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chiangmaimav
01-26-2010, 10:23 PM
I started reading a book I found here in library called The Gift of Stones, by Jim Crace. It is story of village in time before Bronze Age who were craftsmen who produced various flint tools and weapons. The story is taken from actual discovery of skeleton of young boy whose arm was apparently amputated with flint instrument. it is an exciting adventure story and also has much interesting and valuable information about making stone implements.

your_comforting_company
01-26-2010, 11:21 PM
interestingly enough, I had a discussion today with the local historian who showed me some stones she found on her property that she claims were surgical tools. they were chipped in a few places, but the way they fit her hand they were clearly tools used for cutting.
I will be trying to find the book you mention in my library. The nice lady loaned me her book about the Muscogee and Lower Creek daily life in the Chattahoochee River Valley (where I live) and it has references to such. She directed me to a place where I could harvest some chert spalls, and sure enough, I brought some home.
It was a gift of stones :D

chiangmaimav
01-27-2010, 06:45 AM
I don't know if this will be helpful, but book was first published in England in 1988 by Secker and Warburg Ltd. I have Picador edition published 1989 by Pan Books Ltd.

your_comforting_company
01-27-2010, 06:55 AM
that will help find it for sure. thanks cmm

Rick
01-27-2010, 11:52 AM
We've talked about this on here before. Tests have shown that knapped stone can be much sharper than a scalpel. I remember the tests I read were 3 microns width on the cutting face of the stone. I don't remember the scalpel but it seems like it was 6 microns.

crashdive123
01-27-2010, 09:19 PM
I don't recall the exact numbers either, but do remember that the knapped stone was sharper than steel.

your_comforting_company
01-27-2010, 09:30 PM
Obsidian cleaves down to the last molecule on the edge.. sharper than any man made material period.