Kila man uses flint knapping to bring history to life
A long-time arrowhead collector, Kila's Tom Blais has been learning how to make the stone tools himself for nearly 30 years. (Jeremy Weber/Daily Inter Lake)
Kila's Tom Blais uses traditional stone and bone tools to produce stone arrowheads, knives and more. (Jeremy Weber/Daily Inter Lake)
Tom Blais uses a tool fashioned from moose antler to work a stone. (Jeremy Weber/Daily Inter Lake)
Tom Blais reaches for one of his bone tools while working to create a stone knife. (Jeremy Weber/Daily Inter Lake)
Tom Blais reaches for one of his bone tools while working to create a stone knife. (Jeremy Weber/Daily Inter Lake)
Tom Blaise uses a piece of antler to create the blade of a stone knife. (Jeremy Weber/Daily Inter Lake)
A selection of finished arrows created by Tom Blais using traditional techniques. (Jeremy Weber/Daily Inter Lake)
Stones demonstrating the process Tom Blais uses to shape a stone into a usable tool. (Jeremy Weber/Daily Inter Lake)
A stone knife created by Kila flint knapper Tom Blais. (Jeremy Weber/Daily Inter Lake)
A selection of stone tools created by Kila's Tom Blais. (Jeremy Weber/Daily Inter Lake)
An obsidian knife blade shaped by Kila flint knapper Tom Blais. (Jeremy Weber/Daily Inter Lake)
Tom Blais is bringing history to life one arrowhead at a time.
Growing up in Vermont, Blais heard many stories about the Native Americans that used to camp along the river near his family’s farm...
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