Replies

I recall reading a few years ago about obsidian scalpel blades for micro surgery, particularly eyes. A quick look around found this:

... I’m one of those elusive guys that makes obsidian scalpels and would like to say a few words about them. Firstly, I’ve been making them for a number of years now and can tell you that they ARE all they’re cracked up to be and more…no kidding they’re sharp…ultra-sharp. I make them to order, so each lot is a customized job for each customer and all made to the customer’s specifications. Each and every one of them is handmade using a technique called “pressure flaking” and I go to extremes to protect that edge as the blade is detatched from the core. As you can probably well imagine, I do not, nor will I ever mass produce them…it’s a matter of quality over quantity.
Now about the blades. Like I said they’re ultra-sharp and I’ll put them up against anything on the market. Coupled with that, they’re exceptionally delicate and have to be handled with care. They will not tolerate lateral pressure, but when used properly will perform flawlessly. They should only be used on soft tissue…period.
Since I work with this material, I have been cut from time to time and by all rights ought to look like I’ve been sorting out a bobcat fight, but that’s not at all the case. I can safely say that every cut I ever suffered from an obsidian blade healed without any scaring whatsoever. It sounds amazing, but the cuts are so clean that’s the way they heal.
For whatever reason, these blades aren’t approved by the FDA and this baffles the daylights out of me too. Nevertheless they are being used with great success (albeit in limited numbers and only by a handful of surgeons and researchers).