Learning what not to do.
When I ordered my first knapping tools and materials from Goknapping.com, I also ordered 25 pounds of Texas flint from ebay. Due to the timing of my orders the stone from ebay arrived three days before my tools from Goknapping.com. When the rocks arrived I was very anxious to get started and make some chips.
Not wanting to mess up good stone I selected the gnarliest looking nodule in the box. I then chose my implement of destruction; a small steel tack hammer. The tools of flinknapping modern and aboriginal all have one base attribute; they are somewhat soft and 'grip' on the stone surface when struck or pushed. A steel claw hammer is not soft and does not grab the rock surface at all.
I learned that I can break large unpredictable hunks with a claw hammer but have almost no control while using one. My recommendation to beginners is to definitely avoid the temptation of trying to knapp with a claw hammer.
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