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NOVACULITE,
From Pit to Point Review from CHIPS Magazine, Vol. 12, #3, 2000 Mound Builder Books has just finished a new video and this one is a bit different. The focus here is on working one particular material--Arkansas Novaculite. However, this tape has a lot more than just knapping instructions. Obviously, it required a lot of effort to get some of these shots. This tape wasn't filmed in somebody's basement, folks! First off, we get to visit one of the few untouched, aboriginal Novaculite quarries. In fact, this one is off limits without special permission, but with Don Dickson and D.C. Waldorf as guides, we get to explore the ancient site. We then proceed to a modern quarrying operation, where Steve Kirschman of Dan's Whetstone Co., Inc., takes us on a grand tour. Here we get to see the material in-situ. We learn how it's formed and excavated, watch as workers drill, pour in the powder, and blast away overburden to expose useable stone. Back at the shop, we examine the commercial production of Arkansas whetstone, made of Novaculite from this same quarry and shipped around the world. Now Novaculite is readily available for knappers. It's pretty, comes in fairly large pieces and is reasonably priced, but it can be tricky for beginners to work. This leads many to ask, "What am I doing wrong?" Here we'll see how it's done, by one of the best knappers in the business: D.C. Waldorf, author of The Art of Flint Knapping and numerous other books and videos on the subject. He turns out a terrific 12" blade and explains every step in detail. In particular, he teaches us how to percussion flake Novaculite with antler billets, and produce a clean flake pattern. As an extra bonus, he included a gallery of colored Novaculite point made by 20 additional knappers from all over the country. It's a fun tape to watch, and as usual, the editing and camera work are excellent with lots of close ups. It will definitely make you want to give Novaculite a try. The tape is a full two hours long and it's well worth the investment of $25.
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