Does rubber or res c handles prevent elec shock?

Hi all, I have always wondered if say you were cutting your way free from debris and hit a live wire with a rubber or res c handle would it insulate you from shock?

I tried to search this to no avail.

I know you would not want to deliberately, but what if?

P.s. I'm not responsible for any unsuccessful tests! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Thanks.

I think it would.

I think Res-C it self is a very good electrical insulator, but Scrapyard knife construction is full tang and the way the tang is attached to the lanyard hole rivet like so...
and therefore you could get "bit" because your hand touches the rivet(or is VERY close) if your blade were to strike a live wire/cable.

(disclaimer, this is just a guess, so don't sue me)

Same thing I was thinking Mr. Bond. The rivet MIGHT cause your hair to curl, or to burn off depending upon how much juice you got into! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Good points, I always wondered about it though.

I think it would be pretty easy to test, just hook a couple wires from a 9V up to the blade and see if you can pick it up. Of course, I suppose you would have to gradually increase the voltage and power to find out if it would stop a heavier shock, but it's the amperage which could actually kill you, so as long as the amperage of whatever device you're testing is low, it's probably testable.

I'm thinking whack an electric fence with it and see, since they're designed to shock but at a low enough amperage to not kill. But I'm not even a fan of sticking a 9V battery on my toungue, soo.... not it!

Oh, go ahead and give it a try, and let us know what happens <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Wow, thanks for offering to take it from the team. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Your logic is valid an electric fence would work for a quick test.

Might have to take my <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/loopy.gif" alt="" /> cousin to the family farm and have him <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />
I <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crossfingers.gif" alt="" /> it works <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

My work has a high voltage electronics testing lab. I would be happy to test if someone could send me a res-c handled blade. Of course it would be destructive testing and I couldn't send any pieces back <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

The res-c is not the problem so much as the hole in the tang and close proximity of hand to the steel. Low-voltage would be fine, but high-voltage is probably not going to be safe.

Not sure about you, but I am not concerned with high voltage. A lot of amps though, scares me.

I've had Tasers with 50,000 plus volts hit me and I was fine as soon as the current stopped. The amps are in the mA levels. A relatively small voltage like 110 with 20 amps - Ouch!

lol, I might give it a whack, so to speak, but I have no electric fences where I live <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I tried the 9v test..sort of.. used a spare car battery. My regulator is now stuck in the garage ceiling.

Just kidding. With hand off the rivet, no shock. 480 volts might be diff, but I think is would insulate pretty dang well.

Yeah, I'd make sure to keep my hand off that rivet, were I ever to use the blade that close to electricity.

However, wouldn't it somehow be possible to construct the knife, so that the brass rivet isn't in direct contact with the blade tang? To have a layer of res c between the lanyard tube and the inside of the hole in the tang, separating them? Shock proof handles on the knives sound like a rather useful and desirable feature to have, so it would be cool to see it happen.

Electricity and I do not get along. At least outside of a light switch and electrical outlet type of thing. But I think Res-C wouldn't be very conductive at all.