Art of Ishi

Lately I have received questions, comments about the availability of precious opal. Well, there are lots of rumors but the fact is that the availability of opal has diminished in the last year or so. There are two reasons. One is because of the massive flooding in Australia a couple of years ago. It put many Australian Opal miners out of business, thus the supply has greatly diminished. Hopefully, the miners will get back on their feet, resulting in an uptick in the supply coming out of the opal fields.

Another reason is Ethiopia. Ethiopia has become the other major opal supplier to the world but the Ethiopian government recently banned the export of rough opal. The stated reasons are economic but seem more political from the conversations I have had with Ethiopian miners and opal dealers. What long term affect will that have on opal supply? Tough to say right now. Nobody seems to agree on that question. All I can say is that it will not affect the prices of my opal arrowhead jewelry in the near future, as I still have a supply of rough opal.

I am hoping, like many folks who buy and work precious opal, that the supply shortage will be a short term problem and will not cause a serious spike in the price of opal jewelry. When I return from the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show this coming winter I will have a much clearer picture of the situation. I will be sure to give an update then. Stay tuned.

Porcelain can be flintknapped?  That’s the question that many hobbyist knappers ask.  Yes, porcelain that is properly made has wonderful conchoidal fracture and knaps very much like a good heat-treated agate.  Knapping-quality porcelain is a material that has just recently come on the scene.  Many knappers are familiar with “Johnstone”, porcelain from broken toilet tanks.  It is a material that can be used to learn knapping but has only so-so conchoidal fracture. This new material is far superior in quality.

Steve Keifer has been experimenting with it for a number of years but showed up at the Flint Ridge knap-in with preforms for knappers to sink their teeth into.   Naturally, I had to try it and was quite surprised at just how beautifully it flakes.  Steve will be producing more of this unique material in a variety of colors and patterns to meet the likes of flintknappers.  This porcelain would be suitable for the production of anything from bird points to knife blades.  It has a uniquely elegant flavor that lends itself well to knappers and collectors who love the art of flintknapping.

Where is it available?  You can contact Steve Keifer at 574-546-4767 or e-mail him at [email protected]  If you are like most flintknappers, you just have to try a new material like this that comes along.  I think you will enjoy it.

I am often ask by folks if the colors in my arrowheads and flint knives are real. Yes, yes, yes! It’s a natural question because it is difficult to believe that just a rock can radiate such beauty in color and pattern, naturally. I often share that disbelief when I open up a rock and behold the unbelievable beauty contained within. But it’s true. The colors you see in these flint knapped pieces are completely natural.

Are all rocks like these? No, fact is that rocks this gorgeous are uncommon and usually require considerable effort to locate and procure. Is it worth the effort and cost? It sure is to me. These rocks are like little gifts under the Christmas tree that I get to look forward to opening. Sometimes I am disappointed when rocks don’t meet my expectations, but that makes it more delightful when I do pop one open and it’s a screamer.

It’s like I am fond of saying – rocks are more than just rocks.

As flintknapping becomes more and more known as a modern skill and art, I receive more requests for classes and personal flintknapping instruction. I can offer learning opportunities in an informal class format but because of time constraints it’s difficult to coordinate classes with numerous students. If you would like to take a one-day class or two-day workshop, the best way is to contact me and let me know if you want one on one instruction or would prefer to learn with a number of other students. I offer such classes at my 45 acre farm here in Southern Michigan or you may arrange for me to come and teach at your location. The cost in this case depends on travel distance, etc. Either way, please give me several dates that will make scheduling more possible. When we nail down a date that will work for everyone involved, we will set our sights on having fun while re-discovering one of the oldest skills in the world.

What’s an arrowhead personality? It’s a term I use for something created when I knap a piece of beautiful rock into an arrowhead or spear point of the types used throughout prehistory. A gorgeous piece of flint, jasper or agate is just a pretty rock until you create something from it. Each time I successfully do that (not every time is a success), an arrowhead comes into existence that kind of has it’s own, unique personality. Each one is different. That’s what I call arrowhead personality.

If you think that flintknappers like me sort of have our own language for what we do, you are correct. It’s actually the truth. If you were to sit around with a couple of flintknappers when they are knapping, you would no doubt hear all sorts of unfamiliar terms and expressions. I guess it’s a language that develops among folks who talk to rocks as they coax them into their creations. Is it entertaining to “normal” people? Probably. You might consider attending a knap-in sometime just for your own amusement.

For some time now I have been offering my Fighting Knife Design in emerald green fiber optic. It has been popular among collectors, but the question keeps arising whether I offer it in other colors. Yes, I am now offering my Fiber Optic Fighter in colors that you may custom order. Here’s the shimmering colors that you can order your flintknapped fiber optic knife in: Cobalt blue, Sky Blue, Gun Steel Blue, White, Yellow and Pink. Yes, Pink! The pink, however, is an additional $50 due to the fact that creating this color requires a certain amount of gold in the mix. For that reason, it is no longer being made and my supply of pink fiber optic is dwindling.

Keep in mind, also, that I can create a downsized Fighting Knife if you are a neck knife enthusiast. This applies to fiber optic, as well as to any flint, jasper, agate or other exotic stone knife blades that I create. If you want to try to create your own Fighting Knife handle, you may also order just the knife blade.

Fiber Optic Fighting Knives, however, are a unique addition to any knife collectors display. They form a special bridge between prehistoric knifemaking technology and modern knifemaking technology. I guess you could say that they link us in a unique way to the people and flintknapping knifemakers of the past. Would ancient people who used stone knives on a daily basis think that this is cool? I think so.

What is Polychrome Jasper? I get questions lately about the beautiful material I am knapping called Polychrome. It’s a jasper from Madagascar that can show an amazing array of colors, including the rare and sought after shades of blue. Blue arrowheads are very hot. I will be knapping more of it in the near future because I can’t help myself. Too bad Madagascar isn’t closer. Quarrying this gorgeous rock and knapping some points or stone knives right at the source would be a fascinating endeavor. Stay tuned for more Polychrome creations coming soon. It’s definitely on my list of favorite materials to flintknap.

I’m often asked if I create custom arrowheads and stone knives. The answer is yes. Sometimes folks have certain types of points or types of knapping rock they favor. You may have a real liking for an exotic jasper, agate, flint or obsidian. In any case, if you let me know the specific types of arrowheads, spear points or knives that you have in mind, I do my best to knap them into reality. Flintknapping is always a challenge, but creating custom knapped work is particularly exhilerating. Custom knapping includes anything from tiny bird points to large blades and one-of-a-kind collectible knives. Or you may have an eccentric point, an animal effigy or other art knapping in mind.

Let me know what you are thinking and I can give you price, time frame and other details. Your imagination and my skills are the limit – don’t be afraid to test either.

Well, I just returned from a trip to the annual Tucson Gem & Mineral show. It’s always interesting mingling with people from all over the world who have a passion for rocks, gems, fossils and, yes, even arrowheads. Naturally, I acquired a fair amount of new flintknapping materials. You name it – flint, agate, jasper, obsidian, petrified wood and a few other things. Oh, did I mention opal? I can’t decide which material to make arrowheads and knives from first. I must admit, however, that I am going to sink my teeth into some of the amazing opal that I bought very soon. It will make some stunning arrowhead necklaces and earrings. It almost makes me want to punch holes in my ears.

Oh, I got some new agate from China, as well as some gem quality agatized coral from Indonesia, too I’m heading for my workshop right now. Stay tuned.

I get a fair amount of feedback from my YouTube videos demonstrating shaving with obsidian blades. Much of the interest is from guys who want to buy obsidian blades with which to try a shave. While shaving with a stone razor is an exhilerating experience, I have been advised to not offer them for sale. It’s the liability thing. As much as I love to see folks experience so-called primitive technology, shaving with an obsidian razor is dangerous, due to it’s scary sharpness. It does require some experience to avoid injury. It’s not for the faint of heart but, as my friends tell me, it’s practiced by the faint of mind. Hmmmm.