Small claw shaped obsidian cutter...?

[curious kat]

...found this today, it seems worked all the way around, shaped sort of like a claw....feels like it was made to hold and cut something....what do you guys think?

 

[GaRebel1861]

Looks like a scrapper to me. Nice find and great looking material.

 

[painterx7]

Looks like it's a hafted side scraper very nice find could be a small knife as well very cool !!!

 

[NCPeaches]

I'm no expert by any means but if it were mine I would call it a scraper/knife. It's super nice and love the obsidian!

 

[monsterrack]

JMO it looks like a thumb scraper or a small cutting tool. Being that small I don't think it is a side scraper. I know I would not want to have to use Obsidian with my bare hands, I have had some real bad cuts with that stone. Nice find

 

[rock]

Is it flat on the other side?

 

[curious kat]

...thanks everyone .....It's so small but does feel "natural" holding it, like you could "cut" something...and not get hurt Monsterrack, I tried it & cut paper! Of course If I were trying to cut something much harder, that might be a different story! lol No rock, it's not flat, it's the same on both sides...bulges in the middle, guess that's why it's so comfortable, because your fingers don't come close to the edges! Happy you guys like!

 

[rock]

If it was flat then it would be a flake tool but seeing it is worked in both sides it is better, a scraper

 

[monsterrack]

...thanks everyone .....It's so small but does feel "natural" holding it, like you could "cut" something...and not get hurt Monsterrack, I tried it & cut paper! Of course If I were trying to cut something much harder, that might be a different story! lol No rock, it's not flat, it's the same on both sides...bulges in the middle, guess that's why it's so comfortable, because your fingers don't come close to the edges! Happy you guys like!

Believe me Native Americans knew how to handle a sharp stone just like we handle a knife. I sometimes spall and mail out Obsidian and it's a bad thing to reach in a bucket full of Obsidian spalls without a glove on your hand and feel your finger stop moving downward due to the stone hitting bone, after a surgical slice. Some surgeons use Obsidian blades now, because it makes a better cut than steel will.

 

[curious kat]

...I know what your saying monsterrack, I've had obsidian pieces in my pocket and have been jabbed before and that hurts! :O You've had it hit bone before? That's awful if you did....sorry Think I'm gonna be extra careful now, thanks for the warning!