Re: Dromaeosaur "sickle" claws

[Jeffrey Martz <martz@holly.ColoState.EDU>]

> Not to be too nit-picky, but, I said nothing about serrations on the claws.
>  Swords, scalpels, razors etc. need sharp edges for cutting, not sharp
> tips.  If you ever cut yourself with an x-acto knife or razor, you know
> it's a clean smooth cut.  Cat scatches rip and rake and bounce over the
> surface.  Yes, they can dig in and tear the skin, but not slice it, in the
> way I would define SLICING. 

     Exactly.  Curved knives and swords have the cutting edge on the
convex side, presumably because it makes it easier to DRAW the edge along
what is being cut, which makes it much easier to cut.  Try cutting a
tomato just by pressing down, and then by slicing.  Dromeosaur claws would
have the same problem.  With the cutting edge on the concave side, it
would be more difficult to draw the edge along the wound, and the
likelyhood of the TIP of the claw getting snagged would be greater. 

LN Jeff