Passing "The Bodyguard"-sharpness test

[Knivperson]

So, does anybody have a knife that can pass The Bodyguard-sharpness test?

bodyguard scarf cut - YouTube

 

[Moooza]

I reckon real silk is far too strong. But maybe an obsidian scalpel (still used by some surgeons) could do it.

 

[crockerculinary]

“You *******!” “My mother gave me that scarf!”

 

[Delat]

I was going to make a joke about my monomolecular blade being able to do it, but then I read this. I wonder how they sharpen those obsidian scalpels?

“Although the idea of a knife that can cut on the molecular level may seem far-fetched the amazing thing is that one form of this technology has existed for more than a millennia, and is actually naturally occurring. Cutting surfaces that are nearly monomolecular in width can be found in glass and obsidian, due to their unique physical structure. When properly shaped obsidian or glass blades are sharper than any steel instrument, and have been reported to be as thin as 3 nanometers across at their cutting edge, while a water molecule is .3 nanometers (or 3 angstroms). Some modern surgeons are beginning to use them instead of conventional scalpels, and in some cases surgeries with obsidian blades can actually be carried out without anesthetic, since the blade cuts so cleanly and quickly that nerves are cut before they can transfer pain signals. The cleanness of the cuts also means that healing is much faster, and each cut is much more precise than with a metal scalpel. Glass and obsidian blades are even used for cutting microscopic sections for use in electron microscopes and other areas where objects must be very small. While these blades are incredibly sharp they are also brittle, and this is one quality that has held them back from becoming widely adopted.”

 

[user 16756]

I was going to make a joke about my monomolecular blade being able to do it, but then I read this. I wonder how they sharpen those obsidian scalpels?

“Although the idea of a knife that can cut on the molecular level may seem far-fetched the amazing thing is that one form of this technology has existed for more than a millennia, and is actually naturally occurring. Cutting surfaces that are nearly monomolecular in width can be found in glass and obsidian, due to their unique physical structure. When properly shaped obsidian or glass blades are sharper than any steel instrument, and have been reported to be as thin as 3 nanometers across at their cutting edge, while a water molecule is .3 nanometers (or 3 angstroms). Some modern surgeons are beginning to use them instead of conventional scalpels, and in some cases surgeries with obsidian blades can actually be carried out without anesthetic, since the blade cuts so cleanly and quickly that nerves are cut before they can transfer pain signals. The cleanness of the cuts also means that healing is much faster, and each cut is much more precise than with a metal scalpel. Glass and obsidian blades are even used for cutting microscopic sections for use in electron microscopes and other areas where objects must be very small. While these blades are incredibly sharp they are also brittle, and this is one quality that has held them back from becoming widely adopted.”

I thought you didnt sharpen them exactly? I think you strike them and they break along a plane resulting in an exceptionally thin edge

 

[Delat]

I thought you didnt sharpen them exactly? I think you strike them and they break along a plane resulting in an exceptionally thin edge

That would make sense, like cutting diamonds.