I picked up enough chips to finally fill up the 18 gallon green jug
Looks about right, I generate a lot of detritus in my knapping efforts. It goes into the garbage, is packed off weekly, and I've never quantified the leavings. When I have a bit more time, I'll start with a weighed rock, and weigh the point and leftovers when I'm done. I'd guess a 75 to 80% waste pile when I'm finished.
Have a good one,
I started out working on a blade in a clean place in my garage a few years ago. That made it easy to save all the flakes that were generated in the process. When I was through with the blade, I put all the chips in a zip lock bag. I didn't weigh it but I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't closer to 85 to 90% waste. Course it was a weird shaped piece of chert, but still when you start out with a rock there is a lot there that goes to the dump.
After seeing these small points that Huntsman is finding, it makes me realize that the old guys that did this for a living probably didn't waste much of a good piece of flint. They could make a thousand points from the flakes in my waste bucket. I might give it a try myself. Mostly I'm trying to make a blade or big point. (Im a custom knife maker so I guess that is a natural.) I love the looks of those little points and I bet they pose serious challenges all their own.
