Archaeological evidence shows that Clovis knappers failed at this step with considerable regularity — broken and failed points are found at Clovis manufacturing sites, testimony to the difficulty of the technique.

The finished, perfect Clovis points that appear in museum collections and in burial contexts like Anzick represent only the successful products of what was often a high failure-rate process.

The Anzick points include some of the finest examples of the Clovis fluting technique known.

They demonstrate a mastery of the process that speaks to years of dedicated practice and a deep internalized understanding of stone mechanics.

The people who made these tools were not amateur craftworkers; they were highly skilled specialists in a technology that required both extensive practice and access to the specific high-quality stone that the process demands.