I have always been fascinated by the past and studied history and anthropology, but a summer college course took me on a new journey in life when I saw a demonstration by Steve Watts at The Schiele Museum. Steve was the first person I ever saw make an arrowhead, start a bow drill fire and shoot a blowgun. At that moment I knew where my life was going and that it was a change for the better. Through Steve I met Errett Callahan and studied flintknapping, archery and technical drawing for almost 25 years until his death on May 29, 2019. For close to 30 years I studied every aspect of primitive technology under Steve and his death on March 21, 2016 left me lost. I learned so much from these two mentors, but I am focusing my teaching on Stone Age survival techniques from around the world. This is my way of honoring two of the giants in this field and carrying on what I learned from them.
Available
These Items are available for purchase. Most are one of a kind original pieces. I will ship internationally, but please contact me about postage. If you see something in my gallery above you would like, message me and we can discuss time to produce the item and cost. The items below are made and ready to ship.
My first Book! Hardcover with 238 pages and packed with color photos. $48.95. Softcover is $29.95. Autographs are free!!!!
Bear carved from water buffalo horn with triple flow obsidian blade. Hafted with pine pitch and sinew. $250.00
bat handle carved from Water Buffalo horn with Opalite blade (a man made opalized glass). Hafted with pitch and sinew. $250.00
Mammoth and saber tooth tiger in antler with Knife River Chert. $250.00
Antler with Rainey Buttes chert. Hafted with pitch and sinew. $100.00
Cherry handle with Mexican Obsidian blade. Hafted with pitch and sinew. $150.00
Fossilized walrus tusk with red glass blade. Hafted with pitch and sinew. $300.00
Beaver chewed stick with coastal plains chert blade. Hafted with pitch and sinew. $75.00
Bison rib with green glass blade. Hafted with pitch. $75.00
Wolf carved from sapodilla wood with mahogany obsidian blade. Hafted with pine pitch and sinew. $250.00
Owls in antler with triple flow obsidian blade. Hafted with pitch and sinew. $250.00
Skulls in antler with goldstone blade. Hafted with pitch and sinew. $250.00
Walris oosik bone fossilized with Mexican Rainbow obsidian blade. Hafted wit pitch and sinew. $300.00
Antler with black millifoi glass blade. Hafted with pitch and sinew. $100.00
Gembok antler with ebony cap with blue millifoi glass blade. $150.00
Cholla cactus handle with pink fiber optic blade. $100.00
Cedar handle with opalite blade. Hafted with pitch and sinew. $75.00
Olive wood handle with Burns Green Obsidian blade. $125.00
Bison rib with pink fiber optic glass. Hafted with pitch and sinew. $75.00
Workshops 2023
These are the workshops I am teaching this year. Unless stated elsewhere they will be at my home in Kannapolis, North Carolina. A $50.00 deposit saves your spot in the class. I am limiting them to 10 students per workshop, so the students get time with the instruct
Sami Coffee Bag
February 18-19, 2023
Cost $200.
Participants will learn how to make a bag used by the reindeer herders of Scandanavia to carry coffee in. You will learn how to use a pattern, add a welt and sew buckskin to create a coffee bag.
Star Lore and Celestial Navigation
March 18-19,2023
Cost $200.
The oldest image of a constellation is from Lascaux Cave in France. For millions of years man has looked to the sky. We will explore artifacts and sites that support the stars and look at stars and constellations in the sky and the stories they tell. We will explore the myths and truths of using the stars, sun and moon to navigate by.
Game Calls
April 15,2023
Cost $100.
The ability to imitate an animal to lure it into a favorable position to hunt it has been used all over the World. We will explore different types of calls and then try our hand at making a few different ones.
Primitive fishhooks
May 13,2023
Cost $100.
We will explore fishhook technology from all over the world with the continued use of gorge and “j” fishhooks. Then we will craft several fishhooks from different materials such as wood, bone, antler and stone. We will explore tying them on lines and the use of leaders.
Fishing Spears
June 10
This class will be at the Schiele Museum in Gastonia, so registration is on their website.
We will look at examples of fishing spears from all over the world and then focus on the Southeastern United States and make several spears from rivercane.
Fingerweaving
June 24-25,2023
Cost $200
Participants will learn how to fingerweave a sash or tumpline out of wool using the diagonal weave method. Other examples will be available to inspect. We will lay out your project, select colors and learn different ways to finish the ends.
Cordage College
July 8-9,2023
Cost $200
Students will learn everything they ever needed to know about cordage. We will make examples from animal and plant materials and work on a length where you can learn splicing and maintaining even thickness. We will also learn to braid and how it is different from cordage.
Slings
August 5-6, 2023
Cost $200.
We will explore the history of the sling with examples from around the world. We will learn about the Shepard sling and how it changed warfare in the ancient world. We will make a woven and leather sling and how to throw the sling.
Deer Cannon Bone Tools
August 20
This will be held at the Schiele Museum in Gastonia and you must register on their website
We will explore the different tools that can be made from the cannon bone of a white-tailed deer and then try our hand at making several. These include awls, needles, hairpins, knives and so much more!
Atlatl
October 13, 2023
This will be held at the Schiele Museum in Gastonia, and you must register on their website.
We will explore the oldest big game hunting weapon used all over the world with replicas from all over the world. We will make an atlatl and dart and then practice throwing them.
Otzi Pack Frame
October 28-29, 2023
Cost $200
We will explore the Otzi artifacts in the second in a series of classes dealing with replicating Otzi’s gear. We will make the pak frame that he used and add on straps so you can carry it on your back. We will not make a pack for it because it was not recovered, and we can only guess what it looked like.
Rivercane Blowguns
November 11-12, 2023
Cost $200
Participants will learn about blowguns all over the world and then focus on the rivercane blowgun used in the Southeastern United States. We will make a rivercane blowgun and a set of thistle darts. Shooting the blowgun will also be taught.
Finish your Project Workshop
December 9-10, 2023
Cost $100 You must have attended a workshop by me to take this class.
How many unfinished projects do you have laying around? You got it home and you could not remember exactly how to finish it off. This is a weekend of finishing off projects and you get to see other people’s work if you missed a class. Very fellowship oriented and a chance to review the year and finish your projects!
Inquires or to purchase something please email me at dmeyer@ctc.net. I require a $50 deposit for any workshop to reserve your space.