![]() Since this glass is so good at fragmenting, you may not even see that it has chipped. Using an obsidian blade to chop food could potentially result in accidental ingestion of shards of glass. Prying it against a hard surface, like opening a beer bottle, would more than likely break the blade. The likelihood of obsidian cracking or chipping under the simplest of tasks is incredibly high. This is the absolute most brittle possible material that could be turned into a knife. Obsidian surgical blades have yet to be used on humans, as they have not been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. ![]() It’s not confirmed, but certain studies on rats have found that using obsidian blades encourages quicker healing, thanks to a cleaner cut, even if that difference can only be seen under a microscope. The edge of an obsidian blade is a mere 3 nanometers thick. It’s incredible how much more perfect nature can be by just not trying at all. ![]() An obsidian blade under that same microscope would be perfectly smooth and even. To be more specific, if you placed the sharpest and highest quality carbon steel blade under an electron microscope, it will look irregular and jagged. The main and only benefit of an obsidian blade is its potential for sharpness. Certain states want to prevent over-picking by making permits a requirement. If you’re ever wanting to find some cool stones (or glass in this case), make sure to check if you need permitting to take them home. To get really specific, if you’re ever passing through Yellowstone National Park, there’s been tons of obsidian discovered between the Mammoth Hot Springs and North Geyser Basin. Specifically, in America, deposits have been found in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Just to name a few: Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Papa New Guinea, Peru, Turkey, and the United States of America. This naturally occurring volcanic glass can be found in places where there are, or were volcanoes. The human race may have evolved very differently otherwise. Think about it! We have some very brave and hairy people to thank for heading straight into a cooling lava field. Obsidian can be used as a flint starter, and coincidentally, humans started utilizing fire around the same time that obsidian was utilized. The way that obsidian fractures are so sharp, that it wouldn’t even require the tool to be sharpened into anything. Obsidian blades were often found with the remains of Homo erectus, and it is believed that these technologies developed nearly 1.76 million years ago. This age is classified through the first practices of stone tool usage. The first-ever known historical use takes us into the Acheulean age. But at the same time, it is classified as a mineraloid, since it has mineral qualities, but they are too variable to be pure mineral. It cannot be considered a mineral, because as a glass it is not crystalline, whereas minerals are. It is extremely hard, but unfortunately brittle. It’s an amorphous element, meaning that when it fractures it does so into impossibly sharp shards. ![]() High silica content in lava results in high viscosity, so when it runs it cools very quickly and turns into glass. Lapis Obsidianus is an igneous rock - ignis comes from the Latin word for “fire” - and it’s formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava. In order to understand the pros and cons of an obsidian blade, we must first know where it comes from. Paint Scraper – What to use when? Obsidian is Literally Lava Putty Knife – What Are the Differences? | Putty Knife vs. Related: The Sheepsfoot Blade (What’s It Good For?) | 1 0 most expensive knives | Why Buy Antique Pocket Knives? (Your Guide to the Vintage Pocket Knife) | Joint Knife vs. Although uncommon, sometimes knife blades are made from obsidian, making for one of the sharpest and sexiest options out there. Obsidian can be found all over the world, and there aren’t many materials on the planet that share the same characteristics. Its use dates back further than the human mind can properly comprehend, it’s a completely naturally derived material, and I’m considering taking that name for my firstborn. Let us shed this mystery and show you all the facts, history, pros and cons of this curious black blade. Obsidian blades have an air of mystery and darkness to it.
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