Don Crabtree was a master craftsman in the art of stone toolmaking. He was called "the dean of American flintknappers"

He is also credited with the creation of “Crabtree’s Law” which is integral in the modern study of lithics.

In 1966, he was awarded a National Science Foundation grant which allowed him to record on film and publish his experiment results.

The most important printed contribution of Crabtree's career was An Introduction to Flintknapping. This well illustrated glossary became a standard reference for most lithic studies scholars in America and overseas.