Flint is a stone that was used by prehistoric tribes for making knives. It is a hard rock that was found naturally as nodules in softer sedimentary rocks like chalks and limestones.
These flint nodules can be struck with other hard items to break them into flakes that can be shaped into blades and other flint tools. This process is called knapping.
Getting Started
If you’re interested in making a knife from flint, you have a few basic materials at your disposal. Flint is a sedimentary, crystalline variety of the mineral quartz that has been used for thousands of years to make stone tools and start fires.
You can find flint in many areas of the wilderness, especially around rocky ledges and river bottoms. You can also find other types of rock such as chert, obsidian, and jasper.
To get started with making a knife from flint, first get a chunk of flint that is larger than you think you will need. Next, you’ll need another rock to use as a hammer stone.
Now, you will strike the piece of flint with the other rock to chip off flakes. The resulting flake is very sharp and can be used as a knife blade. It’s easy to do, but requires a bit of practice and flint knapping skill to get a really good edge.
Getting a Sharp Edge
Flint is a very sharp stone that has been used by humans to make many different kinds of tools. These include knives, projectile points, axes, and scrapers.
When a flint knife is properly worked it can be one of the sharpest knives you can find. But it’s also very fragile.
To get a sharp edge you need to strike the flint stone with a rock called a hammer stone. The hammer stone should be a roundish rock like the kind you find at creek bottoms.
You want the hammer stone to hit on an angle that is slightly below ninety degrees. This is the point where the knife’s back edge will impact with the stone’s sharp edge and cause shavings of metal to fly off into a spark.
Getting a Flake Blade
A flake blade can be fashioned from a flint knife by striking the edge with a hammer stone. Flint is a very hard, sharp edged stone, similar to sandstone and glass.
Because flint is so hard, it is able to fracture at its edge. With a little skill, and a bit of luck, it can be broken into flakes that have a predetermined shape and size.
The process is called pressure flaking, and it requires a small, fist sized piece of flint, another rock to strike it with and some leather.
Once the flint is reduced, the rock can be pressure flaked into a small, thin flake by placing the leather into a fold and applying a pointed tool on the outer edges of the stone.
The resulting blade is often a ripple-flake, and can be serrated to add a bit more cutting power. These blades are usually shaped using a technique known as Levallois.
Getting a Serrated Edge
A serrated edge is a great way to cut through tough materials such as bread, tomatoes, onions and more. They are also useful for cutting meat, such as steak and brisket.
You can make a serrated blade from flint just like you would a flat-edged knife. It takes a few more steps than creating a smooth-edged blade, though.
Start by marking out where you want each serration to be located. Once you have a guide, use a rotary tool like a dremel to grind away, starting at the blade’s edge and working your way toward the spine.
Repeat on both sides until you’ve made a scalloped serrated edge. You can etch it to darken the blade if you wish.
Once you’ve finished shaping the serrations, hone it with a fine grit abrasive to ensure good edge retention. You can spritz the blade with cool water before you start sharpening it to avoid overheating or fading the edge.