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SPALLS - July - Current Issue SPALLS Distribution Distribution of SPALLS is available to anyone with a viable Email or Snail Mail (USPS) address. Many of the PSK knappers with only snail-mail address are not receiving SPALLS. For those of you that are receiving SPALLS via e-mail, please notify these snail-mail knappers to send a letter with their mailing address to: James Keffer THE POLICY IS: If you send your e-mail address Jim Keffer at jckeffer@comcast.net, there is no charge for SPALLS. If you do not have an e-mail address and want SPALLS by snail-mail, you must send a mailing address – and pay to cover the cost of printing and postage. Due to the increase in postage cost ($.92/Spalls) and the cost of printing ($2.00/SPALLS), I can no longer send them out for free. Twenty-seven mailings cost $243/year. If you, or someone you know, has an e-mail address and did not receive SPALLS in June, e-mail your address to Jim Keffer. I have several unverified email address at this time. If you have received a verification email from me please reply - I need the updates! SPAM PROTECTION: Several of our subscribers have not been getting the SPALLS issue via e-mail. Please check your SPAM protection. I think that some of your SPAM protection is eliminating the SPALLS message. One of the checks for SPAM is the number of multiple issues from the sender. If your protection checks this, the SPALLS message will be tagged as SPAM. In some cases, the message is only tagged. In others, the message is deleted. Subscribers to “hotmail”, some of the hotmail accounts bounce SPALLS because of server space. Be sure to empty your server often. I also make it a policy never to give out member contact information unless specifically authorized. That includes email and resident/mailing addresses and phone numbers. Every email I send out to more than one or two addressees is sent out using the blind copy feature (bcc) which hides email address. SUMMARY (and a note from the editor and webmaster) This has been a great first half of 2014, attendance at PSK events is up and membership has been growing dramatically. Each and every event has been supported by generous voluntary contributions by members. I attribute the growth in membership to several things; first, a resurgence in interest in primitive skills in general, second, a growing awareness of the PSK and what we have to offer and third, the culture the members of the PSK have developed over the years. We’ve had quite a few younger people from various ‘primitive skills’ schools join and participate in PSK events, taking full advantage of the expertise we have to offer. They’ve also brought the same sense of community that is the essence of the PSK. This awareness has come via both the website and our events. Every event to date has drawn in new members, some of who already have knapping experience and some ‘noobies’ wanting to learn a new skill. Many, if not most, are attending our events on a regular basis. Kudos to all of our event hosts – each and every one of them personifies the best in the PSK! Chinese Knapper – the PSK has a member, Lou Yi, in Shanghai, China. He is the only known flintknapper in China and has contributed some amazing art to the PSK website in his Art Gallery. It has been suggested, by Steve Allely, that we might try and bring Lou over to the U. S. to attend one of our knap-ins. On June 25th I proposed, via the PaleoPlanet flintknapping forum, the idea of raising the funds required to do just that. Initial response to this idea has resulted in an incredible response. Contribution pledges in just the first couple of days amounted to one third of the estimated cost to purchase a round-trip ticket as well as pay for a U.S. Visa. Pledges of support continue to pour in and I’m 100% confident that we will be able to raise the required funds. As it stands right now Lou is applying for a passport and U. S. Visa with the intent of coming some time in 2015. I’ve been assured by the U. S. State Department that there should be no problem with Lou obtaining a Visa – provided the normal criminal background check is OK. I’ve also established an account with a fundraising website - GoFundMe to help collect donations. As we get nearer to 2015 and when we’re assured that Lou has a passport, visa and vacation scheduled, I will activate the account to take donations. The account has already been set up to have an upper limit – once the limit is reached (the amount needed for airfare and visa cost plus incidentals), the account will stop accepting donations. We will also be auctioning a special display case of points – several of the best PSK knappers have committed to donating points to this display case. We will also be creating a couple of community points, one to go to our guest and one to be raffled. The points will have the initials (or Knapper Mark) of all those who donate! No donations are being accepted at this time but if you’d like to pledge your support just email or call me @ (425) 503-4413. Accepting Nominations for PSK Knapper of the Year for 2014 If you have a nomination for PSK Knapper of the Year simply submit a name along with a write-up describing why you thing the individual should be the named PSK knapper of the year. Nominees will be forwarded to the Council of Elders who will choose the winner! Another New Milestone – PSK Reaches 507 Active Members (and still counting) We’ve added new members at several 2014 events including the Goldendale, Tri-Cities and Bitterroot Valley knap-ins. A number of people have joined after learning of the PSK via the internet and our website. New members since 1/14/2014
In Memorium There has been some sad news as well, two notable members of the PSK, Ron ‘Arrowman’ Correll and Phil Churchill passed away this year. Both were longtime members of the PSK and both made significant contributions to the flintknapping community during their time with us. They will be missed. *PSK Point Display Project* For those that don’t know already, the PSK Point Display Project is well on its way to becoming a real show piece for the Puget Sound Knappers. The Case is complete and there are about 100 member points already donated. Unfortunately, I haven’t had time to take individual photos for the website or even mount all of the points in the case. But I’m working on it! To view the points photographed to date go here (I’m way behind here): http://www.pugetsoundknappers.com/about_us/PSK%20Point%20Collection.html Note from the publisher - With concurrence from the Council of Elders This note is a basic reminder that the PSK and all of the knap-ins are paid for either by direct donations or auctions of donated items and community points, and competitive knapping contests. The expenses to the host of a knap-in are not trivial, running into the hundreds of dollars. To insure the continuation of our knap-ins and in particular the largest knap-in in the PNW – the Glass Buttes Knap-in, it is important that all knappers contribute what they can. The cost of Porta-Potties alone at Glass Buttes can run between $600 and $800 including toilet paper. We must make sure that whoever arranges and pays for the Porta-Potties is adequately compensated. Ongoing Events Weekly Fort Knapadonia Knap-in There is a knap-in each Wednesday from 8:30 am until sometime in the afternoon at Fort Knapadonia on the north end of Whidbey Island (see the website’s Annual Fort Knapadonia Knap-in announcement for directions or see below in the annual Ft Knapadonia announcement for contact information). While there are usually 12-14 knappers attending, from novices to master knappers, we are seeing up to 16 and sometimes more knappers attend. Dr. Joe Higgins hosts and provides expert knapping lessons. The regulars also provide lessons, loaner tools, free rock and safety gear – safety glass and nitrile-coated gloves. Brunch or lunch is usually provided by the regulars as well. **Note – please contact Joe Higgins (360) 720-0025 or Jim Keffer (425) 503-4413 if you’d like to attend and you are not one of the regulars – if the weather is bad (usually is) – we knap indoors and there is limited room. We always try and make room! Joe has also been opening the shop on Saturdays – just call ahead to make sure! Map and directions can be found here: /events/2014 Ft Knapadonia Knap-in Announcement.html Weekly Sammamish Knap-in Jim Keffer, PSK Webmaster, is hosting a weekly knap-in each Friday between 9:00am and 3:00pm at his shop in Sammamish. Everyone is welcome and the shop can easily accommodate more than 25 knappers. The shop is well heated but chairs are limited (bring your own). There is free rock, loaner tools, safety glasses and gloves for everyone. Coffee is provided and there have been a number of senior PSK members attending to help instruct the ‘noobies’. Map ad directions here: http://events/2014 Sammamish Knap-in Announcement.html Tri-Cities Bi-monthly Knap-in The Tri-Cities Knappers host a bi-monthly knap-in Kennewick, WA. The knap-in is hosted by Frank Olmsted and Marvin Barger the second and fourth Thursday of each month from 5:30pm - 9:00 pm. The location is Frank's home - 803 S. Edison in Kennewick, Washington. This is a new group founded by four PSK members in the Tri-Cities area. There are about a dozen 'regulars' and forty -one who attend when their schedule permits.Their goal is quote "to help all new or experienced knappers, who are interested in this art form". They also offer private session of Video Tutorials and One-on-One instruction! To find out more contact: Frank Olmsted: Phone - (509) 783-2798, emailMarvin Barger: Phone - (509) 942-1014, email Upcoming Events Note: Since SPALLS is published only three times each year, changes/updates to the schedule of events will be posted on our website http://pugetsoundknappers.com Also – some of the knap-in dates are tentative. The hosts will try and nail down specific dates but circumstances may dictate changes. If you have attended or know about an event involving knapping let me know. I’ll either publish it in SPALLS or put in on the PSK Website. Events Schedule PSK Sponsored Events* *hosted by PSK members Fort Knapadonia Knap-in Host Joe and Sunny Higgins and the Knapadonia Gang August 18th – 24th 2014 Joe Higgins will host the annual Fort Knapadonia Knap-In Monday thru Sunday, August 18th – 24th 2014. He promises to have a full schedule of events – archery target shoots, 2-inch Goat, 10-speed, etc, etc, and don’t forget – making arrowheads and blades. Joe Higgins and the ‘Regulars’ at Knapadonia have been busy making bows and arrows for anyone that wants to shoot or learn to shoot! In addition to the usual great knappers knapping, plentiful rock and great weather, Whidbey Island is also a great place for families interested in sightseeing and other tourist activities. Location: approximately 4407 Moran Rd, Oak Harbor, WA 98277 Directions: Drive north past Seattle about 70 miles on Interstate 5. Take the 230 off-ramp to highway 20 and go west toward Anacortes. Take highway 20 turn off to Deception Pass. Go past Deception Pass about 2 miles and turn right (west) on Banta Road. Follow the signs from Banta Road to the knap-in. There are stores and restaurants/fast foods in the area. Contact Joe Higgins at (360) 720-1076 or (360) 675-4943 for more information on fishing and the knap-in. 2014 2nd Annual Sammamish Sasquatch Knap-in Hosts Jim and Beverly Keffer Friday August 29th – Monday Sept 1st (Labor Day Weekend) Jim and Beverly Keffer will host the 2nd Annual Sammamish Sasquatch Knap-in Aug 29th – Sept 1st (Labor Day Weekend) at their place in Sammamish, WA There is camping and parking space in the north pasture for trailers, campers and other vehicles. Electrical power will be available on a limited basis and there are two battery chargers if needed. Tent camping are spaces available in the orchard. There will also be sleeping space in the shop on the second floor. If the weather is unfavorable, knapping will be in the shop. There is adequate room on the first floor (1,000 sqft) for 30-40 knappers (or more) and it can be heated if necessary. There will be the usual events – 2” Goat and 10-Speed. Plus there will be targets for archery, atlatls and tomahawks. And plan on a Saturday evening Potluck dinner. There two grocery stores (Safeway/Albertson) within one mile as well as a couple of pharmacies. Costco is just 7.7 miles away. Location: 23811 NE 14th St, Sammamish, WA 98074 Directions: From the East – Take I90 to the Preston exit (exit 22). Turn right at the end of the off-ramp and turn right on SE High Point Way. SE High Point Way becomes Preston-Fall City Road. Continue on Preston-Fall City Road 3.7 miles to Fall City and turn left on SR-202 (Redmond-Fall City Road). Go 8.7 miles to 244th Ave NE (stoplight) and turn left. Go 1.2 miles and turn right on NE 14th Street, 23811 NE 14th Street is at the end of the gravel road (there will be signs). From North, South or West - Take I405 to WA520 and head east towards Redmond, WA (5.5 miles). Exit at Redmond WA. SR202 and turn right towards Sammamish. Go approximately 5.1 miles and turn right onto 244th Ave NE. Go 1.2 miles and turn right on NE 14th Street, 23811 NE 14th Street is at the end of the gravel road (there will be signs). 2014 1st Annual Western Regional Knap-in – Vicinity - Carson City, Nevada Hosts Jim Keffer, Ray Harwood & Gary Pickett and Dick Woodward Wednesday, August 30th – Monday, September 1st There won’t be a Western Regional Knap-in this year as so far we’ve been unable to find a suitable location. 2014 1st Annual Ft Whoop-up Knap-in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada Hosts Barry and Karen Rogers Sept 12th - 15th The Archaeological Society of Alberta Lethbridge Centre, Fort Whoop-Up National Historic Site and Barry Rogers (Knapper) invite you to the First Canadian Knap-In on September 12th to 15th 2014 at Fort Whoop-up National Historic Site, Lethbridge, Alberta. Master Knappers from Canada and the US will be available to instruct those who want to try or improve their knapping skills. Canada has had great knapping training sessions, but they always lacked a time to socialize and have an opportunity to get to know their fellow knappers. Knap-Ins differ from workshops in that they are usually situated in a camping area and have an evening camp fire to sit around, socialize and to get to know and enjoy fellow knappers. Pot luck suppers and various contests add to the fellowship and enjoyment. I have attended many Knap-ins in Florida and the Pacific Northwest, and have made many good friends. Fort Whoop-Up was a historic whiskey trading fort built in the mid-1860s. The Northwest Mounted Police (today’s Royal Canadian Mounted Police) was created to curb that whiskey trade. The people at Fort Whoop-Up today interpret and symbolize that whiskey trade. Many of you may wish to visit Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump, a UNESCO World Heritage Site near Fort Macleod, about 40 miles west of Lethbridge. If you are a knapper or a wannabe knapper and wish to attend, register as soon as possible with Barry Rogers at barryrogers@shaw.ca or 403-678-5041. This will help us plan our First Canadian Knap-In and to secure a camping site for you. We are also trying to arrange an archery/atlatl range. There is no entry fee for the Knappers and their families. Pot Luck suppers will be held: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The main entree will be provided and side dishes are to be provided by knap-in participants. Please bring adequate for your family. Tea, coffee and water will be available all day. You must register for a camping site either trailer or tent, no services, just a field in Indian Battle Park right outside the Fort. There is room for 20 to 30 trailers, plus a few tents. Public toilets are available a short walk away, or in the Fort during open hours. Full service camp ground (Bridgeview RV Resort, 403-381-2357) in the river valley off of Highway #3 is available a short drive away. Hotels: Two hotels, both at the top of the hill above Fort Whoop-Up are within an up/down hill walk (300 foot elevation above the river valley). Days Inn 100 3rd Ave So. (403-327-6000) Lethbridge Lodge Hotel 320 Scenic Dr. So. 403-328-1123. Lethbridge has supermarkets, Costco, Wal-Mart etc. There is a trailer dump station and potable city water available at the Tourist Information Hut (403-320-1222) on the corner of Mayor Magrath Dr. and Scenic Drive So. A multitude of food facilities are at the hilltop above Fort Whoop-Up, near the corner of 3rd Ave. So. and Scenic Drive, including a nice wine and liquor store. Arriving – to get to the Knap-In: From the East On the Crowsnest Trail Highway (#3) - Entering Lethbridge from the East on the Crowsnest Trail Highway (#3), turn South onto Scenic Drive, go South (about 1/2 Mile) to 3rd Avenue South, then turn right (West) and proceed down the hill to Indian Battle Park. Fort Whoop-Up Interpretive Site is just off to the left at the bottom of the hill. From the West On Crowsnest Trail Highway (#3) - About ¼ mile after you cross bridge over the river at the bottom of the valley, take the First Ave South (City Centre) exit. At the traffic lights at the top of the hill turn right onto Scenic Drive, go 2 blocks, turn right onto 3rd Ave. So. and follow down the hill to Indian Battle Park. Ft. Whoop-Up Interpretive Site is just off to your left at the bottom of the hill. From the South Coming in on Highway #4 (from Coutts US/Canada Border Crossing): - Follow Highway #4 to the intersection of Mayor Magrath Drive and continue (West) straight through on to Scenic Drive. Follow Scenic Drive (for 2-3 miles) to 3rd Avenue So., then turn left (West) continue down the hill to Indian Battle Park. Fort Whoop-Up Interpretive Site is left at the bottom of the hill. We have a very limited database to send this invitation to, ask any knapper or knapper wannabes if they received this invite, and if they would like to be included please forward their names, telephone #and emails to Barry Rogers. If you have question call Barry Rogers, 403-678-5941 or barryrogers@shaw.ca 2014 3rd Annual North Columbia Knap-in Host Patrick Farneman October 9th (Thursday)- October 11th(Saturday) Patrick Farneman will host the 3rd Annual North Columbia Knap-in this year at the Kettle Falls Museum and Interpretive Center at 1188 St Pauls Mission Road, Kettle Falls, WA 9914. The dates are Thursday, Oct 9th thru Saturday, Oct 11th. Last year was a blast and we had lots of folks drop in. There are photos on the Facebook site for Bridges to the Past. Participants are welcome to come a day early and are able to stay until Sunday if they wish. The site is a short walk from the historic Kettle Falls Tribal fishery and gathering place and borders National Park land. We have an open door to camp on the 7 acres of open ponderosa pine forest behind the center. We will have water available & restroom facilities, and the Staff of the center have volunteered to open the museum for us (special off-season opening) to be able to view the collections they have of local artifacts. Location: Kettle Falls Museum and Interpretive Center at 1188 St Paul’s Mission Road, Kettle Falls, WA 99141. Directions: Kettle Falls is located about 67 miles north/northwest of Spokane, WA. Just take US 395 to Kettle Falls and exit at St Paul Mission Rd. Go approximately .2 miles and you are there. 18th Annual (Pre) Thanksgiving Knap-In, Millersylvania State Park (Near Olympia Washington) Hosts Mick and Holly Hill November 1st and 2nd Join Mick and Holly Hill at their 18th annual November knap-in. This gathering began with the idea of putting closure to the year, reflecting on the fun gatherings and campouts that happened thru the year(s). It is our knappers’ time to give thanks and be grateful, and then look forward to the holidays with our own families. Park opens at 8 a.m. and closes at dusk, 5 p.m. Kitchen #1 is a log cabin that includes an area with fireplace heat and extra lighting set up for flintknapping. There is also a kitchen area with wood stove to plan the potluck. We have electricity and running cold water if the weather is not freezing temps. Part of the cabin is open to the weather elements and cannot be closed off. It can be cold! There are also bathrooms near the cabin. A potluck thanksgiving dinner will be served by 1 p.m. on Saturday only. Mick and Holly provide coffee, turkey and some traditional thanksgiving dishes. Bring a potluck dish, camp stool or chair, and plan to wear warm clothes and boots for the mud, sometimes rainy weather. Pack a project to work on or maybe share with others how to make something. Some may camp and stay thru Sunday. If camping, expect to follow state park rules and provide payment for a camp site. There are bathrooms w/plumbing and token-operated hot showers available. You may want to check the website at www.parks.wa.gov, select Millersylvania, to consider reservations. Visitors to the Park must have a Discovery Pass with the exception of those camping overnight. The annual pass is $30. If you access the park for 2 days without a pass, the fee is $10 each day. One pass is good for two (same registered address) vehicles and must be displayed in the vehicle that is in the park. If Mick and Holly need two vehicles, we are forced to buy 2 $30 passes. If you have reserved and paid for a campsite, the parking tag/fee is not required. We meet again Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Lunch will be pulled pork for a reduced number of knappers. This is a good time for learning flintknapping from others with more experience if you are new to the art. Location: Millersylvania State Park just south of Olympia, WA Directions: From North or South, take I-5 to Exit 95. Follow signs to the park entrance. Look for Kitchen #1. Park in the first parking lot around to the left near the entrance of the park. Access to Kitchen #1 is by walking a path thru the woods. We will have 2 wheelbarrows to shuttle your flintknapping supplies from your vehicle to the cabin. Watch for others that may be trying to find our cabin! It gets confusing to new visitors. If necessary, there is a back road access to drive/assist those who don’t hike, or to deliver the extra big load. Park rangers want to limit our driving thru their back roads. For more info, contact Mick or Holly Hill, 360-493-8439 or e-mail: hollyhill54@gmail.com, michaelhill30@gmail.com. Other Events – not PSK Sponsored Strong>Bakersfield Monthly Knap-In, Monthly, Bakersfield, California, hosted by Gary Pickett and Ray Harwood A monthly knap-in is held on the first Sunday of every month. The one-day event goes from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm at the Hart Memorial Park. The park is eight miles northeast of Bakersfield on the Alfred Harrell Highway. Knappers meet at the East end of the park. Location: Hart Memorial Park - eight miles northeast of Bakersfield, CA on the Alfred Harrell Highway Directions: While on highway 58, east of Bakersfield, take the Comanche exit and turn to the north. Comanche curves around 5 to 6 miles and dead ends into highway 178. Turn north on 178 (right) then a quick left (less then 1/4 mile) onto Alfred Harrell highway. Alfred Harrell 7-8 miles goes into Hart Park. The knap-in is 100 yards or so from the entrance on the right hand side of the park. For more information contact Gary Pickett at: Home: (661) 392-7729, Cell: (661) 444-6163, e-mail: air-o-head@webtv.net. 2014 Knap-in Reports PSK Sponsored Events* (since January) *These events are hosted and supported by PSK members Due to time constraints some of the reports may be abbreviated or even missing. I will include the missing reports as in the next issue if I receive them. 2014 Spokane Rock Rollers Instructional Knap-in PSK members Chuck Prentiss and Harvey Hughett once again visited the Spokane Rock Rollers (SRR) Rock Club to teach flintknapping January 18th. This is the second year in a row that the Puget Sound Knapper were invited back and the second year that Chuck and Harvey did a great job. 2014 Winter Break/Cabin Fever Knap-in Report Starting the 2014 Knapping Year the Right Way! Hosts Dave and Jim set the table (literally)for first PSK knap-in of 2014. Given the weather in the Pacific Northwest, this is one of the 'Indoor Knap-ins'. Jim moved out his classic '68 302 Mustang to make room, fired up the wood stove and plugged in the crockpot of wild-game chili. That was all that was needed for members of the PSK to spend the day knapping! We had a good turnout - a bunch of the 'old-timers' plus some of the newest PSK members. As always there was plenty of rock and free instruction. >We even had time for a little competition in the form of a 2" Goat contest - won by Jim Smith - again! Attendees
2014 Cabelas Lacey Store Knap-in Report For the fourth year in a row the PSK has held a flintknapping event feature demonstrations and free instruction at the Cabelas store in Lacey, Washington. And for the fourth time Cabelas has rolled out the red carpet! In spite of the fact that Event Coordinator, Macy Bruhy, was out on maternity leave, she'd left the event in the more-than-capable hands of manager James 'JD' Dunnagan and his staff. In the opinion of the PSK members who attended this event, the best aspect was seeing all the youngsters who came to the store with their parents! There was a constant stream of youngsters throughout the day - both days in fact. We gave away free arrowheads to all who appeared interested - more than 200 youngsters (and a few 'oldsters') received free points! It was also a treat to provide free instruction to several dozen folks who tried their hand at the ancient art. We had boys and girls, men and women from 7 to 70! More than a few went away hooked on a new hobby. We also added a few new members, including at least one, Nicholas 'Nick' Tomihama, from Vancouver, WA, who was already a proficient flintknapper! Between demonstrating, instructing and answering questions from interested shoppers, it was a very busy weekend for all the PSK members who attended. 2014 Sammamish Bow Class Report Members of the Puget Sound Knappers conducted a bow-making class the weekend of March 8th and 9th for fourteen 'students', most of who were students of either the Wilderness Awareness School of Duvall, WA or Alderleaf Wilderness College of Monroe, WA. The class was held at the shop of PSK member Jim Keffer, the same place as the 2013 Sammamish Knap-in Bowyers/instructors Joe Higgins, Donn Paris and Blaine Kuykendall, along with shop owner and woodworker Jim Keffer, provided free instruction and use of all the required tools - the only cost for this class was for the materials - $40. The purpose of the class was to provide the basics of bow-making to people who'd never made their own 'self-bow' and to do so in one weekend. To accomplish this we decided to work with hickory boards and a pyramid bow template provided by Joe Higgins. Cutting the bows from the boards was accomplished with a band saw and initial tillering was done with a thickness planer. This just got the bow to the rough stage and then the students had to hand tiller, refine the shape, cut the notches, make a handle, and finish the bow - and of course make a Flemish twist bow string. And while it may seem that using the power tools would diminish the learning process, there was still a lot to learn and do in just two days! Still, almost all the student completed a bow (some still required a finish to be applied) and several were able to shoot their bows Sunday afternoon! By all accounts the class was a tremendous success and will be repeated in the future! 2014 Springfield, OR Cabelas Knap-in Report PSK member Henry Payne organized and coordinated a PSK 'mini' knap-in at the Springfield, OR Cabelas store March 15th -16th, 2014. Turnout was light but those that did make it had a heck of a good time. There were several noobies that attended and tried their hand a flintknapping - including at least one that became a member of the PSK! 2014 Glass Buttes Knap-in Report The 2014 Glass Buttes Knap-in started out with some of the best weather in most people's memory. Except for a couple of cold mornings (14°F), the first few days were clear and warm - up to 65°F by Tuesday. Thursday saw a change to more typical GB weather - intermittent light snow follow by melting/drying followed by more light snow. The snow was over by Friday only to be replaced by rain. For the most part, however, the weather was great for both digging and knapping and there were plenty of both. The weather for Tuesday trek to 16 mile for Dacite was ideal. This has become an annual event to collect knappable rock for future knap-ins. The knap-in hosts provide free knappable rock at PSK knap-in and a good portion comes from this area. About 20 knappers made the trip and donated their 250 lbs. to Brad Baughman/Dan Lusby for the Illahee Knap-in, Barry Rogers/Canadian Whoop-up Knap-in, Mick Hill/ Millersylvania, Jim Keffer/Sammamish Knap-in and Joe Higgins/Fort Knapadonia Knap-in. A special thanks to Emory Coons for his work spalling the Dacite. This year's knap-in was also notable for the number of 'noobies' who attended and contributed generously to the 'Honey Bucket' fund. I'm pretty sure they more than got their donations' worth of instruction from the likes of Steve Allely, Joe Higgins, Stu Murdock and other fine knappers! Here are some of the people who attended this years' event (doesn't include knappers who arrived after Friday night or those that didn't get on the list or in the photos):
* New PSK members and new to Glass Buttes Knap-in 2014 Ft Knapadonia First Drum Class Report At the April 23rd weekly Ft Knapadonia Knap-in it was rawhide that was flying around - not rock flakes! We had a drum making class coordinated by Jim and Beverly Keffer and Woody Woodside. Woody provided a dozen Native American style 15" drums in kit form he'd purchase from Centralia Hide and Fur (plug - great kits!), Host Joe Higgins soaked the rawhide overnight so that we could get started first thing in the morning. In little over 4 hours we made ten beautiful drums - six from elk rawhide and four from deer rawhide. Three weeks later the regulars met at the weekly knap-in and this time we took an hour off from knapping to get some lessons in synchronized drumming by former music director Terry Grove with input from former orchestra percussionist Blaine Kuykendall. By the August annual Fort Knapadonia Knap-in we should be more than ready to perform at the OogaBooga initiation ceremony! Sammamish Arrow Making Class 05-10-14 Jim Keffer, along with Joe Higgins and Blaine Kuykendall, hosted an arrow-making day at Jim's shop in Sammamish, WA, Saturday, May 5th. Blaine gave an hour long lecture on making arrows based on years of practical experience both making arrows as well as using them to take various game animals. >Following Blaine's lecture was an all day, hands-on practical application of arrow-making techniques in which the dozen or so 'students' made their own arrows - up to 1/2 dozen, assisted by Blaine, Joe Higgins and Jim Keffer. The class was free - the only cost were for materials, $2/arrow Materials were provide by the three hosts and included 1. 150+ manufactured shafts of various lengths/spines (manufactured by Jim, Joe and Blaine) 2. 50+ Ocean Spray shafts 3. Field tips provided by hosts, stone tips provided by students (made at weekly Sammamish Knap-in) 4. Turkey Feathers 5. Sinew - artificial and real 6. Glue, tools, and sand paper 2014 Goldendale Knap-in Report A slight change in location didn't deter the Goldendale Knap-in regulars and Brian, Pony and Cody were great hosts! The weather was great, going from 87ºF on Thursday to a mild 75 the rest of the weekend! The nights were perfect - cool and calm! We had several noobies show up and get a chance to take lessons from Master Knapper Jim Miller! This is getting to be the norm at PSK events - more and more people getting into flintknapping with our community! This was very much a typical PSK knap-in - plenty of rock, lots of knapping and free instruction, very competitive games, a terrific auction, and a fine Potluck Dinner! Winner 2" Goat - Mike Tari (runners-up - too many to name!) Winner Percussion Only 10 Speed - Mick Hill (runner-up Jim Keffer) Winner Community Point Raffle - Bill McClure (after he finally discovered he held the winning ticket )
The Attendees
2014 Tri-Cities Knap-in Report The 3rd Annual Tri-Cities Knap-in was held Memorial Day weekend at Amon Park in Richland, WA. Host's Greg Greger and co-host Frank Omstead and Marvin Barger efforts to put on a great little knap-in were rewarded with the highest turnout to date. Not only did a good number of local knappers attend, but the public participation kept most of the PSK members busy with demos and instruction. That's the great thing about having a knap-in in a large city park on a long spring weekend known for its fabulous weather - people get out and look for cool things to do or see - and a lot of folks, both young and old, found PSK flintknappers to be 'very cool' to quote one youngster! 2014 Montana Spring Knap-in Report By Ray Alt Another year behind us on helping the knappers and the community getting a better understanding of what flint-knapping is all about. We had better weather but fewer knappers at the event this year. (about a dozen or so) Don Safford came all the way from Hot Springs to demonstrate the Atlatl and donated his artistic work to the auction. He also contributed to the expense of the pizza for Saturday evening for the out of town guests. Rich and Joan Urata and John and Erick Pearson made the drive from Hamilton for help and support. Brian Rayner and his son Ben came from Great Falls had had some great lariat rope baskets. Jack Reynolds from Helena was very popular in demonstrating his talent for making cordage. Many thanks to Jack for taking time out from knapping to showcase his other skills. Barb Gunness did spinning of wool and Chris Newhouse did the fire starting again. The 4H shooting club provided food for the Saturday knap-in. Museum staff member Karen Reinhardt demonstrated basket weaving. George and I did not give out free hats this year to knappers but most likely could or should have (darn). The auction did well enough to have supported this gesture. It's always good to give the knappers a memory that they don't have to pay for. Again, as in the past, we did okay on our expenses thanks to the auction and those who donated to it and to the generosity of the bidders. The Museum had other crafts for the general public adding to the attraction. We were able to give the Museum a hundred dollars from our small profit margin. It's nice of them to allow us to have our event there and it helps support the Museum and community. Thanks to the Museum, donors, and people who bid on the items. 2014 Bitterroot Valley Knap-in Report By Richard and Joan Urata The setup for our 4th annual knap-in started Wednesday morning when we got there. As usual there were some early birds waiting to help us. Wednesday was a little rainy but everyone was in a good mood and the setup was completed by early afternoon. Tall stories and knapping started after lunch and up to the lasagna dinner. Thanks to Don Safford for the great shade/rain shelter that he set up for all of us. Enough people who planned to make drums were present Thursday morning so a drum making class started. Thanks to Jim Keffer and Woody Woodside for their suggestion and efforts to put on this class. Woody volunteered to purchase the drum kits and Jim delivered the kits to the knap-in. Jim and Beverly also provided the templates, tools and their expertise in making the drums. After the class was completed, we all had a hot dog lunch with raspberry shortcake. The raspberries were from the Urata Farm. Flintknapping, atlatl throwing and archery shooting were the activities for the day. Several ‘community’ points were started and were worked on for several days. Three were completed and two were raffled off. Jim and Karen Rayner came to the knap-in today for a couple of hours to visit his friends. He was on his way home from the hospital. He also came on Friday for a couple of hours and on Saturday for drum making and the potluck. We were all happy to see them there! Every night the fire was started at twilight, about 9:30 pm, and people gathered to tell tall tales and to listen to music around the campfire. >We were fortunate to have several musically talented people this year so people didn’t have to listen only to the didgeridoos, flute and drums jamming. Two brothers, Sean and Nolan McQueen who are knappers, came to the knap-in this year. Sean plays the guitar and Nolan the fiddle and they played a bunch of songs. Holly Hill (Irish wooden flute) found out about the boys so she practiced with them and they all played some Irish tunes, jigs and reels, for us. They were good! Mick Hill played the bagpipes and Donn Paris surprised us by playing his guitar and singing lots of ‘cowboy’ songs for us.
In the evening, we got a treat from Joe and Arlene Wernex when they made some scones. The scones disappeared as soon as they were taken out of the pot. Saturday morning we had another great drum class. Between the two classes our attendees completed 11 great hand drums. The flintknapping and atlatl lessons continued to noon until the scouts left. We then played the 2-inch goat and the 10 speed games. Jack Reynolds won the 2-inch goat and Sean McQueen won the 10 speed. Watch out for that kid in the future. Jack Reynolds gave a class in making figurines from saplings and Mel Beattie demonstrated fire making. A pulled pork pot-luck with all the goodies started at 5:00 pm. There were BBQ bean dishes, Moose Stew, lots of salads and lots of deserts. The auction followed the potluck and there were some great pieces of art auctioned off. Thanks to all those that donated items. Jim Keffer was the auctioneer and as usual everyone was generous with their bids. The auction was a success. Joe and Arlene treated us again, this time with sourdough pancakes, on Sunday morning. Other people brought eggs, bacon, and sausages. We also had a great lunch to eat up all those pesky leftovers. The ladies had their own arts and crafts exhibits going over the weekend including quilting, crocheting, knitting, rug making and of course their cooking expertise. We ate quite well and appreciate all the help we got in setting up our community meals! We didn’t have an Ooga Booga Ceremony this year because the two chiefs were not prepared for one. Maybe we will have one next year if we can coordinate things better. Thanks to all for making this another successful knap-in! Attendees this year came from WA, OR, ID, MT and Canada. The weather was great from Thursday through Sunday, everyone got along well, lots of creativity was flowing, and there was lots of food and lots of fun! See you all next year! Attendees
Update on the Website Well, we’ve passed the 78,000 ‘unique visitors’ mark. We’ve also had almost more 3.75 MILLION hits! A ‘unique visitor’ is one that has not visited the website in the past. Many people visit the website more than once as evidence in the more than 3,000,000 hits! And we’ve had visitors from 151 different countries. The number of people visiting and the number of pages accessed (hits) is growing each month. We’re now up to 65 Member ‘Art Galleries’. If you are a member of the PSK and would like your own Art Gallery to display your work simply email the webmaster with some photos you'd like to include in your Gallery I’d like to encourage every member to contribute to the website. If you have photos of your knapping and/or ‘Paleo Art’, email them to me and I’ll create your very own art gallery on the PSK Website. And for those that already have an art gallery – send in photos of your newest work! Once again, we encourage every member to register their Knapper’s Marks, submit a photo of themselves, contribute to the ‘How-To’ section and send in photo of their knapping/Paleo Art. Again, if you submit photos of your art I will create an Art Gallery in your name! The ‘Knapper Recipe’ section continues to grow – check out the latest recipes from Warren ‘Smitty’ Smith – Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas and Chili Rellano Casserole! We’ve also added a new section, PSK Humor prompted by contributions by Dave Rauschenberg and Mick Hill! The Knappable Rock in the PNW section is still off to a SLOOOOWWWW start – only two contributions so far. This could be of great use to both noobies and old-timers! This section will feature knappable rock found in the PNW and include photos of ‘rough rock’, as it was found in nature, slabs of the same rock and, where appropriate, photos of slabs of that rock after heat treating. Only general locations will be given, i.e. NW Oregon or Columbia River Basin, but additional information such as heat treating recommendations will be included. I encourage all members who can contribute photos as outlined above to send them to me at reefer@pugetsoundknappers.com. The ‘Lost and Found’ Section has already paid dividends – the owners of several ‘found items’ were located and the items were returned. If you lose or find something at one of our knap-ins just contact the webmaster and I’ll include it! The ‘Interesting Stuff’ sections even more new articles and information. Website Funding Our current web hosting contract for the website expired in September of 2013. I renewed the contract for a cost of $180 for three years (up slightly from the introductory price of $150). I also renewed the contract with an outside service to monitor and protect our website from hackers for $99/year. >The website is paid for by voluntary contributions, usually at the knap-ins. However, covering the cost of the knap-in has greater priority to make sure to donate to cover their costs first. Still, any contribution helps! I’ve also refined our back-up procedures. Not only do we do periodic backups but I maintain a complete copy of every page on the site on a separate drive. Next SPALLS issue: The next SPALLS issue will be in the November/December, 2014 timeframe, following the Millersylvania Turkeyfest Knap-in. The weather’s finally great, so go to the knap-ins! Other items of interest: TEANAWAY COMMUNITY FOREST - An issue knappers and rock collectors need to know about. Contributed by Joseph Wernex In 2013 the state legislature purchased 50,272 acres of forest land in the Teanaway drainage west of Ellensburg for a “Community Forest”. Management of the land was given to the state DNR. There are many resources and opportunities for dispersed camping, rock collecting and pleasure driving that could be made available to the public…… if the agencies chose to do so. The agency DNR appointed a committee of individuals to “advise” on management of the forest. From what little I have learned so far it appears that committee selection was carefully designed to choose people who would tell DNR and WDFW exactly what they wanted to hear. To my knowledge there is no one on the committee who knows or cares anything about rock collecting. There are many logging roads in the area that could provide rock collecting, dispersed camping and pleasure driving enjoyment, if only people were allowed to do so. Some of us used to collect rocks in the area many years ago, before the previous owner a logging company locked up the roads and kicked the public out. I have in the past found agate, nice aragonite crystals and jasper good for cutting and knapping. There are good rock collecting opportunities in this area, however if we don’t speak up and get involved we will as usual get nothing. For more information go to: http://www.dnr.wa.gov/BusinessPermits/Topics/OtherLandTransactions/Pages/amp_teanaway.aspx Obsidian Sources (Worldwide): http://www.obsidianlab.com/sourcecatalog/s_home.html Obsidian Sources (Western U.S. - (Northwest Research Obsidian Studies Laboratory) http://www.obsidianlab.com/gis_sources.html Rock Collecting Regulations Links: (Note - I try and keep these regulation up to date by periodically checking with the agencies responsible for creating them (BLM primarily). Still they are intended to be for general information only and I cannot guarantee either their accuracy or current version. You should always check with the Agency - Oregon/Washington BLM Website WA and Oregon Rock Collecting Guide - http://www.pugetsoundknappers.com/how_to/rock_collecting_Guide_WA-OR.html BLM Glass Buttes Handout - http://www.pugetsoundknappers.com/how_to/BLM_Glass_Buttes_Handout_4-09.html MAY BE OF INTEREST: Website for Artifact and Archeological Books Check out the Arrowhead Forum! http://arrowheadology.com/forums/ Society of Primitive Technology (SPT) http://www.primitive.org/ The purpose of the Society of Primitive Technology is to promote the practice and teaching of aboriginal skills; to foster communication between teachers and practitioners; to set standards for authenticity, ethics and quality. Publishes the Bulletin of Primitive Technology TARP Knappers-R-Us Flintknappers Digest Lithic Casting Lab Paleo Planet SPALLS ©2010 J Keffer |
