Obsidian, or volcanic
glass, comes in at 1 on Callahan’s old “Lithic Grade Scale” with grainy, barely
knappable rocks like rhyolite and felsite at 5. Somewhere in between are the
flints and cherts that most of us Midwestern knappers embrace. Obsidian has
been pooh-poohed by many, a material for beginners and old men. When I was a kid
beginner I loved the stuff, mainly because that was what I could get cheaply
and in quantity from the local rock hounds. I now work obsidian with skills
only dreamed of by the kid I once was! In the scan is a necklace
point I made for my grandmother around 1968 when I was about three years into
knapping. Clunky, and crudely flaked, that was the best I could do. Compare
that with the corner notch point next to it which is half as thick and
finished with well ordered oblique pressure flakes, now, that’s what this old man can do! Not working very
much of it at any one time, over the years I’ve accumulated 300+ pounds of
obsidian from several sources, some given to me, some I collected myself on
Glass Butte, and what little I bought, or traded for. Before I get too much
older and start losing my touch I guess it is time to start doing something
with it. So, this section will be devoted entirely to pieces I make from that
material. Here, the quality of workmanship is guaranteed equal too, if not
surpassing that found on the old originals!
This product was added to our catalog on Wednesday 12 July, 2023.