Ancient blades - Live up to the hype?

[grepper]

I agree with your comments TZ750G and suspect that obsidian edges were the sharpest of "primitive" edges. I have no experience with obsidian but I guess it can be extremely sharp. Brittle, but very very sharp.

The whole myth about Zen masters sharpening blades to two dimensional sharpness where dust particles parted when floating down through the air and landing on the edge is no doubt just that... A myth.

With modern equipment and abrasives Exchange members have sharpened blades to less that 50 BESS, around modern DE razor sharpness but not much sharper. Hard to believe that the ancients were able to get anywhere close to that using only stone wheels and bear skins.

I'm guessing, but I suspect that if we were able to test any of those old blades with a PT50 it would be as the old Zen masters say, "All that's left to you now is a good laugh".

[SteveG]

Good propaganda to scare an enemy, I’d say, if we’re talking about weapons. I don’t imagine a 2~4 lb sword moving 50~100 mph needs that keen of an edge to cut flesh. For tools, it appears that woodworkers flocked to O1 steel when it became available, and spring steel for saws, so I’d venture to say that those steels were superior to anything that preceded them.