The differential diagnosis and the identification importance of the track of the heel of stabbing-cutting weapons in skin wounds

Data on 123 cut-stab wounds and 52 knives were examined in the course of medicolegal expert evaluation. It was found that 30 knives possessed heels which could have two forms: symmetric and asymmetric. Heel traces were seen in 16 expert evaluations (34%) in 31 wounds (25.2%) and in some of them particular features of knife blade heel were represented. Differences between butt end and heel trace according to series of signs were noted.