# How Easy Is It To Sever A Head?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-easy-is-it-to-sever-a-head/458505>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 1, 2008, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-easy-is-it-to-sever-a-head/458505 "2008-08-01T16:08:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 11

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**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [August 1, 2008, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-easy-is-it-to-sever-a-head/458505/11 "2008-08-01T19:11:42Z")

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[QUOTE=KneadToKnow]  
Am I correct in thinking that the hardest part would be locating and cutting through the discs between the vertebrae?  
[/QUOTE]

Yup. It would take some finesse to get around the facet joints of the vertebrae.

In fact, I did decapitate my cadaver years ago in medical school, with nothing but a scalpel and a little patience.

(It was a planned step in the dissection, the better to study the structures of the head)

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