Have you ever wondered how the ancients made stone tools and weapons by using primitive tools? How they worked stone and shaped it into knives, arrowheads, and spears.
Danny Roush was born and raised in the Ohio Valley Region. As a boy, he roamed the same hills and valleys of the Ohio Valley as did the people native to this area so many years before him. His interest in the Native American way of life was sparked at a young age by walking in the newly plowed fields and along the banks of the Ohio River in search of arrowheads and other artifacts.
It always fascinated him that he was touching the objects that the Ancients had fashioned with their own hands. This interest carried over into adulthood, especially after learning of his own Shawnee ancestry.
He never questioned how arrowheads were made until he saw a skilled flintknapper transform a shapeless hunk of flint into a beautiful flint-point by using primitive tools. From that moment on, he was hooked.
His first attempts at flint knapping were very frustrating. He spent the next few months trying to work stone with little instruction. He finally went to the library in search of books and videos that were available on flint knapping. What information he found was a great help, but he realized that he needed one-on-one instruction. So, he traveled far and wide over the next few years in search of the masters who could enlighten him as to the secrets of working stone. Dave Waldorf, Jim Spears, and Woody Blackwell were the most influential in his quest.
He also attended many flintknapper rendezvous' exchanging tools, knowledge, and materials with others. He compares flint knapping to chess, you have to continuously think several steps ahead to what your next move will be. It is similar in working stone as the object is to sacrifice as little as possible of the stone while producing the piece you want.
Now Danny spends his time trying to perfect his own craft by giving demonstrations, teaching, and conduction workshops for museums, churches, schools, universities, the Scouts, Historical Societies, Archeological Society Chapters, State Parks, and individuals.
He orders the flint he uses from all over the continent and also digs his own from various locations. Burlington flint from Missouri and multi-colored flint from Flint Ridge are two of his favorites.
Danny believes that flint knapping may be the oldest profession known and that is is a privilege to work stone using the same primitive technology and types of tools as our ancestors so long ago. He feels that flint knapping is his connection to the Ancient World, a link to another time, people, and way of life.
You can follow the links below to see photos of Danny's knives. If you would like to purchase these knives you can email Danny, at the address below. We will accept credit cards, C.O.D.'s, or Money Orders. At a later time we will have it set up so you can use your credit card from here.
View My Guestbook
ROYALTY FREE IMAGES
Adobe Trading Post
A sensational collection of Arts & Crafts from Santa Fe and the American Southwest. Our site offers Jewelry, Original Paintings, Sculpture, Native American Art, and all kinds of Southwestern stuff.
 | [ Next | Next 5 Sites | Random Site | List Sites ] Want to join the Native American Ring? Click here for info. |
