Sapphire guns? Don't think sapphire is usable for making gun barrels or the gun itself, it's too brittle. However you could lined the gun barrels with artificial sapphire or diamond to increase weapon lifespan and reduce maintenance. The current propellants use in ammunition is highly corrosive and hard to clean off. Remember reading in some SF anthology in the early 90s speculating on artificial crystal lined gun barrels (think is a Jerry Pournelle edited book).
You still need metallic bullets but not necessarily the cartridge casings.
Very nice. The only disturbing thing is the way the writer goes on and on about how easy it would be to take it on an airplane and, um, vandalize things. Yeah. I'm sure that's on the mind of someone who thinks they need to take a knife on an airplane. Vandalism.
So I was showing this off to some of my coworkers and they agree, tis very cool. The X-Ray tech however said that while a metal detector would not pick it up due to the lack of metal in it, it would still show up quite clearly on an X-Ray. The highly ordered and very dense lattice of crystal would block the X-Rays from traveling through, thus leaving a big 'bright' white shape on the screen.
Amazon has the link up. You know for some reason I had it in my head that Theo had brown hair. Actually that does not look like the Theo I had in my head at all.
Not criticizing -- I just like my Theo better. (mental image, I could not draw her to save my life)
Sapphire is crystallized Aluminium Oxide. It will show up perfectly clearly in X-ray; it just won't show in a metal detector.
Although very hard, sapphire is not tough, and cleaves very easily along certain crystal planes. Various sorts of tools, like kitchen knives and scissors are available made out of fine grained engineering ceramics; these can be as tough as steel and much harder. The phrase to look for is "Transformation toughened zirconia".
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mmmag
Just when I thought it was safe to fly again
Date: 2009-03-26 02:55 pm (UTC)"Sigh"
As for knives, I'll settle for one of Edger's, assuming I'm ever worthy of one.
Re: Just when I thought it was safe to fly again
Date: 2009-03-26 07:02 pm (UTC)Sapphire guns? Don't think sapphire is usable for making gun barrels or the gun itself, it's too brittle. However you could lined the gun barrels with artificial sapphire or diamond to increase weapon lifespan and reduce maintenance. The current propellants use in ammunition is highly corrosive and hard to clean off. Remember reading in some SF anthology in the early 90s speculating on artificial crystal lined gun barrels (think is a Jerry Pournelle edited book).
You still need metallic bullets but not necessarily the cartridge casings.
shiny!
Date: 2009-03-26 03:37 pm (UTC)Otherwise, a lovely piece of craftsmanship.
no subject
Date: 2009-03-26 04:11 pm (UTC)bladed weaponry
Date: 2009-03-26 05:09 pm (UTC)Nanette
Not as stealthy as you think
Date: 2009-03-26 09:12 pm (UTC)Nathan in Louisiana
no subject
Date: 2009-03-27 01:39 pm (UTC)I want Spearmakers Den knife -- don't they have a whole cave full of them that they could not sell.
Fledgling (Liaden Universe Novel) (Hardcover)
Date: 2009-03-27 01:54 pm (UTC)You know for some reason I had it in my head that Theo had brown hair. Actually that does not look like the Theo I had in my head at all.
Not criticizing -- I just like my Theo better. (mental image, I could not draw her to save my life)
http://www.amazon.com/Fledgling-Liaden-Universe-Novel-Sharon/dp/1439132879/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238161468&sr=8-1
no subject
Date: 2009-04-03 02:40 pm (UTC)Although very hard, sapphire is not tough, and cleaves very easily along certain crystal planes. Various sorts of tools, like kitchen knives and scissors are available made out of fine grained engineering ceramics; these can be as tough as steel and much harder. The phrase to look for is "Transformation toughened zirconia".