Customer Reviews

Flintknapping: Making and Understanding Stone Tools

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Doctor Whittaker, currently teaching at Grinnell College in Central Iowa, is a passionate advocate of stone tool technology methods. He tries to spend each Friday afternnon working with interested students of the flintknapping craft, has a very active role in atl-atl manufacture and contests, and Lord only knows what else! But more important to me, he is a real person, not a glory-hound or scholarly intellectual snob. He is willing to share patiently with his students not just his experience and knowledge, but the tact that allows them to learn flintknapping at their own pace until they recognize their own need for his further tutelage...rare attributes for this day and mind-set. After receiving the book for a Christmas gift,Iwas fortunate enough to witness a demonstration by one of his students held at the Des Moines Lapidary Society Meeting that led me to Professor Whittaker's Friday "knap-ins". Within a few weeks I too was capable of smacking rocks together then poking at them with pieces of deer antler and producing a serviceable facsimile of a stone dart or arrow point. As I continue to observe Dr. Whittaker and several of his more proficient flintknapping guests and students, I am encouraged to keep improving my skill and knowledge, not just about stone toolmaking, but of the early peoples who mastered that and other survival skills thousands of years ago. It is also a link to the field of archaeology/anthropology that has always fascinated me.

The book was well-researched, edited to be easily understood by a larger audience than most of the pedantic, overly technical works of similar nature, and contains little nuggets of wisdom that, upon review, hold the keys to successful flintknapping. I would recommend this work to teachers, students, others of similar interests.

This book is useful in that it teaches you about modern and ancient flintknapping. It helps the reader to understand how flintknapping works and how to do it yourself. It also demonstrates how to identify lithic flakes from an archaeological deposit. A must have for flintknappers and archaeology students interested in the study of ancient lithics.

I found some artifacts as a boy and have always wanted to learn flintknapping. My archaeologist girlfriend's collection rekindled the interest. I selected the book only based on the Amazon reviews and am well pleased at how the book has helped me learn all the basics needed to start flintknapping right from ground zero. I can now find and select good flint, prepare blanks and demonstrate the basics of hard and soft hammer flaking, pressure flaking, indirect pressure flaking and retouching to sharpen. I believe that within a few months I will be able to create a Clovis spear point of pleasing quality, but the small arrow points and pattern flaking look pretty challenging at this point. Thankfully, I have the knowledge to try now. Good book.

Explains everything you've ever wondered about in terms of ancient tool manufacture. Clear and concise, easy to understand, If I were somehow transported back in time, I feel like I could at least produce some rudimentary tools to help ensure my survival. Well done! Would like to see a few photos of the process in the next edition.

This is an excellent book for the novice or the expert. Everything you need to know about making stone tools the way neolithic man did is easily explained using simple very clear language. The author has done an excellent job explaining the methods, history and reasons behind a very fascinating, little known subject. Those who are interested in the history of technology will love this book.

Fantastic book for a beginer or advanced person in this craft. It has much information on all aspects of stone tools. If you only buy one book on the subject this should be the one.

Because part of my heritage is Native American it entered my mind that I ought to at least learn how they made their arrowpoints, and this seemed the best book for the purpose. Having now read the book I have to say that it was excellent! Excellent coverage of the entire field of flintknapping. The only thing lacking is a DVD bound with the book to show how to do it -- because it is very hard to describe the work without being able to show it. But the book does a very creditable job of it, nevertheless.

This is a pretty solid purchase, It covers more then just "how to" knap. The chapters that focus strictly on knapping are pretty in depth as well. If you decide to purchase this book, I would suggest not skipping through any of the chapters. You will miss valuable information.

SOLID PURCHASE

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It takes you logically through the entire process of flintknapping in an entertaining format. I would recommend it to anyone interested in having multiple lacerations to the hands or to those who just want to understand the science behind creating the flint point types. Good Book. The only thing that might have made it better would have been an attached DVD demonstrating many of the methods described.

Detailed and practical, Flintknapping, by John Whittaker, provides a complete overview of the how and why of making stone tools. The author approaches the subject with the care and attention of an archaeologist while keeping the actual instruction on flintknapping at a level most will find easy to understand.

Some books are more focused on just the art of making stone tools, this book incorporates a scientist's view as well. It makes for a well-rounded approach to the subject.

If you want more than just a "how to" this is a must have.