MAKE YOUR OWN TOOLS

KNAPPING NEWS

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN COPPER FLINT KNAPPING TOOLS

By Otis Price

Traditionally stone arrowheads, knives and spear points were made with materials that were readily available at the time.  Primarily antler, bone, hammer stones and some hard woods made up the knappers tool kit and there are plenty of people still using these materials today to manufacture stone tools.  There are also a lot of folks using copper tools as well.  The reason copper is used instead of other types of metals is because of how soft it is.  The surface of the copper tool is able to “grab” the edge of the stone to remove a flake instead of smashing it like a steel tool would.   

Copper seems to be easier to learn on, however the “purists” may prefer the traditional materials.  Personally I like them both for different applications.  Because copper is easier to learn on, the beginning student usually starts making satisfactory points right away which does a lot for their motivation to keep practicing this ancient art.  Also, all of the materials needed for making copper tools are readily available at the local hardware store or metal scrap yard.  

There are three basic methods to remove flakes from a piece of knappable stone.  They are percussion, indirect percussion and pressure flaking and there can be a great number of variations on each of these 3 types of tools.  This article will cover pressure flakers and percussion tools.  Indirect percussion can be very effective but is more of an advanced technique and is not always needed to produce nice finished points.   

We will start with a basic pressure flaker.  This simple tool is just a piece of hard wood dowel rod with a heavy gauge copper wire inserted in the end of it.  The harder the wood the better.  Soft woods like pine can’t hold up to the pressures that are needed to remove flakes.  A good size to start with is at least six inches in length and one inch in diameter.  (see photo) 

Our hardware store carries #4 and #6 gauge solid copper ground wire and both of them will work.  You will also need a ¼ inch by ¼ inch set screw which accepts an allen wrench tool to adjust it with.  First choose a drill bit that is the same size as the copper wire you are using and drill a hole down the center of the dowel rod as deep as you can get it.  Clamping the dowel rod in a vise or to a bench with a C-clamp will make this job easier. 

Next, using a grinder or rasp, bevel the end of the wood rod until it provides a comfortable gripping surface.  (A friend of mine just grinds it off on the concrete sidewalk in front of his house and it works fine.)  We just want to remove the sharp corner edge so it’s not digging into your hand when you are using it.  Use a steep angle on the grind so there is still plenty of wood around where the copper wire goes to support it.  Now it’s time to drill the hole for the set screw.  Using a 7/32 inch drill bit which is slightly smaller than the diameter of the set screw, drill a hole perpendicular to the other hole at a distance just below where your bevel stops.  Again the photos will help explain this.  Using an allen wrench start threading your set screw into this hole.  If you have the right size tap then use it first to get clean cut threads.

Your pressure flaker is almost finished.  Straighten a piece of copper wire and insert it into the center hole in the dowel as far as it will go.  Leave about an inch to an inch and a quarter sticking out of the tool and cut the wire.  Tighten the set screw until it is applying pressure on the wire but not too much.  It is very easy to split the dowel rod apart by over tightening the set screw so be careful here. 

The last step is to put a point on your copper wire.  You can do this with a file or some people say that if you use a hammer and pound the wire into a point that it hardens the copper and makes it last longer.  When the copper tip starts to wear down from use, loosen the set screw and pull out a little more wire.  For variations on this tool you can use a hard plastic like delrin for the handle and you can find copper of all sizes and hardness at a metal supply store or on the net.  It all works; it just depends on your own personal preferences as to which materials to choose.  You can also make the handle longer like an Ishi stick if you like which will give you much more power to remove longer flakes.   

That takes care of pressure flaking; let’s start on a copper bopper for percussion work.  This tool is made with a wood handle (preferably hard wood), a common copper cap found in the plumbing section of the hardware store, melted lead and the strongest epoxy you can find.

Copper caps come in a variety of sizes.  If you are going to make just one of these tools then start with a one inch cap, adding a ½ inch and a 1 ½ inch one later to compliment your set.  Of course you can go overboard and make one of every size you can find like I did but it isn’t necessary.

You can also purchase a piece of solid round or flat copper stock bar and round the end off, add a cordage or leather wrapping for improved grip and you’re done.  Unfortunately, the price of copper has skyrocketed lately making this a very pricey option.  On the other hand a copper cap is only a buck or two and the lead can be found for free or pretty cheap.  Just don’t get caught stealing your neighbors tire weights! 

Copper caps are flat on the end and they need to be domed for percussion work.  There are flint knapping suppliers that sell a precision tool for doing this but they are expensive.  (see photo) You can also find caps for sell that are already domed out and they are relatively inexpensive however it is easy to make them yourself.  For the one inch cap you will need to make a punch with a rounded end that is approximately ½ to ¾ inches in diameter and 4 to 6 inches long.  This can be either hard wood or steel.  A piece of thick rebar works great.  (see photo)  Using a grinder or file, put a slightly rounded end on your punch.  Place the copper cap upside down at a 45 degree angle on a piece of soft wood like a 2 X 4 and start hammering the end of the cap out starting with the corner area. 

It is important that you don’t place the punch in the center of the cap.  This will just give it a nipple effect and that is not what you want.  By starting on the sides of the flat part it will gradually raise the surface of the cap to the desired shape.  Do not dome out the cap too much, this makes the copper too thin so it wears out fast and it isn’t necessary for percussion work.  A slightly raised dome is perfect.   

The next step is to fill the cap halfway with lead.  Once again some knappers prefer a softer lead and some prefer a harder lead.  I can’t tell the difference in performance but that is just me.  If you want soft lead go to a bait shop and buy lead for fishing weights or use lead pellets.  If you want a harder lead go to a tire shop and ask them for a few broken tire weights which I’m told also has zinc or other metals in it to make it more durable.  They all seem to melt at about the same temperature. 

The easiest way to do this is to place a few small bits of lead in the cap and secure it in a vise or hold it with pliers.  Use a glove if holding it with pliers, they can get really hot.  Using a propane torch, heat the bottom of the cap until the lead melts and add small amounts as needed to reach the halfway mark.  You can also melt the lead in a metal pot and pour it in the cap.  Just be sure you never use that pot again for food.  You will also want to have some really good ventilation and maybe even wear a respirator while the lead is being melted to avoid breathing the fumes.  After the lead cools, use a screw driver to scrape off the surface trash on the lead so your epoxy will have something clean and solid to grip onto and also use a piece of sandpaper to rough up the inside of the copper cap wall. 

The handle for your copper bopper needs to be about four to six inches long and have a diameter that is slightly larger than your cap.  Using a file, sander or grinder, reduce the size of the end of your handle until it fits snugly into the copper cap all the way until it is touching the lead.  If it is too loose the epoxy may not be able to hold up to the pounding later on.  It should be a tight fit.   

Using a hack saw or coping saw make a small cut across the flat end of the handle that will be touching the lead.  About a quarter of an inch to three eights of an inch is deep enough.  This allows for the excess epoxy to ooze out the side of the tool and lets the handle fit all the way in the cap.  Next, mix plenty of two-part, high strength epoxy to coat the end of the handle and inside of the cap.  Press the handle into the cap while wiping off the excess epoxy as it comes out.  All you have to do now is set the bopper in a warm spot and be patient enough to wait at least twenty four hours for the epoxy to cure before you use it. 

If you want to improve the grip on the handle you can carve or grind grooves into it or wrap it with leather, raw hide or some other type of cordage.  If you’ve never flint knapped before please be sure to check out a good video on the subject or take a class.  Many beginning knappers try to use the bopper like a hammer and strike the rock with the side of the copper cap instead of the domed area.  This usually destroys a good bopper in a short period of time and doesn’t produce the desired results anyway.

Hopefully some of your questions about copper tools have been answered here.  Obviously it would take a large book to explain every type of knapping tool and its full range of functions but these basics will get you started down the right path.  Just be careful as this can be a very addicting hobby.  It can also be a powerful meditation exercise.  Many times I have started working on a rock and lost all sense of time only to look up after two or three hours have passed and realize that the sun has moved across the sky and it seems like only a few minutes.  Maybe the reason this particular primitive skill is becoming so popular is that people realize that knapping is like playing chess with the Creator.  There is a beautiful point hidden inside every knappable stone and getting it out requires the utmost concentration and careful choice of strikes or the whole thing turns to gravel.  Oh well, it’s just a rock, right? 

From left to right - rebar and hardwood punches, copper wire, copper billets, two part epoxy,

solid copper billets.

Bottom - flat bar stock tools, copper pressure flaker, copper caps and set screws. 

Pressure flaker with oak handle and set screw

Flat and domed copper caps with a domed rebar punch and hardwood block

Note the angle of the punch.  Start hammering out the edge of the cap first.  If you start in the center it will create an undesirable nipple effect.  Use light taps at first and rotate the cap slightly after each tap.

Melting the lead in the cap with a propane torch.  Always do this outside or with very good ventilation.

Home made copper boppers and pressure flaking tool.  This set has been heavily used but still has plenty of life left in them.