# Are Wolverines claw anatomically possible?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wolverines-claw-anatomically-possible/186669>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 7, 2003, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wolverines-claw-anatomically-possible/186669 "2003-07-07T00:42:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2003, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wolverines-claw-anatomically-possible/186669/21 "2003-07-07T07:26:08Z")

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> [@](#):
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> \*Originally posted by Sock Munkey \*  
> **I think the claws would have to be pushed out by lymphatic fluid squeezed out of small sacs wrapped in muscle…**

Why not blood? You just need a pair of valves to control blood inflow and outflow from this “piston.” That’s how the penis works, isn’t it?

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**Author:** ![mcbiggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7c8e57/32.png) [@mcbiggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcbiggins)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2003, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wolverines-claw-anatomically-possible/186669/22 "2003-07-07T07:36:59Z")

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> [@](#):
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> \*Originally posted by Muad’Dib \*  
> \*\*Yes, that is what I want to know. Would it be possible to store those three blades in his forearm without disrupting the muscles? \*\*

Well I supose if you stripped the muscles from the bone on the top of the forearm, and then put the claws up against the bones there, and then reattached the muscles on top…but then how would he be able to rotate his wrists? The ulna and radius can’t be locked together like that and still torque. But how do we know that Wolverine can twist his wrists? Maybe over the years he’s learned to deal with things like doorknobs and car keys in his own special way…

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**Author:** ![Sock\_Munkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Sock\_Munkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sock_Munkey)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2003, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wolverines-claw-anatomically-possible/186669/23 "2003-07-07T07:56:07Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by mcbiggins \*  
> \*\*Well I supose if you stripped the muscles from the bone on the top of the forearm, and then put the claws up against the bones there, and then reattached the muscles on top…but then how would he be able to rotate his wrists? The ulna and radius can’t be locked together like that and still torque. But how do we know that Wolverine can twist his wrists? Maybe over the years he’s learned to deal with things like doorknobs and car keys in his own special way… \*\*

I suppose his wrists would have to be ball-and-socket joints like hips and shoulders.

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**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2003, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wolverines-claw-anatomically-possible/186669/24 "2003-07-07T12:32:39Z")

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Wolverine breaks his wrist bones every time he moves his hands, buut he apparently doesn’t even notice it anymore.

An easier way to do these for us mere mortals would be to install them such that the blades extend from the top of the back of the wrist.

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