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Despite being sharper, prismatic obsidian is also considerably more brittle than steel; obsidian blades of the type used on the macuahuitl tended to shatter on impact with other obsidian blades, steel swords or plate armour. Obsidian blades also have difficulty penetrating European mail. The thin, replaceable blades used on the macuahuitl were ...
Sharpened metal drop-point blade Naturally occurring sharp obsidian piece Shark tooth with a sharp, serrated edge A sewing needle comes to a sharp point. Sharpness refers to the ability of a blade, point, or cutting implement to cut through materials with minimal force, and can more specifically be defined as the capacity of a surface to initiate the cut. [1]
Técpatl (18th day sign of the Aztec calendar) (Image from the Codex Magliabechiano). In the Aztec culture, a tecpatl was a flint or obsidian knife with a lanceolate figure and double-edged blade, with elongated ends.
A variety of blade materials can be used to make the blade of a knife or other simple edged hand tool or weapon, such as a sickle, hatchet, or sword. The most common blade materials are carbon steel, stainless steel, tool steel, and alloy steel. Less common materials in blades include cobalt and titanium alloys, ceramic, obsidian, and plastic.
The major disadvantage of obsidian blades is their brittleness compared to those made of metal, [66] thus limiting the surgical applications for obsidian blades to a variety of specialized uses where this is not a concern. [62] Pig carved in snowflake obsidian, 10 centimeters (4 in) long. The markings are spherulites.
This extends the life of the diamond blade which is used only when its superior performance is critical. [citation needed] Obsidian, a naturally occurring volcanic glass, is used to make extremely sharp surgical scalpels, significantly sharper than is possible with steel. The blades are brittle and very easily broken.
Prismatic blades are flaked from stone cores through pressure flaking or direct percussion. [2] This process results in a very standardized finished tool and waste assemblage. The most famous and most prevalent prismatic blade material is obsidian, as obsidian use was widespread in Mesoamerica, though chert, flint, and chalcedony blades are not ...
These weapons could be used to inflict either cutting wounds (with the obsidian blades) or to club an opponent unconscious (with the flat side). It has been loosely compared to a European broadsword, [ 21 ] although others have argued that it is a distinct weapon from either swords or clubs. [ 22 ]