Dromeosaur claws

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

       How does the curvature of dromeosaur sickle claws compare with those
of other theropod claws?  Isn't a strongly recurved pedal claw a _derived_
character, with less curved 2nd digit claws being primitve?  If so, it
seems strange that dromeosaurs would evolve a recurved claw for slicing;
I would think that a recurved claw would be better for holding then
slicing.  How could you slice like a knife with a tighly recurved blade
like that anyway?  You couldn't draw it very far (spare me analogies to
scythes and sickles; we aren't talking about cutting skinny little stalks
here).    
     This posting already sounds like it is falling into the all to common
"I don't know anything but if I use complicated language while drawing
superficial analogies to things in everyday life maybee I can convince
people I know what I'm talking about" vein, so I'll drop it here.

LN Jeff