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Copper was readily available to pre contact Native Americans, but was seldom used for tools such as we do today for knapping. The Native Americans viewed copper as being too precious for mundane tool use with the exception of the Copper Culture people of 9000 years back in the Great Lakes region...

Looks great! Nice use of an old tank. It would burn wood more efficiently with a baffle about 25mm below the top, welded closed at the back (stove pipe end), and open towards the door, with a space of about 25~50mm back from the door. That would give room to clean it out if needed. I see you...

The book is Farm Woodwork by Louis Michael Roehl published 1919, and it is in the public domain. There are reprints available also. Woody

There is a locking ratchet on the far side. It will lock up as tight as you want. The 'wax' is actually shoemakers code, a mixture of pine rosin, and beeswax. It holds the thread tighter, and is more rot resistant. The book my plans came from is titled 'Farm Woodwork' and I found it on Google...

A rule of thumb is, if dried hard enough to break when bent, it will keep indefinitely without refrigeration, if it bends without breaking it is best to keep it cool. If you are only making a dehydrator batch, it will be eaten before you can find out if it will keep anyway. Woody

In North America, lithic materials (knappable stone) were traded from coast to coast. I am sure the same happened on your side of the pond. Arrow points have actually been found here that had been knapped from English flint. Most likely sourced from ballast material from early sailing ships. We...

I built mine from plans in an old book on farm tools published about 1912. Found it online on Google Books. If I can remember, I will dig the article up...buried in the shop somewhere. I also use a regular long clam for some work whilst standing. Woody

Glass works like obsidian. Flint is harder, and will require a stringer strike. What we knappers (US of A) call Johnstone (toilet cistern porcelain) actually works more like flint than does glass. The stark white can be 'fixed' with a bath of tea. Both copper, and antler work pretty much the...

Here is mine...the American version. I find this type to very comfortable whilst stitching,

Back in the sixties, I bought a medieval crossbow reproduction in London. It had very heavy prod which took a lot of cranking with the winch to cock. I made a separate string with pocket for .500 lead round ball bullets. At 100 yards it punched right through 1 inch deal boards, whilst...

In wet weather, and here in the Pacific Northwest of North America we have plenty of that, one can always get fire going with smashed up fatwood. Fatwood being the heart of pines etc. that is left from a down tree rotting away. Often all that is left is the old knot holes...they look like large...

I live in Manchester, and teach knapping, both modern, and paleo. Wee problem though. Being Manchester, Washington State, U S of A is likely no help, eh! That said, your local University should have somebody adapt at knapping. Failing that, have a look at the group I am active with web site...

A good practice material that works like flint is the porcelain from a toilet, in North America we joking call this Johns stone from down under. It is of course stark white, but wee bath in tea will fix that. Glass knaps like obsidian, so is also a good cheap material.Here is one of mine from...

Quicker to just knap a point, and it would be far sharper than a lazer cut steel point, and you do not need to carry it about.

Being footwear, the 'shoe' will fit much better if you just trace your foot, and make the pattern. Doing this will endure the shoe will fit your foot. If you just enlarge a pattern for some body else's foot, it will not fit. No maths at all. Woody

The yacht club I belonged to years back had 'half' of a Japanese set of ships binoculars.............nearby yacht club had the other half. Front optics were 180mm, and the length was about 60cm. You could read newsprint five miles off. They were made by Pentax during WWII.

Have a look at the Puget Sound Knappers web site. I am an active member of this group. We have good tutorials on all types of knapping, and tutorials on making your own tools. For inspiration have a look at our work as well. BTW, I sell obsidian preforms in all the colours in both pressure...

What you need to find in a patch of Lodge Pole Pine that is close planted..........easy for to say living in the Pacific Northwest, but your local forestry may well have planted some. If there is a local close plant, you may be able to purchase thinnings...the less taper, the better the lodge...

I use code, which is a mixture of bees wax, and pitch. For the pitch, I usually just collect a bag full off the nearest pines I can find. A mix of one part pitch to three of bees wax is a good start. The old method for making code is to melt the two, stir, then pour the mix into cold water just...

A very basic kit, and for what you intend making is about all you really need. Awl for making stitch holes, something to space those holes, harness needles (the ends and blunt), unwaxed thread natural is better such as flax, or hemp. code (mixture of bees wax, and pitch) easy to make your self...