How sharp is stone points? Can you shave with them?

Thanks

the are suppose to be sharper than steel if done right. from what i remember some surgical scalpels are lined with stone on the edge for a sharper cut

no way!!!!!

yeppers, they leave less of a scar

can one of u guys make me one and send it to me?!?!?!            
for real!!!!!!

Here is a link to some information on the subject.

http://books.google.com/books?id=HlwUo0IccoMC&pg=RA19-PA62&lpg=RA19-PA62&dq=errett+callahan+scalpel&source=web&ots=tNfkftbEFm&sig=Fim39NJZOCaBMneMx8GJQ5LZR7w

Here is an extract from another source:

"When Crabtree himself had to have part of a lung removed, he introduced his surgeon to the knapper Flenniken. Following the surgeon's specifications, Flenniken knapped a set of obsidian blades. The incision they made, Crabtree later insisted, healed quickly and cleanly--and to prove it, he would lift his shirt to show that the scar on his chest was indeed barely visibly.

Since then, Flenniken has knapped hundreds of blades for surgical use. A colleague needing open-heart surgery decided to demonstrate the superiority of obsidian blades, so he asked his surgeon to make half the incision with an ordinary scalpel and half with an obsidian blade knapped by Flenniken. Not only did that part of the incision made with the obsidian blade heal more quickly, but while the scalpel left an ugly visible scar, the obsidian blade left only a faint pink line."

Killdeer

Yes sir ain't nothing like a good obsidian blade.

 

Yes and no.  It's always complicated, isn't it?  ggg

The edge of an unretouched flake (especially obsidian) is unbelieveably sharp.  The scalpels that Callahan and others used to make were very specialized unretouched flakes.

The stone arrowpoints we use and the great knife that Mystikbow pictured are retouched -- lots of flakes coming off the edge.  Consequently, the edge "wanders" around a lot on the micro scale.  You need a very straight edge for shaving.  But the retouched edges are still very sharp, although they may not feel that way when you handle them.

A bit more info on the obsidian scalpels:  a buddy in Oregon, Craig Ratzat, made some for plastic surgeons.  The incisions were nearly invisible and the cuts healed more quickly than with steel scalpels.  The surgeons quit using them, though, because the obsidian was so sharp that it cut with minimal pressure:  they couldn't tell how deep they were cutting!  The steel scalpels "pushed back" and they had a better idea of the incision depth.  FWIW.

Very true. Because the stone blade is knapped the edge is more like a serrated edge. But as knife river said,make no mistake. It may not "feel" sharp like a metal edge does but it most certainly is.

Hey my dad killed a deer once with a stone head.  He poked holes both sides, what more could you ask for.

Scott

I skin with unretouched knife river flint flakes at the moment..and I can tell you those 'virgin edged' flakes are scary sharp...way sharper than I can get a grizzly- and I can get a grizzly to remove hair before it actually touches hair!

Try knapping obsidian with no gloves on. You will see for yourself how sharp the flaks are. Even with gloves on it is difficult to keep from getting cut.  

In europe, I once saw a cutting instrument in a museum that consisted of a bone with a slot running along one side.  In the slot were pressed flakes of obsidian which layed flat against each other.  The instrument looked remarkably like a straight razor and I have no doubt it would have served admirably in that purpose.  Which makes one wonder, did the first straight razor have a historical model upon which it was based?

Dan

an obsidian flake is the sharpest cutting instrument on the planet.  the cutting edge can be down to one molecule thick.  unfortunately, it is very brittle.  a stone hunting point or knife is more like a serrated blade or steak knife.  as to their killing/cutting ability, i think history says it all.

Dan, there were knives made that way.  The early danes also made arrowpoints with a pointed rod made of antler or bone.  It was grooved on opposite sides where flint blades were glued in.  It would have been deadly.

The Aztecs made a club with obsidian blades inset along the sides.  I saw a video clip of someone whacking a side of beef with a replica.  The damage was amazing.

He's only posted once or twice, but James Parker (robustus magnon?) in NC made an arrowpoint similar to the early danish one, but in a three blade design.  Cool stuff!

Here is  a pic of the points James made.
 

WOW! I would love to see him fit that together.
Killdeer  :eek:

That looks like nine different kinds of wicked.  GGG

Dang, a flint Savora swept wing...

Woody I have never heard of these bone/flint blades before. Do you know where can I research them?

some of these are still sharp