Quote Originally Posted by Gasman View Post
Sharper than a straight?
NO! Say it anit so.
There was a time when a scalpel was a single piece of metal forming a handle and a blade. I had one that I used for dissections in biology class. The blade had to be honed to a razor sharp edge, normally on a "surgical black" Arkansas stone. I think I still have the old scalpel it in one of my tool boxes. Nowadays I use a Testor's hobby knife with disposable blades for precision cutting.

For surgical use, scalpels now either come with disposable blades, or may be entirely disposable.