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April Reyna · Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 10:42 pm Post subject: Flint knife for skinning?

Anybody have an experience to share, good or bad, about using a flint knife for skinning? How long they stay sharp, whether they can handle boar hide, etc.?

Billy F Hillgartner · Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 11:39 pm Post subject:

My Navajo wife's ancestors used them for hundreds of years, until metal tools were introduced by the explorers. Then they went all metal.

Honestly, flint knives, with the properly shaped edge are often sharper than those you by at Wally-World, or surgical tools. And if handled carefully, and properly, they last indeffinently. Flint knives were for skinning, and cutting meat. Not hacking on bone, or gristle. Other stone tools were used for those chores.

You must remember that even today people find stone arrow/spear/knife weapons that were made 100's of years ago, that, in many cases, still have a decent edge on them. George's work is in my mind "Top of the Line" and would easily be considered as fine of craftsmanship as any Native American's.

I'm sure George will jump in here as soon as he gets back from Ft. Worth. C'ya Smile

_________________
Billybird
"The size of your kill don't matter at all. Just as long as you make 'em fall."

Ron Brown · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 3:49 am Post subject:

The modern version will be a ceramic knife:

http://ceramicknife.org/

I gave some of the ceramic utility knife blades to my brother and nephew for testing on Miss Piggy's friends. I have not heard a report back. The ceramic have two problems, they are more fragile than steel and require diamond abrasives to sharpen.

Ron
_________________
Voting should require respiration.

gstoneberg · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 4:39 am Post subject:

I'm sorry I missed this one. Better never than late???

I've made some flint knives but haven't been fortunate enough to kill a pig since doing it. In my experience with stone points, they dull quite quickly if you saw into something hard...like bone, Billy is really right there. They are creepy sharp when first done for sure. A flint knife has to be pressure flaked to be sharpened. Unless you know how, ceramic or steel is a better option. Hog hide and hair, when laced with dirt, dulls knives faster than any other game I've worked with.

George

Billy F Hillgartner · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 6:37 am Post subject:

Yea but?? Heck I visited you in person since that post. Laughing

C'ya

_________________
Billybird
"The size of your kill don't matter at all. Just as long as you make 'em fall."

gstoneberg · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 11:36 am Post subject:

Yea I know. Embarassed