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2018 Glass Buttes Knap-in Report While This Year's Glass Buttes Knap-in started out as one might have expected - a couple of days of light snow and cool weather (low 20's), it soon heated up - and not just the weather! On Tuesday the unthinkable happened - someone actually absconded with the Community/Raffle Point. While most knappers were out digging obsidian, a vehicle with a couple of older adults and two young children stopped at the main fire pit. One of the youngsters picked up the Community Point and, when asked to return it, got in the vehicle and it took off, headed by their own admission to Burns, Oregon! PSK members Mick Hill and Sam Crumley got a description of the vehicle and then called PSK member Jim Keffer, who was returning from digging Dacite with Paul Larson and Dean Shubert. On the lookout for a green Jeep Cherokee, they saw the culprit headed east from Glass Buttes at milepost 91. Jim immediately whipped a U-Turn and took after the Jeep, catching up in just a few miles, closing within just a few yards - close enough to get the license number! A call to the Harney County Sheriff's department with a brief report of the crime and suspect vehicle description and license plate got an instant response from the Sheriff's dispatcher! The Sheriff and his Deputies organized an intercept and pulled the suspect vehicle over just west of Hines, OR. The Sheriff and his deputies found the Community Point in the possession of the vehicles occupants and returned it to Jim. Although the Community Points had already raised over $300 in Raffle tickets, the PSK member declined to press charges. Instead they asked the Sheriff Deputies to inform the suspects that they could get knapped points for free if they returned to the Knap-in. Sheriff David Ward and his staff were presented with a display case with a 9" spear point, signed by the Knappers at the Glass Buttes Knap-in along with an official patch of the Puget Sound Knappers. They were also presented with beautiful blade of "Black Butter" Obsidian and a promise that if they got out to the knap-in they would receive free points for themselves and their children! The Sheriff and his dispatcher and deputies exhibited the highest caliber of professionalism throughout this entire episode! Jim, Paul and Dean returned to Glass Buttes with the Community Point intact! This Community Point was unique in several ways, besides being stolen! First it was knapped by world renowned flintknapper Jimmy Williams aka "Flintknapper Jimmy" Second, it is the largest Community Point to ever be auctioned at a PSK event! The Winner of the Raffle will also receive a letter of provenance attesting to the Uniqueness and History of this Point! Jimmy "Flintknapper Jimmy" Williams (with Ceremonial Point) and Sheriff David M. Ward, Dispatcher, and Deputies.
Glass Buttes 2018 Emory Spalling at the 2018 Glass Buttes Knap-in Photos courtesy of Donn Paris Photos courtesy of Jeff "The Camera Guy" Dixson |
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©2010 J Keffer |
