Re: opening oysters with stone tools?

From: Philip Deitiker (Donevenask_at_worlnet.att.net)
Date: 02/21/05 

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2005 14:29:27 GMT

Rich Travsky <" traRvEsky"@hotmMOVEail.com> says in
news:421982D4.DED0FB9@hotmMOVEail.com:

> Su Solomon wrote:
>>
>> Rich Travsky wrote:
>> >
>> > Rick Wagler wrote:
>> > >
>> > > "Marc Verhaegen" <fa204466@skynet.be> wrote in message
>> > > news:4217c33c$0$17087$ba620e4c@news.skynet.be...
>> > > > Has anybody ever tried to open oysters & other sehllfish
>> > > > with stone tools? What would be the best stone tool for
>> > > > removing oysters from the bottom or the trees & for
>> > > > opening them? material? Any ideas?
>> > > >
>> > > > Marc Verhaegen
>> > > >
>> > > > http://allserv.rug.ac.be/~mvaneech/Verhaegen.html
>> > > >
>> > > > http://www.onelist.com/community/AAT
>> > > >
>> > > > AAT = Homo diaspora
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > I,ve never opened an oyster in my life but
>> > > a thin blade that can cut the hinge should
>> > > do the trick, would it not? Or simply
>> > > pulverize the shell with a large rock. No
>> > > great feat of technology seems to be needed.
>> >
>> > They make and market oyster shucking tools
>> >
>> > http://www.chefknivestogo.com/oyshkn.html
>> > Oyster shucking knife. This is an essential tool for opening
>> > fresh oysters. Oyster knives are especially designed so that
>> > the tip of the knife is pointed, with one edge sharpened.
>> > Makes opening oysters almost easy!
>> >
>> > Or
>> >
>> > http://www.cookingvillage.com/cv/kw/tiptionary_results/0,1755,
>> > sLang%3Dus&sLet%3DO&iSCat%3D394,FF.html
>> > ...
>> > Wear a heavy glove to protect your hand when opening
>> > oysters. Or hold the oyster in a heavy kitchen towel folded
>> > in quarters.
>> >
>> > Tools for opening oysters: Prying the shells apart is
>> > difficult, so use a strong tool like a short, squat
>> > screwdriver or the pointed end of a can or bottle opener.
>> >
>> > Firmly and forcefully insert the oyster-shucking tool
>> > between the shells, right into the hinge segment. Twist
>> > sharply to lever the shells, popping the top one off.
>> >
>> > Use an oyster/clam knife to slide along the inside of the
>> > top of the shell to release the oyster. If necessary, use a
>> > paring knife to cut the muscle holding the oyster.
>> > ...
>> >
>> > These are steel tool oriented. Trying to duplicate this with
>> > a stone tool would be worthless. First you'd have to make a
>> > stone tool thin enough to attempt it and second it would have
>> > to be hard enough not to shatter with the twisting motion.
>> > Good luck.
>> >
>> > Which leaves us with bashing with a rock. ;)
>>
>> Bruised knuckles, bleeding lips and more then likely, fatal
>> intestinal cuts facillitated by the sharp shards of the oyster
>> shells ingested with the mashed oyster : )
>
> Actually, that might not be that big an issue; the shards can be
> picked out. Marc, tho, thinks we sucked them out (really).
> Perhaps I should set apart one of the bits from above:
>
> If necessary, use a paring knife to cut the muscle
> holding the oyster.
>
> LOL. How is sucking going to accomplish that? Marc has NO idea
> what he's talking about.

This is my fault, I jokingly said that Neandertal babies could swim
underwater at birth so that they could nurse on oysters, and of
course Marc took this as a factual source of information.
  You, of course, didn't know that ancient hominids has the Whelk
tongue gene and they bore through the outer shell and the injected
enzymes which then cleaned Mr. Oyster out. ;^).

[Wait in anticipation as Marc now refines his theory] 

-- 
Philip
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