>

Looking at Google, a trip from the north of England to flint rich Brighton is a bit over 5 hours....I reckon give your self a weekend and get down there, load your car up and start working with quality flint. If only it was that close in Australia!

KB

 

[koalaboi]

Hi,

Great blog.

The best resource I found was Flintknapping Making and Understanding Stone Tools by John C Whittaker.

Really, really good.

Living in Australia, driving long distances is something we have to get used to. I'm leaving tomorrow for a camping trip to Lake Mungo. It's 13 hours driving away at a minimum and possibly more as many roads will be closed after recent rain out there. yet after all that driving, I will still be in NSW and that's one of the smaller states in Oz.

Looking at Google, a trip from the north of England to flint rich Brighton is a bit over 5 hours.....I reckon give your self a weekend and get down there, load your car up and, after practising on glass start working with quality flint.

If only such good material was that close in Australia!

KB

 

[John P]

Hi. Strangely enough just planning a trip end of May, hiring a camper van for the week. We have friends on the south coast, and a long time ago I used to live in Brighton (pre-knapping days). I received my second book purchase today, which again details the aboriginal glass knapping method, slightly different approach to quartering a bottle, this time using a stone. Thanks for your book and Youtube guidance KB

All the best

John