Re: Claws on deinonychosaurs

[Michael Habib <mhabib5@jhmi.edu>]

Well, two comments on curvature and cutting surface:

1) The cutting surface would only be increased in length if the claw 
were curved in the other direction (recurved).

2) The concept of a curved edge (be it a claw, tooth, sword, etc) 
adding appreciably to total cutting power by adding edge length is 
something of an urban legend.  The total amount of 'added edge' is 
pretty minor.  Curved edges have advantages, but cutting is not one of 
them.  A straight edge cuts just as well.  (I, personally, was quite 
surprised to learn this little tidbit).

Cheers,
--Mike

On Wednesday, November 2, 2005, at 02:04 PM, Phil Bigelow wrote:

> No one has mentioned the relative shear strengths of long straight
> unguals vs long curved unguals.  With a curved claw, the cutting 
> surface
> length can be quite long, yet the entire claw is shorter overall.
>
> All other things being equal, could curved cutting surfaces be less 
> prone
> to breakage than straight cutting surfaces with the same blade length?
>
> <pb>