University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Masters Theses Graduate School 8-1989 The Analysis of Saw Marks in Bone Mark G. Guilbeau University of Tennessee, Knoxville Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes Part of the Anthropology Commons Recommended Citation Guilbeau, Mark G., "The Analysis of Saw Marks in Bone. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 1989. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/4198 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a thesis written by Mark G. Guilbeau entitled "The Analysis of Saw Marks in Bone." I have examined the final electronic copy of this thesis for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the degree of Master of Arts, with a major in Anthropology. William M. Bass, Major Professor We have read this thesis and recommend its acceptance: Walter E. Klippel, P. S. Willey Accepted for the Council: Carolyn R. Hodges Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures are on file with official studentecor r ds.) To the Graduate Council: I am submitting a thesis written by Mark G. Guilbeau entitled "The Analysis of Saw Marks in Bone." I have examined the final copy of this thesis for form and content and recommend that it be · accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, with a major in Anthropology. William M. Bass, Major professor We have read this thesis and recommend its acceptance: \t9�S� (%w;�,/ Accepted for the Council: c:: Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School THE ANALYSIS OF SAW MARKS IN BONE A Thesis Presented for the Master of Arts Degree The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Mark G. Guilbeau August 1989 STATEMENT OF PERMISSION TO USE In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirments for a Master of A'"'s degree in Anthropology at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, I agree that the Library shall make it available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgement of the source is made. Permission for extensive quotation from or reproduction of this thesis may be gr.anted by my major professor, or in his absence, by the Head of Interlibrary Services when, in the opinion of either, the proposed use· of the material is for scholarly purposes. Any copying or use of the material in this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Signature tM.IJY.iz c°c1..4dlfl4l ,<' Date ,) � 3 J 7 t q ( 1. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The production of this thesis would not have been possible without the input and guidance of the members of my committee, Ors. William M. Bass, Walter E. Klippel, and P. Willey. Their professionalism will always be an inspiration to me. Special thanks go to Miles Wright, for his hours of time, patience, photographic expertise, and helpful ideas. A great debt is owed to Arpad Vass, who translated the articles written in German. Thanks, Arpad. Many other persons, too numerous to mention, contributed to the formulation and completion of this thesis, and to them I am eternally grateful. Above all, I wish to thank my parents, for their confidence and willingness to allow me to pursue my chosen field. iii ABSTRACT It has only been in the last two decades that the special circumstances of saw marks in bone have been addressed. The importance of these marks in forensic examinations has received little attention in the English literature, but this trend is changing. The examination of saw marks in bone is an area of research which may prove useful in a variety of, scientific investigations. This thesis examines the variation present ir:, the saw marks made by a group of hand saws and provides a methodology for the examination and analysis of these tool marks. The results of this investigation prove that it is indeed possible to differentiate the marks made by different saws and to classify the marks to a certain class of saws. Under rare circumstances it may be possible to positively identify a saw by· the marks it leaves, but the matching of trace evidence from the scene of the sawing and evidence found on the saw seems to be a more reliable means of making a positive identification. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE 1. INTRODUCTION.. ............ .......................... 1 2. GENERAL DETERMINATIONS FROM SAW MARKS............. 13 Width and type of set. .. .. ..........13 Size and number of teeth ............................... 16 Condition of the saw blade ............................. 18 Dept� of the saw blade .. ...............................20 Direction of the cut. ..........21 Impressions left by the saw handle .. .... .................21 Rig ht versus left handed individuals .................... 22 3. METHODS AND MATERIALS... .... ... .... ................ 25 Saws used in this study ................................ 26 Photographic set-up .. � ................................37 4. RESULTS .. ........... ....................... ...... ... 39 Carpenter's Hand Saw- Rip ............................ 39 Carpenter's Hand Saw- Crosscut. .. ..... .. ... .. ......... 39 Dovetail Saw. .................................... ..42 Meat Saw .. ........· .... .............................. 42 V CHAPTER PAGE Coping Saw...... ............................. .. ......45 Hacksaw- 18 teeth per inch ............................45 Hacksaw- 32 teeth per inch. 48 Hacksaw- Carbide Blade. .. .. .48 Hacksaw- Carbide Rod. .. .53 Pruning Saw ......................................... 56 Buck Saw ........ .... · ....... .- ........................ 56 5. DISCUSSION ........................................... 60 6. CONCLUSION .. ........... .... .... .... ...... ........... 62 REFERENCES CITED..... ................................ ... 64 VITA.................................................... 67 vi LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE PAGE 1. Diagram describing saw mark nomenclature ............ 12 2. Types of set and the striation pattern produced by by each.. .. .. T • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1 5 3. Carpenter's hand saw- crosscut...... ................. 29 4. Carpenter's hand saw- rip. .. .. .. 29 5. Dovetail saw.. .. .. .. .. .29 6. Coping saw......... -.............. .................. 31 7. Pruning saw........................... ............. 31 8. Carbide grit blade installed in a hacksaw frame .........33 9. Carbide grit rod installed in a hacksaw frame ...........33 10. Buck saw................... ....................... 34 11. Meat saw .......................................... 34 12. Cut surface made by a carpenter's rip saw... .......... 41 13. Cut surface made by a carpenter's crosscut saw... ..... 44 14. Cut surface made by a dovetail saw............. ...... 44 15. Cut surface made by a meat saw. .. .. .. 4 7 16. Cut surface made by a coping saw........... ..........47 vii FIGURE PAGE 17. Wave pattern observed on cut surface made by an 18 teeth per inch hacksaw. .. .. .. 50 18. Cut surface made by an 18 teeth per inch hacksaw ...... 50 19. False start kerf made by an 18 teeth per inch hacksaw.. .52 20. Cut surface m�de by a 32 teeth per inch hacksaw... .. ... 52 21. Cut surface made by a carbide grit blade..... .. ... ..... 55 22. Cut surface made by a carbide grit rod.... ... ..... .....55 23. False start kerf made by a carbide grit rod.... .. ........ 55 24. Cut surface made by a pruning saw........ ..... .... .... 58 25. False start kerf made by a pruning saw ..... ........... 58 26. Cut surface made by a buck saw ....... ... ..... ..... .. 58 viii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION The examination of saw marks is an area of investigation that can shed light on a variety of operations in which a saw is used. These activities .include processing of animals for food, criminal dismemberment· of a human body for disposal or identity concealment, or criminal damage to property as in breaking and entering. Processing techniques of animals are usually dealt with by historic archaeologists or zooarchaeologists. Criminal dismemberment is usually the concern of forensic anthropologists or medical examiners. Toolmarks on inanimate objects are usually examined by criminalists. The main impetus of this thesis, however, will be the analysis of saw marks in bone, because bone is one of the most durable animal tissues and therefore most likely to exhibit saw marks. Toolmarks on non-bone materials such as lead or steel may show certain tool characteristics that bone does not, but these other materials have fe�er applications in anthropology. The purpose of this thesis to examine the marks left by different saws and to establish criteria that will identify the type of implement used, with a degree of certainty. Techniques of analysis and investigation will be presented, that were deve_loped by a combination of experimentation and actual forensic casework. Hand saws are used as the basis for the creation of the variation in the· saw cuts in this thesis, with power saws to be addressed in a later publication. A definition of a saw is in order. The American Heritage Dictionary defines a saw as "a portable tool, either hand-operated