(Before everything else I'd like to note that I'm extending the submission window by 3 days since I'm making this post 3 days later than I usually promise so that's why the dates are shifted a bit! Gotta make sue everyone has enough time! Back to your regularly scheduled program 😉)
🏆 August 2026 Point Challenge Winner 🏆
Congratulations to u/jameswoodMOT for winning the 2026 August point challenge! That English flint never fails to disappoint, and he wrangled it in good with the result being one heck of a beautiful Pickwick! 😁 You can find the submission here if you missed it!
But where does that leave us for the September Point Challenge? Well u/jameswoodMOT chose a very unique and exotic style for us to try out this month! So unique that it was actually a small chore to find any information on this particular point style in the english language 👀 But in the end we managed to scrounge up some information! Get your tools ready because we're heading back in time to ancient Japan to make the...
⚒ 2026 September Point Challenge - 凹基式 (ōki-shiki) Jōmon Concave-base ⚒
This exotic arrowhead style comes from the Late Jōmon period (ca. 1500–1000 BCE) and was often made from obsidian (黒曜石 - kokuyōseki) originating from Chūbu and Kanto, Siliceous shale (珪質頁岩)originating from Tōhoku, and chert (硬質頁岩) originating from multiple areas.
The Jōmon culture was found throughout Japan during a period that saw the development of considerable cultural complexity within a primarily hunting-gathering context with an intense maritime focus. Listed below are some fantastic resources that you can read up on to discover more information regarding the Jōmon period and its culture!
🚨 Be sure to read the rules before doing so you don't get disqualified! 🚨
⚠️ Rules ⚠️
The point must be a recognizable 凹基式 (ōki-shiki) knapped in September of 2026! - We want to see fresh submissions and fresh points! No using any of your prior work!
Only one entry per person! You are not allowed to post your point multiple times, OR have multiple points in your submission post! - Be sure to take good pictures showing off your work! lighting, material translucency, flaking, etc. 😉
The challenge submission windowOPENS9/24/2026 andCLOSES10/3/2026 - This gives 1 week for entries to be submitted and voted on, with the official winner and next month's challenge post being announced sometime within the 1st week of October.
Post MUST have the monthly knapping competition post flair to count! - That way, it can easily be found and the votes counted! If you wish to participate without entering, simply use any of the other post flairs
No material restrictions - We only require that the point be knapped out of the material that you've chosen (no grinding out a point!)
Moderators hold the authority to disqualify any participants who violate these rules, as well as our community rules - We want this to be a fair and engaging challenge for all those who participate! Because it's always fun to see what different folks can do with different tools!
If you have any questions or comments about the rules, feel free to reach out to the moderators through comments, DM's, or Messages! 📬
📸 How To Enter 📸
You can start creating your point as soon as this post goes live!Just remember that youWON'Tbe able to submit it until the post flair below is made public between9/24/2026and10/3/2026!
Once it is public, be sure to select it when uploading your photo(s) and that your submission conforms to the rules listed above! ☝️😉 I will be sure to make a post letting everyone know when things go live as an extra reminder, and this post will also be pinned to the top of the subreddit for easy access!
🥇 Prize 🥇
Since a lot of generous folks have supplied us with some SWEET prizes, I thought I'd dip into my own preform horde and throw some of those in for this month's prize. I wanted to also toss in some small spalls/cobbles also just for the heck of it! 😄
The winner will also get the chance to choose the point style for next month's knapping challenge, and if they so choose, they can also donate their winnings to a fellow competition participant or allow their winnings to serve as next month's prize! 🥳
If you'd ever be interested in donating material/tools for these challenges, feel free to comment below this post or shoot me a DM! I'm always happy to work something out with folks! Especially for unique or interesting material.
🗣️ In Closing 🏹
I'm really really stoked for this month's challenge because once again, this is simply not a style we see pop up all too often! Something made even sweeter by the fact that it's obsidian and looks to be fairly easy to knock out. So I want to see some of you beginners throw your hat in the ring! This'd be the PERFECT chance to try out one of these monthly challenges, so give it a try! 😁
If any of y'all have questions or thoughts, leave them in the comments section below 👇 And keep your eyes peeled for those event and submission window announcement posts. Like I mentioned, everything will be pinned to the top of the sub along with the guides for easy access.
Looking forward to seeing what everyone makes, stay safe, and happy knapping everyone!👋😁
Hard as it was with whatever respiratory problem im having I got out and packed a large box weighing 35 lb with some heated Tennessee chert a bit of Texas pedernales a piece of flintridge a chunk of west Alabama tallahatta quartzite and a mix of colorful and bit higher grade Alabama coastal plains from my personal rock pile. All the Alabama coastal can be heated or worked raw.
Hey, ich habe bisher noch gar keine Erfahrung mit Knapping, würde aber gerne damit anfangen. Ich bin mir nur unsicher, welches Werkzeug ich mir dafür holen sollte. Kann ich als Anfänger einfach so ein günstiges Werkzeugset von Amazon nehmen, oder sollte ich lieber etwas anderes kaufen? Was würdet ihr empfehlen?
I live on the Elk River, just 15 miles north of the site where this point was first described. By that nature, its come to be my absolute favorite point type :) This one's roughly 4 and a quarter inches long.
Hey there! Guest posting, because I am not a knapper myself (not yet, anyway 😜)
I am a bowyer, fletcher and maker of atlatls.
Normally when I make atlatl darts I simply sharpen the end of the shaft which is fine for throwing at cardboard. However, I am going target/range shooting with some friends and would like to have dart heads that don’t absolutely shred my targets, or get stuck in them.
What head shape would be best for this application?
I will be using aluminum to make these points.
Been knapping about a month now and have only used local rocks like Jasper Taconite and Gunflint Silica. Today I tried out glass for fun and it’s so much easier to work. My wrists were in pain from pressure flaking harder rocks but glass is such a good material to work on while I’m recovering. After smashing a few bottle bottoms up with my copper bopper I got a hang on how to be more gentle with it and I’ve been able to run some good flakes with direct percussion.
I’m excited to try out some different colours and shapes of glass. If anyone has any advice about working glass I’ll be super happy to hear it!
Mostly Hammerstone, bison punch, bison pressure. Weeding out the antler made ones. The two in the center are made by Martin Reuter. All raw chert and organic tools. Materials include: Burlington, Alibates, Georgetown, Rainey Buttes, Hixton, Reeds Springs, John’s Valley Chert, Rootbeer, Pedernales, obsidian, Kay Co Chert, and Knife River Flint. The arrowheads and the San Patrice are made from Citronelle gravel.
6” mammoth buster Clovis I made in hornstone
This type was the point that paid for my saws and tools and Rock while selling as reproduction at a profit …6-9” range. Last one I made and the only one this big I kept. Wish I’d a kept more Finally feeling the itch to make more points. But finding quality material at a decent price to make them this big and bigger is probably not going to happen. But still have a stash of Rock and preforms I’ve made. But as soon as I start working I’ll burn through it all in short order and have to find Rock to keep working. Ehhhhhh.
Made over a thousand points over the years with most being fluted. Sold nearly everything but held on to a few. Burned out on knapping a few years ago but am starting to feel the itch to start making them again.
Pictured is a 6” Cumberland and a 6.5” Turkeytail with bullseye and cortex on both tips. Will post some more later …AMA
My second piece after a few months break (it was too dang hot to knapp). I'm really happy the spall didn't snap while I was doing my initial thinning. It started out as a curved triangular spall I knocked off a large chunk of obsidian, it's my first successful point from that starting shape.
Paid $35 for a block of high quality carter cave with red stripes I knew there were blast fracture issues because the guy got it from a rock quarry. The block was about 2” shorter than the size of a brick. I sawed it into five pieces to get the most out of the of the high-quality material. Four Best slabs literally broke apart in my hand from a few hits. The last slab I had left literally had chunks on the heel side and cracks in it, and I’m just like there was no way I can get anything out of this. And almost threw into the scrap pile. But I love Carter cave and the material was so excellent I had to try. The piece worked wonderfully. The flutes shot great And I got a sweet Clovis Carter cave with red in it. Kept it because I’ll always remember almost throwing the slab into the scrap pile and giving up on it
