|
THE |
|
a cache of usenet and other text files pertaining
to occult, mystical, and spiritual subjects. |
|
|
THE |
|
a cache of usenet and other text files pertaining
to occult, mystical, and spiritual subjects. |
To: alt.religion.wicca,alt.pagan,alt.magick,alt.religion.druid
From: Crwydryn
Subject: Re: Obsidian Blades (was: "Re: A question...")
Date: 8 Dec 95 05:05:39 GMT
In <4a72pg$rg7@news.computek.net> wizardco@computek.net (Ernest Simpson) writes:
>Ward
>The standard Stone for this is FLINT. it can also be flaked by pressure
but >that takes more skill than the water method you described.
Good flint is extremely hard to come by, though nice to work with.
Obsidian is actually better in many ways since you can get a better
blade, better accuracy, and the crystal is more like glass. Good,
commercial glass can be used too, but you need a very thick piece, and
like obsidian is -extremely- sharp when knapped - it's very easy to cut
yourself badly what with slivers and shards everywhere. HOWEVER - do not
try to knap anything unless you have someone experienced to show you or a
good DIY book. There are numerous hazards (most of which involve cutting
yourself badly if you don't do it right).
>DO NOT Try it with Quartz. The hexagonal Crystals of the quartz will
>shatter and leave you with a mess that is hard to clean up and, if you get
>a piece in your skin will leave a festering wound that takes forever to heal.
Actually, quartz works acceptably well, but tends to be filled with flaws
which will be favored as shatter lines. A good knapper (not me) can work a
nice-looking blade out of it, but it is a bit brittle. I wouldn't try it
unless a)you can't get anything else b)you absolutely must have it
c)you've practiced long and hard and are good at it.
>If you want to make a quartz blade it must be Ground by rubbing the
>quartz with an abrasive into the shape you want a loooooooooong and
>delicate process cause thin quartz breaks very easy.
>>If you wish to flake a stone knife (or arrow head, or axe head) the
>>traditional way, you will need:
>>
Traditional where? The water method -is- used, but not often and not
unless the piece of stone being worked is too small to handle precisely.
Or unless you have no experience with working stone and you need a sharp
flake NOW! for whatever it is you need it for. I can possibly see it
being used for ritual purposes, where human hand isn't allowed to sully
the stone with its touch, but surely you imbue the stone with a part of
yourself when you work it by hand?
In any case, the water method is quite dangerous, and I wouldn't
recommend it if you can get sizeable chunks of whatever stone you want to
knap - incidentally, the stone you choose will be easier to work the
waxier the texture. And if you can see major inclusions in the stone,
don't bother - it'll probably just shatter along the flaws around the
inclusions.
_/_/_/_/_/ "Listen to the Song of The Stone"
_/ _/ umwinkl0@cc.umanitoba.ca
_/ _/ Crwydryn
|
The Arcane Archive is copyright by the authors cited.
Send comments to the Arcane Archivist: tyaginator@arcane-archive.org. |
|
Did you like what you read here? Find it useful?
Then please click on the Paypal Secure Server logo and make a small donation to the site maintainer for the creation and upkeep of this site. |
|
|
The ARCANE ARCHIVE is a large domain,
organized into a number of sub-directories, each dealing with a different branch of religion, mysticism, occultism, or esoteric knowledge. Here are the major ARCANE ARCHIVE directories you can visit: |
|
interdisciplinary:
geometry, natural proportion, ratio, archaeoastronomy
mysticism: enlightenment, self-realization, trance, meditation, consciousness occultism: divination, hermeticism, amulets, sigils, magick, witchcraft, spells religion: buddhism, christianity, hinduism, islam, judaism, taoism, wicca, voodoo societies and fraternal orders: freemasonry, golden dawn, rosicrucians, etc. |
SEARCH THE ARCANE ARCHIVE
There are thousands of web pages at the ARCANE ARCHIVE. You can use ATOMZ.COM
to search for a single word (like witchcraft, hoodoo, pagan, or magic) or an
exact phrase (like Kwan Yin, golden ratio, or book of shadows):
|
OTHER ESOTERIC AND OCCULT SITES OF INTEREST
Southern
Spirits: 19th and 20th century accounts of hoodoo,
including slave narratives & interviews
|