A bit of an odd question

My fellow dogs,

This question has been itching my neck for a long time.

Do you guys know if Res-C is electroshock proof? And to how many volts?

I guess it might be considering that it is similar to rubber (santoprene, etc).

I've not seen any insulation breakdown test results for Res-C. It seems very inert.

The challenge is keeping your hand away from the lanyard hole/tube which runs through the rear of the tang inside the Res-C. If you have an ohmmeter you can check the contact resistance. I'd measure it for you but most of my tools are in storage <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Thanks Kraz,

Wouldn't be much of problem keeping your hand away from the lanyard hole.

Unfortunately, I don't have an ohmmeter. Do you think you could dig it out yours and check to the electrical resistance?

Sorry Sharp, storage in my case means a POD in a warehouse in Austin, Texas while I live in Los Gatos, CA now. I would expect the Res-C resistance to be in excess of 10's of millions of ohms of resistance, enough that even the equipment I have wouldn't measure it accurately. That said, I would still measure it before trusting it with life threatening voltages and currents.

I just checked, on a regular handle, I used the Yard Keeper, their was contact between the lanyard hole and the blade.

On the SS4, their was no contact. Understand these are my blades, others may be
different so make sure to check yours before deciding anything but I was surprised!

That's ok Kraz,

I don't think I would have anyway of testing it on my own. I might do a little research on the chemical composition of Res-C and compare to that of various other insulating materials.

can't you just like cut a live electric cable... and pray...
I'm pretty sure that will tell you.
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Right EMF...

you go ahead and do that... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

hey, your the onle that wants to know, not me.
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

My very simple thoughts on this matter:
The rivet is a conductor. We have no way knowing if the coating between the rivet & the blade is compromised or gets compromised during use. Because of that, if due to field expediency, you needed to use a scrap yard on a live wire find another way to insulate yourself & don't trust the knife. Be it making a bit of a poleaxe & lashing the handling to an insulator or something else.

Anything else and it will be a crap shoot which could lead to serious injuries. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

OR DEATH!!!!!



I bet Res-C is fine, it is just that lanyard bushing that others already mentioned.
I only know of one knife that advertised compleat insulition from the blade and that was the Gerber LMF they had a picture of one that a US sniper had used to cut big eletrical cords that were going to a search light aimed on finding him and his spotter, the blade had a big melted chunk out of the center but he was alive to tell the story.

I would have no doubt about ResC being a great insulator, however the protection is only as good as the weakest link.

Yes, looking at the pics on the SY website, the rivet does have definite contact with the handle (how else is it suppose to stay in place without some sort of adhesive?). If you keep your hands away, as Kraz said, from the steel rivet it should fine. That is, if Res-C has good electroshock insulating properties. That's what I kinda want to know.

You are right about using something else as an insulator, but you don't get as much control. There is still a need to push down on the knife.... I guess you could make a naginata and just slam the edge into the live wire and it would just severe it. Though what if you have nothing? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Honestly, though, if anyone here on the forum is gonna do live wire cutting, I'm pretty sure they'd be carrying a electroshock tested wire cutter.

Yep, I've got one of them LMFs. Decent for the money. The glass punch is kinda cool.

If you look on the pictures at knifetest for the LMF you can see the tang construction. It's quite impressive and makes sense that it would completely electroshock insulated.

Res-C, maybe, still trying to figure that out the safest way possible.

I think this shows that a little knowledge is dangerous. I saw an extremely intelligent induvidual(we were about 12 at the time) stick a paperclip in an outlet at school, using a wooden pencil for insulation. It arc'd from the paperclip through the eraser(insulator) to the graphite through the wood(insulator) to his hand, sent sparks everywhere and he was just standing there blank like his soul had been ripped from his body. It turned his lips and fingernails purple.

Real life is a lot more complicated than it is in the books. Not touching the rivet is DEFINITELY NOT adequate protection. I wouldn't go anywhere near high voltage or high current. The voltage threshold through soft tissue is only about 4 volts. Don't mess with it. Respect the power. Don't forget that air can conduct across a high enough voltage. The closer you get, the less voltage is required.

We had an automated fullerene-manufacturing reactor in a lab I used to work in that ran around 30 volts, 100 amps across a carbon arc in nitrogen atmosphere with a gap maybe half an inch and that was enough to generate 5000 degree gas temperatures. Electricity is definitely not something to be taken lightly.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> I second that notice ,TTD

Yea... pencils lead, in certain school experiments, usually testing for electrochemical cells reactions, is sometimes used as a medium. Quite a good one too.

Definitely don't mess with an outlet.

I'm just wondering about the electroshock insulation if I, or someone, accidentally cut a live wire (that seemed dead) and if I, or he/she, would live. 'Course, I don't just go round randomly cutting wires.

The only way to settle this is a high voltage chop off. You first. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I'll pass, thank you very much. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <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/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <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/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />