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CLOVIS FLUTING |
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| Chips Vol. 12, #4 Copyright 2000 | |
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I had just created a nasty overshot pressure flake on what was to be a very nice Scottsbluff. The resulting change in the outline was not fixable, but it still had a decent blade. In order to salvage something, I decided to practice my fluting. Since the contours needed to flute were pretty much already present, it didn’t take long to prepare a nipple. I don’t flute many points, but to be consistent at producing a nice Clovis has always one of my desires. I have tried fluting by squeezing the sides of the blade on my leg, striking a direct percussion blow. I have also laid the blade almost flat on my leg, and again, delivered a direct blow. Both methods have at times produced good results. The thought of using a jig with a lever to apply pressure to the nipple doesn’t appeal to me. I have watched it done that way with incredible results, but the set-up time is painstakingly slow. When I have a nipple ready to be struck, I want to whack it. I’ve watched Jim Spears doing a fantastic job using a cut-out deer antler, to which the preform was bound with buckskin. I have a pile of shed antlers, but it would probably take 10 minutes to come up with a set-up like Jim uses, and like I said, when that nipple is ready to be struck, I need to strike it. As I sat there recalling past articles in CHIPS, I decided to try something different, but what? I recalled
that D.C. Waldorf experimented using clay to almost totally surround the
preform, and then used indirect and direct percussion. The dampening
effect of the clay seemed like a very workable system. Well, the only
clay I had was mixed in with the sandy soil that I call my yard, so I
guessed that was out of ---. The dim bulb of mine seemed to glow just a
little brighter for a brief instant, then I came back to reality. What I
was thinking --couldn’t possibly work; it was so simple! No one was
watching so I figured what the heck, let’s give it a try. Before I go on, I need to state that I have never heard of or
seen in print, what I was about to try. If anyone has written about it,
I sincerely apologize. I stood up
with the preform in hand and took 3 or 4 steps away from my chipping
area, bent over and shoved the preform into the ground. I didn’t
wiggle it in; I just put steady pressure on it until only about 1-inch
of the 5-inch preform was visible. It felt very solid, and it just
seemed right. I tilted it slightly back towards me as I pressed it into
the ground. I’m not sure why, maybe because this is about the same
angle that I hold a preform in an attempt at direct percussion fluting.
So far this met my criteria for a fluting method: quick, good support,
and simple! I felt a little apprehensive as I approached the stub
of a preform sticking out of the ground. Maybe that’s why I totally
missed on my first strike. I did learn something in defeat: there’s no
follow through. The ground stopped my swing shortly after missing the
nipple. This felt unnatural, and I tried to forget about it as I readied
myself for a second attempt. This time I connected and noticed an inch long flake
bouncing past me. Well, an inch ain’t much, but it’s a start. My
next concern was for the preform itself. As I gently pulled it from the
ground, another inch long flake came with it. It was the other half of
the one that bounced by me. I was elated, to say the least! In fact, had
the phrase “I floated a Cluvis!” not been coined last year at
Greasy Creek, it would have been, at that instant. It didn’t take long to prepare another nipple and
try the other side. This time however, I decided to try indirect
percussion using an antler punch and a copper billet. This time the
flake held together, but was shorter
-by 1/8 of an inch. As I write this, 2 days after the first attempt, I
have fluted six preforms with only one snapped preform. I’m pretty
sure it was because I held the punch too high on the nipple. I also
tried a ¼ inch copper rod for a punch as my antler punch kept
splintering at the tip as I struck it. I have a lot of things yet to try as far as punches,
billets, angle of punch on the nipple, etc. There are so many variables,
and I have just begun to explore them. On the last one I tried, I pushed
the preform straight down instead of at an angle, and I think it’s an
advantage to do so. One thing that must be done is to prepare the
preform as close to perfection as possible. Make sure the contours from
side-to-side and tip-to-base have the right convexity. The nipple must
be correct also, and I had the best results not being too high-up on the
nipple with the punch. Now you
know as much as I do about this method. I can’t wait to compare notes
with those of you who give it a try. I feel it has great potential, and
with refinement and practice, it could really open some eyes. If you’re successful with your current fluting
method, then this isn’t going to shake your world. But I think
you’ll be happy with this method if you’re about 2 minutes from
having a Wooly Mammoth re-arrange your keaster with his tusks and you
left your fluting jig at home. Catch me at Ft. Osage and if you have any questions or answers, look me up. If you care to call, my number is 316-543-6782. I have 2 teenage kids, so if the line is busy, be patient. Look
for some of Dave Ediger's work on or
read a profile of this knapper. |
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