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 paleolithic 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: 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

Update on the August 20-24 Davis Creek obsidian gathering trip:
A total of four people attended the August obsidian gathering trip to Davis Creek. Some of us arrived early and stopped by the Davis Creek Merchantile for the Friday evening outdoor B-B-Q (great folks that run the store. Give them your business whenever you go there). On the weekend, we gathered pumpkin obsidian, red mahogany obsidian and the sought after "rainbow obsidian" (see the photos below of the iridescent sheen in the raw stone and the blade being made). We did some preforming of cobbles and knapping of points at the Plum Valley campground. Sue treated everyone to her delicious dutch oven cooking during the evening campfire. When Stephen got home, he e-mailed that he had gathered about 320 lbs. of obsidian for future lithic projects. The weather cooperated with light breezes during the day and comfortable temperatures at night. It was an enjoyable and fruitful outing for those who came. Everyone gathered enough obsidian to make the long driving trip worthwhile.

For more information about obsidian, visit Jim Miller's article entitled "Obsidian is Hot Stuff" at http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/education/facts/obsidian.html.

Information for the NEXT California Knappers Get-together

Date: September 5, 2010 (Sunday)
NOTE: The next California Flintknappers get-together will be held at Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont. It will be part of the 1st Annual Coyote Hills Atlatl Competition & Knap-In.

Time: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm [atlatl International Standard Accuracy Competition (ISAC) starts at 11:00]
Location: Coyote Hills Regional Park, 8000 Patterson Ranch Road, Fremont, CA 94555
Meet at the Dairy Glen campsite (8 minutes walk towards the bay from the Old Quarry parking lot).
Information: Contact Dino Labiste via e-mail for any questions at kahikoarts@yahoo.com

DIRECTIONS TO COYOTE HILLS REGIONAL PARK:
Heading I-880 south, take the Decoto/Dumbarton Bridge/84 exit near Fremont. Turn right onto Highway 84 headed west. Take the Paseo Padre/Thornton exit. Turn right at the end of the exit. Turn left when you get to Patterson Ranch Road. Drive on the main park road to the Old Quarry parking lot (first parking lot on your left). The knapping session will be held at the Dairy Glen campsite. Follow the signs to the 1st Annual Coyote Hills Atlatl Competition & Knap-In.There is a $5.00 parking fee per vehicle at the park kiosk near the entrance.
Heading I-880 north, take the Decoto Rd. exit near Fremont. Turn left, headed west. Take the Paseo Padre/Thornton exit. Turn right at the end of the exit. Turn left when you get to Patterson Ranch Road. Drive on the main park road to the Old Quarry parking lot (first parking lot on your left). The knapping session will be held at the Dairy Glen campsite. Follow the signs to the 1st Annual Coyote Hills Atlatl Competition & Knap-In. There is a $5.00 parking fee per vehicle at the park kiosk near the entrance.
Coming from the Dumbarton Bridge, headed towards Fremont, take the Paseo Padre/Thornton exit. Turn left at the end of the exit. Turn left when you get to Patterson Ranch Road. Drive on the main park road to the Old Quarry parking lot (first parking lot on your left). The knapping session will be held at the Dairy Glen campsite. Follow the signs to the 1st Annual Coyote Hills Atlatl Competition & Knap-In. There is a $5.00 parking fee per vehicle at the park kiosk near the entrance.