California Knappers

Monthly Get-Together Flintknapping Session

The California Knappers is a knapping get-together of flintknappers who like to flake stones, learn from each other, trade for materials and meet fellow lithic knappers. The get-together is open to beginners, intermediate and advanced knappers. Anyone who is interested in learning the skill of making stone tools is more than welcome. We will meet one day in every month. Check this webpage for monthly dates.

Flintknapping:
Knapping is the shaping of flint, chert, obsidian or other conchoidal fracturing stone through the process of lithic reduction to manufacture Stone Age tools.

"The word knap means 'to snap or break by a smart blow'. The word flintknapping was coined to describe the manufacturing of gun flints. Not all stones that can be worked into tools are flints, but the label stuck. In present day, the term is commonly and broadly used to describe the prehistoric skill and ancient craft of making flaked stone points, arrowheads and tools."
Definition by Grog Verbeck

Flintknapping tip of the month
After much practice, your billet swing should be coming down at pretty much the same angle all the time. If you tilt your preform at different angles you can control how long your flakes are and how much material you remove.

Update on the November 14 knapping get-together:
The sunny weather brought out many families to Karl Nordvik Park in Fremont. The children's playground next to our knapping group was crowded with children and parents enjoying the warm weather in the afternoon. A total of 9 people attended the knapping get-together session. Pete stopped by briefly to say, "Hello!" and couldn't stay due to a cold. Some of the beginners got the opportunity to finish an obsidian point during the latter part of the day. The beginners also learned how to notch an arrowhead.

Information for the NEXT California Knappers Get-together

Date: December 12, 2010 (Sunday)
Time: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Location: Karl Nordvik Park, 5850 Commerce Dr, Fremont, CA 94555
The park is on the corner of Commerce Dr. and Ardenwood Blvd. We will be located across the restrooms, on the far end of the park, near a small pine tree. Look towards the children's playground. Parking is free.
Information: Contact Dino Labiste via e-mail for any questions at kahikoarts@yahoo.com
Due to the possibility of RAIN on December 5th, the California Knappers get-together date has been changed to December 12 (Sunday).

DIRECTIONS TO KARL NORDVIK PARK:
Heading I-880 south, take the Decoto/Dumbarton Bridge/84 exit near Fremont. Turn right onto Highway 84 headed west. Take the Ardenwood Blvd./Newark Blvd. exit. Turn right at the end of the exit. When you get to the cross street called Commerce Dr., turn right (the park is on the corner). Park in the parking lot closest to the restrooms. Parking is also available along the street. Look toward the restrooms and past the children's playground at the far end of the park. We will be located near a small pine tree.
Heading I-880 north, take the Decoto Rd. exit near Fremont. Turn left, headed west. Take the Ardenwood Blvd./Newark Blvd. exit. Turn right at the end of the exit. When you get to the cross street called Commerce Dr., turn right (the park is on the corner). Park in the parking lot closest to the restrooms. Parking is also available along the street. Look toward the restrooms and past the children's playground at the far end of the park. We will be located near a small pine tree.
Coming from the Dumbarton Bridge, headed towards Fremont, take the Newark Blvd./Ardenwood Blvd. exit. Turn left at the end of the exit. When you get to the cross street called Commerce Dr., turn right (the park is on the corner). Park in the parking lot closest to the restrooms. Parking is also available along the street. Look toward the restrooms and past the children's playground at the far end of the park. We will be located near a small pine tree.