A Practical Primitive Intensive Skills Program
Secrets in the Stone
The Application Deadline for 2011 has
now passed.
Program Begins: November 19-20,
2011
Application Deadline: Midnight, October 31, 2011
"Primitive means First, not
Worst."
This quote from Scott Silsby is one of my favorites,
and is more true when it comes to stone than in almost any other aspect
of primitive skills.
In truth, without stone we would not
be here.
Without stone tools we would not have survived.
And when it comes right
down to absolute basics,
stone is the one thing we simply
can not live without.
An Open Letter from Eddie to All who are considering this Program:
Many years ago I wrote an article for the very first issue of Primitive Archer magazine that was titled "Secrets in the Stone". When I decided to design an Intensive Skills course around flintknapping I could think of no better name for the program, and no better theme around which to build the curriculum. Over the last 25 years or so that I have been working with rock I have learned many lessons, and discovered many secrets that lay within the stones on which I worked. However, the biggest lesson that stone has taught me is that my meager human life span is not nearly long enough to learn all it has to teach. This program will the beginning of your own journey with stone, and will give you a jump start into a vast new world.
Beginning with the earliest stone tools, you will work your way through millions of years of history and discover how, far from being inferior, stone tools in many cases work as well as or better than their modern conterparts. From there we will move through my specially developed 9 Step Knapping™ program, which will open up to you the entire world of arrow points, knives, daggers and blades. We will then move on to the more advanced shaping, thinning and notching techniques, all the way up to those of the Clovis and Folsom cultures, including fluting, and artifact replication. You will also learn how to properly notch, haft and sharpen your points so that they can be used for display or for hunting.
The language of stone is the language of energy, and slowing down enough to hear and understand what the rocks are telling you will bring you many new insights into all aspects of your life. Working stone can be an empowering experience or a humbling one, or both. Most often both. This rock has been sitting and waiting for millions of years for you to pick it up. How patient can you be to learn what it has to teach you?
I love flintknapping. It is, to me, both a sacred connection to our past and one of the greatest accomplishments of our present culture. Humans have been hitting on rock for over a million years, and prior to the modern resurgence of the past couple of decades the height of flintknapping skill and artistry peaked about 15,000 years ago. I have been lucky enough to know and knap with and learn from some of the best modern knappers in the world and it is my privilege and responsibility to pass the secrets of this sacred skill along to you. If you are ready to learn, to practice, and to listen to the Secrets that lie within the Stone, I look forward to working with you in this program.
Be Well,
Eddie
About the Program
Secrets in the Stone
Upcoming Session: November
2011 – February 2012
Location: Practical Primitive, Great Meadows, NJ
Tuition: $1395 ($500
deposit due upon acceptance.)
Program Dates: One
2-day weekend each month (Saturday & Sunday)
Application Deadline: October 31,
2011
Apply: The application deadline for the 2011 program
has now passed.
Frequently Asked Questions: See
Below
You will be one of only
FOUR people to spend four months learning from Eddie
Starnater,
a 25-year veteran flintknapper and one of the best, most highly skilled
and experienced instructors in the world of primitive skills.
Eddie
has been knapping since the mid 1980's when he decided he wanted to make
stone points to haft onto his hunting arrows. He learned everything the
hard way, through trial and error, because back then there was hardly
anyone doing flintknapping yet, let alone teaching it!
Eddie has knapped using stone, wood, antler and copper billets, and has
created arrow points, knife blades, spear tips, daggers, stone tools and
"just because you can" eccentric pieces from all different types
of stone.
A confirmed "rock hound" his knappable rock collection consists of
flints from Texas, Ireland, Isreal and all points in between, jaspers and
cherts from all across the U.S. and Canada, petrified wood, petrified
palm, agatized coral, green stone, obsidian, dacite, glass and more.
He has been making and selling flintknapped points, knives and eccentric pieces since the early-90's, written, and been the subject of, many articles on the subject, and has recently released his first instructional flintknapping DVD, 9 Step Knapping: Flintknapping Made Easy.
Over the
past 25 years Eddie has honed not only his flintknapping skills, but his
ability to teach those skills to others. His
remarkable ability to break down this complex art into simple exercises
that anyone can comprehend and reproduce make this a program unlike any
other. If you practice the exercises and do the homework, we guarantee you
will acheive flintknapping success that will meet and even far exceed
your expectations for these four months. If you don't practice
the exercises and put only half-hearted effort into your homework, your
results will reflect as much. That part is entirely up to you.
As a member of this program you will gain a thorough and hands-on understanding of the ancient art of Flintknapping. You will discover the secrets that exist within each piece of stone, and how to convince that rock to share them with you. Our focus will be on building a fundamental understanding of, and solid ability in, all aspects of this skill. By coming to appreciate the Rules of the Rock and learning to respect and follow those rules you will take your flintknapping ability to places that, until now, you never dreamed you would be able to reach in such a short time.
Program FAQs
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Q. What will be covered in the program? What sort of flintknapping
skills will I learn?
A. Over the course of your four months
you will learn many more skills than there is space to list here, but
below is a basic rundown of what will be covered and expanded
on during the program:
- The 6 Rules of Rock and why your knapping success depends on knowing and following these rules
- Exercises that will teach your proper strike force and amazing accuracy, without using up all your rock
- 9 simple steps that anyone can easily follow to create points and blades of any size and shape
- How to create usable spalls from raw rock
- Flake mapping and prediction
- Shaping, thinning and sharpening all shapes and sizes of points and blades.
- 4 different methods of pressure flaking, so you can find the one that works best for YOU
- Fluting and artifact replication
- Notching, hafting and binding
- When and how to break the 6 Rules of Rock
- How to troubleshoot common flintknapping mistakes and problems
- ... and much, much more!
Q. What do you mean by "Homework"? Will I have to write
essays or something?
A. No written assignments, we
promise! Secrets in the Stone is a hands-on program
and you will be expected to practice and apply the skills we work
on during our weekends together once you return home. Each weekend
we will cover the basics of certain skills and work on associated
exercises together. You will then be given "homework projects" to
complete on your own within a given time frame at home.
Q. I am really busy with family/work/life etc.
Does it matter if I won't have time to do all the homework projects?
A. If you are accepted into the Secrets
in the Stone program
we require that you work diligently to do your best to complete all
of the homework assignments each month. We realize that life gets
busy, but fully expect that you will make this program a priority
in your life for those four months. This is a hands-on, exercise-based
program and each month builds on the skills and exercises of the last.
If you fall behind it will affect not just you, but the entire group.
Remember, as part of the program you are not only working to better
your own flintknapping skills, but to learn from and contribute to
the program by sharing your experiences with the member of the group!
If you are unable to devote time and energy to working and practicing
your knapping on a regular basis it would be best if you waited
to apply until your schedule is more accomodating.
PROGRAM LOGISTICS
Q. How do I apply and when is the deadline?
A. You can apply for the Secrets
in the Stone program online,
or you can download and print a PDF version of
the application to mail in. All applications must be received by midnight
October 31, 2011 to be considered for this
year's program.
Q. How many people
do you accept into the program?
A. The Secrets in the Stone program
is limited to a maximum of 4 people. Eddie
is adamant that each person in this program receive his full attention
when they need it, and with a large group that is just not possible. By
limiting this program to only 4 participants he can guarantee that you
will take your flintknapping skills as far as you are ready and willing
to go!
Q. Is there an age limit?
A. Yes, you must be at least 18 years
old to apply for the Secrets in the Stone program.
There is no upper age limit and so long as you are physically able to
complete the course-work we
encourage you to apply!
Q. Where do the Secrets in the Stone weekends take place?
A. The Secrets in the Stone weekends
take place at our main Pracitcal Primitive location near Great Meadows,
NJ. Check out our Locations page for more
detailed information and directions.
Q. Do you ever offer the Secrets in the
Stone program anywhere
else?
A. No, this program
is only offered at our main location in New Jersey.
ABOUT THE SCHEDULE / SECRETS IN THE STONE WEEKEND INFO
Q. What is the schedule for the program?
A. Program members will gather for
one 2-day
weekend each month for 4 months, beginning in November.
(See our Workshop Schedule for
proposed Secrets in the Stone weekends.) We
begin at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday morning and finish up around 5:00 p.m.
Sunday afternoon. Each weekend will be filled with intense flintknapping
instruction, exercises that will help you hone your knapping skills, an
outline of the homework assignments for the upcoming month, and
a debrief of the homework and exercises from the previous month.
Q. I really want to apply but have a conflict for one of the
weekends listed on the schedule. What can I do?
A. The weekends listed on our Winter
Workshop Schedule are the ones we have currently set aside for Secrets
in the Stone,
however some variations can be made and the final dates will be based
on the schedules of accepted participants, and agreed upon by all.
Q. What if I will definitely not be able to make one of the weekends
no matter when it is rescheduled? Should I still apply?
A. As a Secrets
in the Stone participant
you must commit to attend every get-together weekend without fail. If
you know that you will be away for an extended period, or are unable
to commit to attending every one of the weekends
it would be best that you wait to apply until your schedule is more
accomodating.
Q. Where can I stay during the weekend?
A. Participants will stay on-site
at Practical Primitive over the weekends. You may either bring a tent
to set up in the back yard, or choose to stay indoors over night. You
will have full access to facilities, and all meals will be provided over
the course of the weekend.
Q. I live too far away to commute.
Do you have a Residential option?
A. A limited number of Residential
spaces are available for an additional fee. If you would like more information
please e-mail
us for details. Alternatively, we live near a college town with many
reasonably-priced rooms for rent. We would be happy to provide you with
local information to check out this more private option.
ABOUT YOUR APPLICATION
Q. What sort of skills / experience do I need to have to apply?
A. There are no minimum
skill-level requirements for the Secrets in the Stone program. Whether
you have been flintknapping for some time but are not satisfied with
your results, are someone who has taken a few classes over the years,
or one who has to this point been only an armchair enthusiast will
make no difference when we are reviewing applications.
Q. Then what ARE you looking for in participants?
A. We are looking for people who want
to LEARN!!! This is not a "fill your notebook then leave it on the
shelf" type
of program. We are seeking participants who have a passion for learning
the ways of our ancestors and a real desire to discover the many secrets
that stone has to teach. If you are
dedicated, self-motivated, prepared to learn and always ready to try,
perhaps fail, but always try again, then we hope you will apply today!
Q. How do you choose Secrets in the Stone participants?
A. Participants will be chosen based
on the answers in their application, and our belief that they have a
real desire to learn the flintknapping secrets that Eddie has gleaned
in his more than 25 years of knapping experience. We choose carefully
to bring together a group we believe will work well together and bring
out the best in each other.
Q. Do I have to have taken a Practical Primitive workshop in
order to apply?
A. No, it is not mandatory to have
attended a Practical Primitive workshop in order to apply for the Secrets
in the Stone program.
We have had several participants for whom one of our Intensive Skills
programs was their first Practical Primitive experience. However, due
to the
intense nature of the skill being taught and the need for focus and
attention to detail, preference may be given to those applicants we have
had the opportunity to get to know, whether through workshops,
attendance at our free Open Skills Nights,
at events, or through other means.
If we have never met but you submit
a compelling application that piques our interest we will
want to chat with you on the phone and, if the distance is feasible, ask
that you come to meet us in-person and possibly attend a "group" event
(such as an Open Skills Night). Remember, you will be spending a lot of
time together with your fellow knappers — we
want you to like each other!
TUITION & ADDITIONAL PROGRAM BENEFITS
Q. How much is the tuition for the Secrets in the Stone program?
A. The four-month Secrets
in the Stone program tuition is $1395, which includes
project supplies and materials, all of your meals during
Secrets in the Stone weekends, and the option to schedule up
to 8 hours of one-on-one Mentoring time each month at no additional
cost.
Q. What is included in my tuition?
A. Your program tuition includes all
of the supplies and materials for your weekend projects, as well as all
of your meals during the Secrets in the Stone weekends. Plus,
you will also have the option to schedule up to eight hours of individual
mentoring each
month to gain additional instruction in or assistance with skills learned
and exercises assigned during the Secrets in the Stone program —
a $600 value at no additional cost to you!
Q. Are there any "Materials" fees on top
of the tuition?
A. No, there are not any additional
fees; we provide all required materials for your use during the Secrets
in the Stone weekends at no extra charge. We do give you
a list of required tools and materials you will need to purchase for
your home use if you do not already have them,
including flintknapping tools and rock. Some of the necessary tools
may be available through Practical Primitive, however we also provide
you with excellent online resources where you can purchase these required
items from reputable, quality sources at the best prices we are aware
of at the time. Feel free to contact
us for more specific details.
Q. Is there an application fee?
A. No, there is no application fee
for any of our Intensive Skills Programs. If you are accepted into the
program we require a $500 deposit to secure your place, with the balance
of the tuition due on or before the first day.
Q. Do you offer any scholarships or tuition assistance?
A. We do not currently provide tuition
assistance or work-study programs for the Secrets in the Stone Intensive
Skills Program, however requests for extended payment plans may be considered
on an individual basis. 
(For tuition assistance with our regular workshops
you may wish to consider applying for our Internship program.
Intern hours may not be used toward Intensive Skills Programs.)
Secrets
in the Stone
Program Length: 4 Months
Upcoming Session: November
2011 – February
2012
Location: Practical
Primitive, Great Meadows, NJ
Tuition: $1395 ($500
deposit due upon acceptance.)
Application Deadline: October
31,
2011
Apply: The application deadline for the 2011 program
has now passed.
Applications must be filled out in their entirety and
received by MIDNIGHT OCTOBER 31, 2011.
Incomplete applications will not be considered.
If you have any questions about the program feel free to give us a call,
or send an e-mail to info@practicalprimitive.com.
Printable Application Form
If you would prefer to mail in your application you
may download
a printable copy here. (This
is a PDF file. Acrobat Reader is required.) Simply click on the "Print" icon
at the top left of the form, or the "Save" button to save a copy to your computer
for printing at a later time.
Please mail your completed application to:
Intensive Skills Studies Program
Practical Primitive
14 Sussex Lane
Great Meadows, NJ 07838
(To apply online click here.)