Bones are better

[erunkiswldrnssurvival]

Bones are a better material for making alot of things including arrow heads.
Stone and steel are not always available so its a good idea to learn other methods and materials to to use in-the-stead. The wedge profile "UTed Foot"
knife is a good example of how end grains of bone stay sharp after multiple uses.Bone 100 times sharper than steel is superior at slashing and shaving.Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

[erunkiswldrnssurvival]

Uses for wood are indisputable. But when you need long lasting endurance in a tool,bone is a good choice.I made this rope rake 6 years ago "i use it often" and its still going strong. Also i personaly like SCRIMSHAW.Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

[tsitenha]

We like using bone also, easy to acquire and shape, seems to take on a life of its own with use.

[Gray Wolf]

Bones are a better material for making alot of things including arrow heads.

Bone 100 times sharper than steel is superior at slashing and shaving.

Are you serious, or joking? I can't tell.

[erunkiswldrnssurvival]

Are you serious, or joking? I can't tell.

The broken end grain of bone is many times sharper than steel , though it dulls more quickly thoes first couple cuts are visibly sharper if both are tested togather. try it.

[Gray Wolf]

Ah, you must have found the bones of my great, great, great, great uncle. Legend has it, now this is just hearsay, but, he was very sharp!

[tsitenha]

The ends are "sawtoothed" for lack of a better word, just like the scalloped edge of "steak" knives this is more "efficient"

[Gray Wolf]

The ends are "sawtoothed" for lack of a better word, just like the scalloped edge of "steak" knives this is more "efficient"

From "How to Sharpen a Knife"

"If you looked at the cutting edge of a knife through a magnifying glass, you'd see that it is made up of hundreds of tiny teeth-like a saw. Through repeated use, these teeth get twisted and bent out of alignment. This is what makes a knife dull; a sharpener gets these little teeth back into alignment."

[tacmedic]

I would imagine that if you have access to bone, you are also going to have access to stones. Tools made out of stone are some of the oldest in existence, they are even making some specialized scalpel blades for delicate surgeries out of sharpened obsidian intead of steel since they can get the blade much thinner and still keep the sharp edge.

But you are right in that it is important to know how to make tools out of whatever you may have access to.

[Gray Wolf]

tacmedic, That's like the ceramic knives, super sharp, super thin and holds an edge.

[tsitenha]

It would be an extremely powerful "magnifying glass" such as a microscope.
The serrated edge (even on a bone edge) that I am talking about is much larger than this and allows the serrated edge (steak, dive knife etc..) cut slick or fibrous tissues easier while maintaining an raised edge.
When you "hone" (as on a fine stone then "stropping" it on a leather strap) a knife edge, it actually removes the radom jagged part that you are referring to, to render the cutting edge as uniformly geometric as possible. It will still have those small "teeth" but in a much more uniform size.

[Gray Wolf]

When you "hone" (as on a fine stone then "stropping" it on a leather strap) a knife edge, it actually removes the radom jagged part that you are referring to, to render the cutting edge as uniformly geometric as possible. It will still have those small "teeth" but in a much more uniform size.

And alignment, that's what I said. I personally don't like or want a serrated edge on my hunting knives. If you keep your blade sharp, it will cut very well for you.

P.S. My steak knives are not serrated, I just keep them sharp.

[Gray Wolf]

tsitenha, knives, serrated or not, has been discussed before here;

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ead.php?t=1528

But as the wise one here says "if it works for you..."

[erunkiswldrnssurvival]

Snapping blades is a technique that can be used on all cutting materials;ie.. metal,shell,
stone, bone, and wood. If you cant hone it.... snap it. The edge you get is microns thick. honed edges taper to about 10 atoms or 800 microns.

[klkak]

[QUOTE=erunkiswldrnssurvival;71089]Bone 100 times sharper than steel is superior at slashing and shaving[QUOTE]

Can you please post your reference for this comment?

[erunkiswldrnssurvival]

[QUOTE=klkak;71190][QUOTE=erunkiswldrnssurvival;71089]Bone 100 times sharper than steel is superior at slashing and shaving

Can you please post your reference for this comment?

I'll have to dig it up, one source is in a book called" roughing it easy" also information at the Cherokee museum of Native American History . I will find it on a web site tonite so give some time.

[Proud American]

I tried lookin for it on google found no refrences, but I don't think there sharper. Though the fact that making a knife from anything maye neccessary in some survival situations.

[klkak]

The broken end grain of bone is many times sharper than steel , though it dulls more quickly thoes first couple cuts are visibly sharper if both are tested togather. try it.

I can cut through a 1 inch Manila rope with the first cut with many of my knives. I'd like to see it done with a piece of bone. I am quite confident that if bone made such a good knife blade it would not have been replace with steel. As far as one of your other comments that "Stone and steel are not always available". I would venture to say that any place you can find a piece of bone you could just as easily find stone. I do agree that a person should be versed in the use of many different type of blade making material though.

[FVR]

I don't buy the bone is sharper than rock theory. A bone knife is better than nothing and the Cherokees also used bamboo knives successfully. Now bamboo can get real sharp, just ask anyone who has used it as a bow backing or making arrows. You can also temper it to harden it.

I have a few bone arrowheads, they are nice gimicks but I would not use them for hunting. I do have a few very crude and rough arrowheads made from pieces of chert and quartz that although not razor sharp, will kill a deer.

Now the idea of breaking the bone, that is a good idea. Like bamboo, break it and it will make a good weapon, scraper, spear point, or tool. But then so will a sharpened stick.

For quickness, break a bone and have a knife. Knapp a rock and chance cutting your finger, breaking the bone may just have a few valuable options.

I may need to try this.

I can tell ya one thang, if'n I'm skinning a hog or a deer, you can keep your metal knives as my favs are a coatal plains chert rock and a chunk of obsidian. Have to watch that obsidian though, will cut right through a thick hog hide with no problem, and maybe into your flesh.

[klkak]

I don't buy the bone is sharper than rock theory. A bone knife is better than nothing and the Cherokees also used bamboo knives successfully. Now bamboo can get real sharp, just ask anyone who has used it as a bow backing or making arrows. You can also temper it to harden it.

I have a few bone arrowheads, they are nice gimmicks but I would not use them for hunting. I do have a few very crude and rough arrowheads made from pieces of chert and quartz that although not razor sharp, will kill a deer.

Now the idea of breaking the bone, that is a good idea. Like bamboo, break it and it will make a good weapon, scraper, spear point, or tool. But then so will a sharpened stick.

For quickness, break a bone and have a knife. Knapp a rock and chance cutting your finger, breaking the bone may just have a few valuable options.

I may need to try this.

I can tell ya one thang, if'n I'm skinning a hog or a deer, you can keep your metal knives as my favs are a coastal plains chert rock and a chunk of obsidian. Have to watch that obsidian though, will cut right through a thick hog hide with no problem, and maybe into your flesh.

I've used flaked stone and obsidian on small game but never on anything bigger. The next time I find a nice piece of chert I'm gonna make an edge out of it and try it on Caribou or Moose. However I'm still gonna carry my steel knives.