Volcanic Flint

[LowPoint 1,259]

Man, this could have chipped into a Beautiful Indian Arrowhead back when; and it would have been sharp enough to shave with.

[GeoJack 821]

Is that real? Looks like art glass.

[homefire 2,581]

I really don't see that being Naturally Colored.    NOT NATURAL.

[LowPoint 1,259]

Actually, my mistake,.. this is actually Obsidian, and it is real and natural.  I didn't know how to pull up the page to make it convenient to view, but if you key in: Obsidian: Igneous Rock-Pictures it gives a very good description. 

As it stated there:    "Black is the most common color of obsidian. However, it can also be brown, tan, or green. Rarely, obsidian can be blue, red, orange, or yellow. The colors are thought to be caused mainly by trace elements or inclusions.  Occasionally two colors of obsidian will be swirled together in a single specimen."   The circular holes in this volcanic rock are air pockets that had formed and where trapped in place as this molten volcanic glass cooled very slowly over time. 

If this chunk where chipped into smaller and finer pieces they would all be "as-sharp-as-glass"... which is what Obsidian is: Volcanic Glass.  I have found Indian arrowheads from Texas and northern California made of "various" colors of Obsidian,...Beautiful points that where still just as sharp as glass as well.  The Indian tribes also used these very sharp chipped shards as knives and scrapers to scrape the meat off of the bones of animals that they had killed for food.  I have found them as sharp as razor blades.  Some where serrated, while others with just a straight edge. 

Also look at the Mahogany Obsidian knife.  That was some-craftsman that made that. 

[Morlock 1,678]

Tests have shown that obsidian blades can have a sharper edge then the scalpels doctors use in surgery. As a matter of fact, there are doctors that prefer using obsidian blades for surgery as opposed the steel scalpels they normally use.

Edited August 4, 2017 by Morlock

[homefire 2,581]

http://www.finescience.com/Special-Pages/Products.aspx?ProductId=296&CategoryId=56&lang=en-US

[d_day 341]

Large round bubbles are a characteristic of man made glass, but not of obsidian. There is a very large bubble in the lower left portion of your piece, and several hundred smaller bubbles to the right. Any bubbles found in obsidian are typically microscopic and elongate rather than round. 

[d_day 341]

And also yes, that piece could make some very beautiful points.

[Swampstomper Al 1,336]

8 hours ago, Morlock said:

Tests have shown that obsidian blades can have a sharper edge then the scalpels doctors use in surgery. As a matter of fact, there are doctors that prefer using obsidian blades for surgery as opposed the steel scalpels they normally use.

Fact..!

Swamp

[SanDomingoJim 458]

Here is an item that I couldn't resist adding to my ever so small collection a couple of years ago. The blade is three inches long and sharper that you know what.   

Flint Knapped Obsidian and Antler Knife

Edited August 4, 2017 by SanDomingoJim

[LowPoint 1,259]

Hey, that's a beautiful obsidian knife.  Was that an original Indian artifact?  Here are  a couple pictures of a knife that I dug up on my buddies ranch in Texas many years ago.  I sold it last year on ebay for $595.00 to a collector over there that has a pretty good collection of the same type knives from about the same area.   

[SanDomingoJim 458]

1 hour ago, GDM/PV said:

Hey, that's a beautiful obsidian knife.  Was that an original Indian artifact? 

I wish it was authentic. A very talented knapper in Oregon made it. Can't help admiring skillful work.  

That's a beautiful piece of work that you posted. Awesome detail!!

[homefire 2,581]

I tried Knapping more then a few times.  Got quite good at flaking and forming the basic shapes.  Unfortunately I perfected the Smashing, Slicing and Dicing of fingers and thumbs to a higher degree.   I can create a functional point or cutting edge if required but think I'll stick with my Gerber for now. 

 

Guess I need a Nap because I forgot the N in Knap, errr Yea.  Edited.

Edited August 5, 2017 by homefire

[LowPoint 1,259]

1 hour ago, homefire said:

I tried Kapping more then a few times.  Got quite good at flaking and forming the basic shapes.  Unfortunately I perfected the Smashing, Slicing and Dicing of fingers and thumbs to a higher degree.   I can create a functional point or cutting edge if required but think I'll stick with my Gerber for now. 

When I was younger and growing up I never used to nap, but in the last few retirement years I have grown accustom  to napping every day around 3 or 4 ..... Oh, you mean knapping@@)

[homefire 2,581]

26 minutes ago, GDM/PV said:

When I was younger and growing up I never used to nap, but in the last few retirement years I have grown accustom  to napping every day around 3 or 4 ..... Oh, you mean knapping@@)

Darrrr I fixed it.   Now I need a Nap.