[OP]
Contributor
Move over PM-V11, and move over microns as well. Obsidian will be the new blade of choice, and angstroms the new measurement of sharpness. 0.5 microns? That's so dull. That's 5,000 angstroms. I can get down to 30 angstroms with obsidian. That would be 0.003 microns.
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/04/02/he...ian/index.html
...and guess what- it's actually old-school technology.
Last edited by Malcolm Schweizer; 04-02-2015 at 8:25 AM. Reason: Sorry, misspelled "PM-V11" -oh the shame. Can't edit the title.
Fun read, Thanks. I wonder which "household razors are 0.03-0.06 microns... " unless the math is wrong and it's 0.3-0.6.
Last edited by Matthew N. Masail; 04-02-2015 at 8:52 AM.
Member
Not really new news. Obsidian fractures into cutting edges one molecule thick. Very brittle,as the article said,and dangerous to use because of that. Jewish mohels have used stone cutting tools since ancient times for circumcision.
Researchers have found obsidian to be extremely effective in experimentally cutting up road kill deer carcasses like ancient man did his hunted quarry.
Last edited by george wilson; 04-02-2015 at 9:10 AM.
Contributor
I want to eventually learn to chip my obsidian freehand (free-chipping) but for now I use an old Neanderthal chipping jig I bought on ebay. A deer antler and flint guide will only get down to 3 molecules thick, but I strop on limestone and that seems to make the edge less brittle. I've been researching leather lap covers for free-chipping, but mammoth leather is getting scarce.
-- Dan Rode
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle
Contributor
-- Dan Rode
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle
Contributor
Be very careful. Aztecs used to inbed big chunks in a war club, and take an arm, leg or head OFF with a swing.
Contributor
Saw a news paper story some years back about a modern surgeon using an obsidian scalpel. Don't think that was his
routine,think it was a special case to limit scarring.
Member
Daniel, the Natives would bake their stones before shaping their arrowheads and knives. It actually made them more brittle though which is what they wanted for flaking. I do not know why they would need something so sharp as i have never seen a Native that needed a shave. Come to think of it, i've never seen a bald one either. Must be some hormonal thing.
Contributor
Most important use of all - it is the only substance that can kill the White Walkers that live north of The Wall. If they ever get south of the Wall, all of Westeros is gonna want to have some on hand.
When I started woodworking, I didn't know squat. I have progressed in 30 years - now I do know squat.
[OP]
Contributor
Just before anyone gets too serious, I don't really expect it to work for plane blades, but this might make for a good April Fool's next year for Veritas to offer Obsidian blades. (Can't really call them "irons" anymore.) The article, however, is very interesting. They are using it for scalpel blades for microsurgery.
Member
At least some indians had their facial whiskers killed off as babies: Their mothers held their faces over scalding hot steam coming from water poured over very hot rocks,destroying the follicules (sp?).
Other times,they used a pair still connected clam shells as tweezers.
Member
Would like to read support for the scalding of follicles. Also, chert and flint were baked, but not obsidian.
Contributor
George is speaking from personal observation. He was there at that time.Originally Posted by Jim Davis
When I started woodworking, I didn't know squat. I have progressed in 30 years - now I do know squat.
Member
That's another episode of Dallas I missed.
Guest
Never made anything from obsidian, but I have made some stuff from sevenupite which reportedly behaves somewhat similar (they're both a glass anyway so moreso than flint or chert). If nothing else it yielded vast respect for the folks who can consistently produce a nice blade from this sort of thing.
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