A real life 100% diamond, ultimate sword or useless sword?

OriginalSix · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **OriginalSix** on Tue Jan 26, 2010 1:33 pm

^ Uh, yeah, what that guy said.... ^

Incognito · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **Incognito** on Wed Jan 27, 2010 2:48 pm

That was epic. I've been thinking about the whole diamond sword thing and I started wondering... what the hell CAN you make out of a diamond that would actually be useful and worth the cost?!

Иanophяeak · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **Иanophяeak** on Wed Jan 27, 2010 5:14 pm

A chainsaw.
Really, a spinning blade with diamond tips would probably work. Diamond is, as stated, brittle as hell, but as a powder of raw diamond coated on a blade, you can practically use it to slice through anything, as long as it's spinning and the blade can hold up to it.

Incognito · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **Incognito** on Thu Jan 28, 2010 12:59 am

Call me stupid, but just how would powder make it cut better? Wouldn't the powder just rub off after your first cut, leaving you with a normal steel toothed chainsaw?

Valkyr · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **Valkyr** on Thu Jan 28, 2010 5:29 am

Explain how Diamond is so brittle, yet it's the supposed to be the world's strongest substance?

Diamond is formed from thousands upon thousand upon thousands of pounds of rock rubbing and pushing against coal. If that pressure doesn't break it, how could any pressure made from a man's hands crush it, or even break it a tiny bit?

If Diamond is so brittle, why does it take super-expensive super-powerful lasers to cut it into shapes? Why couldn't a man, logically, take a pocket knife and just whittle it. Diamond is one of the world's strongest minerals. You ever hear of Obsidian Weapons? They really existed in the past, they were steel swords fortified with diamonds and other strong gemstones in order to add more power into them. Diamond when sharpened can cut through most materials if enough force is put behind it.

Obsidian weapons were said to be able to cut through sheer stone with a single swipe, when created right. A diamond sword would be overly flashy, and over the odd-ball effect of blinding anyone around it in direct sunlight, not to mention cost would be out the yin-yang. We're talking millions of dollars, but it would be a fairly effective weapon if crafted properly.

Same with diamond tipped bullets, they'd be decent enough weapons, but they'd be so expensive who would buy 'em?

OriginalSix · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **OriginalSix** on Thu Jan 28, 2010 5:52 am

The mined rough diamonds are converted into gems through a multi-step process called "cutting". Diamonds are extremely hard, but also brittle and can be split up by a single blow.

That's Wikipedia.

Diamonds are rock hard at their edges, but if struck in the wrong place will shatter like glass. If you could create an utterly perfect diamond blade, with absolutely zero imperfections, it's possible it would make an effective weapon. Unfortunately, because of it's shape, if it were struck anywhere but the edges, ie side on, again it's likely the weapon would snap at the point of impact.

Problems here being, one, the cost and effort would be catastrophic, and two, WHY would you need a diamond sword if the effort is this great. No one could wield the thing with enough force to cut through steel plate anyway, and steel swords are easily sharp enough to do the job asked of them. Even if you could slice through all armour with it, just pick up a mace. Far cheaper. It wouldnt be worth it.

Capeman · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **Capeman** on Thu Jan 28, 2010 6:07 am

I just have to point out Valkyr, people have been shaping diamonds for centuries, using them in royal jewellery etc, and I'm fairly certain they didn't have 'super-expensive super-powerful lasers' to do the job back then...

Not much else to add, as several people have pointed out it would be a pointless weapon in many respects, what you need is something effective and mass producible to some degree, which is what metal blades have always been capable of. Aside from this, you have to take into account human nature, if it could be done, it probably would have by now.

Skallagrim · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **Skallagrim** on Thu Jan 28, 2010 8:51 am

Valkyr wrote:Explain how Diamond is so brittle, yet it's the supposed to be the world's strongest substance?

To answer your question, yes a diamond is the hardest single substance we know of. But hardness is not the only measure of a mineral's durability, the relative resistance to fracture is another. Although a diamond is not fragile or prone to breaking apart, all substances including a diamond can fracture or shatter. Due to its particular crystal structure, a diamond has certain planes of weakness along which it can be split. A diamond is said to have perfect cleavage in four different directions, meaning it will separate neatly along these lines rather than in a jagged or irregular fashion. Which is how diamond cutters shape them for jewelry. They in effect "cleave" the diamond along those directional lines.

WingBlade · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **WingBlade** on Thu Jan 28, 2010 11:56 am

This is literally gonna be fun... I'm gonna need to borrow something....

First off this lovely commment about sharpened swords...

Uhm, yeah they probably did sharpen the swords before battle. I totally agree there, but after wailing on armor and clashing with metal weapons for about a day takes it's toll on the blades edge. You ever hit a real sword on metal, even when steel meets steel it chips and breaks. Especially when struck on the edge. Even considering a knight is smart enough to block with the flat of his sword, the structural damage is still overwhelming. So after about 30 minutes, there goes your nice sharp edge. The thing about maces, morningstars, and the like is that the impact isn't focused on one point, so it makes it incredibly hard and damn near impossible to break. Not to mention that my personal favorite (Spikey, spikey morning star) doesn't depend on the sharpness of it's spikes. Doesn't do much good when your sword is like a UNSHARP metal stick, a thin one at that.

One other thing that's bothering me. One handed club weapons, while generally heavier than the 4 to 6 lb sword, weren't generally more than 10 to 12 lbs. Get your weight right. Because some of us have had the pleasure of actually handling these weapons we're talkin' bout.

Here's something else..."*Groans* No, that's false. Only swords used for the below purpose were unsharpened (and then mostly at the forte alone with the foible still sharp), generally longswords, for better control whilst half-swording to lunge between plates. Not everyone wore armor, however, especially not full plate, and so nearly every sword was still sharpened."

Dude, after using a sword it loses it's edge. Since they didn't have electric generated diamond coated sharpener in the middle of a battlefield, I'm pretty sure it went from SHARP to UNSHARP in record time. Or it went to the ground cuz the owner DIED. One area I think might retain sharpness is the TIP of the sword, because last time I spared with blades there wasn't any blade contact there. So I state, sharp at beginning... not so much after about an hour. Guess I could be wrong, but I highly doubt it since after a match I've been a part of a claymore had small metal cuts and slight chipping on the blade edge from a one hand short sword.

Oh, and to answer your question of what fight. I meant the one debating the position of what's best, blunt type weaponry or swords. I enjoy watching people go for each other's throats to correct one another. I almost feel like an arsonist.

Teh Wing

Oh yeah....wtf did I fail at? Almost a page of people fighting over technicallities. Hell of an interesting in between class read. Amusing as hell.

Incognito · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **Incognito** on Thu Jan 28, 2010 1:36 pm

WingBlade, go study history please. All you spew out is pure conjecture based on speculation of personal opinion. And another thing, just because you've held or even used a weapon, does not make you an expert on it's workings. I own a suit of medieval armor, doesn't mean I know everything about medieval armor in general.

PS: I know your lonely, young, and mad at your parents, but please don't spoil a good conversation for the rest of us.

PSS: No one is fighting about Swords Vs Maces, we all agree they have different abilities.

Shard · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **Shard** on Thu Jan 28, 2010 3:13 pm

@ Teh Wing: most battles did not last for thirty minutes of pure fighting. Even ten to fifteen minutes of straight-up hammer and tongs combat is exhausting, as you should really know if you think about it. Men give out before weapons do, particularly if the weapon in question is heavy.

Yes, a sword's edge will become pitted in places if it strikes a particularly hard stroke, but to imply that this will lead to the entire length becoming dull over one fight is absurd.

Once again, blunt weapons work better against armor. We've said that. You were claiming they worked better. Period. We rejected that. Against an ordinary opponent (and in any era, the average opponent was NOT fully armored, as armor was and is extremely expensive), a bladed weapon is usually a better idea.

All of this is very poorly argued, poorly thought out. Your last post was even worse. You seem to claim that you're shifting positions and rewriting things already said because you just like watching people argue. Then you turn around and imply that actually arguing things is a big waste of time. Why are you reading it, then? Why bother to post to defend your ideas? As for that final line that you read it in class and get a big laugh...I'm sorry, but I have seen almost that same exact statement over a hundred times from different people. Transparently, none of them were actually that careless about it, otherwise they wouldn't have felt the need to say so.

Look, all of this, from that picking a fight stuff you were spouting at the beginning to the affected slang you keep coming in and out on...all of it says to me that you're a fairly young guy, on here trying to assert yourself by doing this cliched macho shtick, then tossing a "whatever. Who cares, right?" so you can keep your distance and protect yourself. I understand where you're coming from, it's just that you're kind of irritating. Frankly, I'd respect your opinion a lot more if you'd stop trying so hard.

WingBlade · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **WingBlade** on Thu Jan 28, 2010 5:36 pm

I never changed my opinion. I was trying to address my error, by explaining what I meant about wear and tear. That the edge wears. Secondly, I'm probably older than most of you. So stop trying to talk down to me from an age stand point, unless you're in your forties. Third, to the people who seem to keep following my posts to tank on them. Using alot of energy there, eh? Almost like you have a vandetta to prove me wrong... If you'd like to continue insulting my intelligence or age, address the PMS (Private Messaging Service) that this site has. I can see a small flame war coming, and I'm stepping out of the topic because apparently my presense is a catalyst for aggression. =P Who'd have guessed...

Pieces O' Eight!
Teh Wing

Shard · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **Shard** on Thu Jan 28, 2010 6:03 pm

xD. Man, I don't have a vendetta against you. I'm certainly not going to PM you. I was just looking to have a polite, easy-going discussion on this thread, and you happen to be annoying. If you're really leaving, glad to hear it. That's all we wanted. No harm, no foul. No big gestures. I even apologize if you felt belittled. I'm not trying to look down on you, I just think, psychologically, you seem like a younger guy. That's not even too bad in my case: I'll be twenty a couple weeks from now.

Swingset Knight · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **Swingset Knight** on Thu Jan 28, 2010 6:14 pm

WingBlade wrote: I'm stepping out of the topic

Reaction

Incognito · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **Incognito** on Thu Jan 28, 2010 8:18 pm

Sorry, I assumed people acted their age.

NOW TO THE ACTUAL TOPIC:

Call me stupid, but just how would diamond powder make a chainsaw cut better? Wouldn't the powder just rub off after your first cut, leaving you with a normal steel toothed chainsaw? As you can see, I'm no expert on diamond powder, in fact I know zip so could someone educate me?

Иanophяeak · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **Иanophяeak** on Thu Jan 28, 2010 8:22 pm

The powder is adhered to the blade in some way, and it works how any diamond-tipped blade would work. The diamond coating makes millions of microscratches on the softer substance, and these scratches appear as one big scratch, eventually becoming a cut. To do this, you either need a diamond, diamond sandpaper, or diamond powder on a tool.

Lukisod · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **Lukisod** on Fri Jan 29, 2010 12:13 am

I don't think a chain saw would be very effective whilst striking armor. The time of contact wouldn't be long enough to cut through. Just like any saw it's about constant pressure, not a big whack.

So, we've pretty much stated that a diamond sword would be useless against an armored opponent. What about against non-armored foes? Perhaps as a dueling weapon? A precisely sharpened edge is key to inflicting maximum damage through clothing and flesh.

Incognito · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **Incognito** on Fri Jan 29, 2010 12:19 am

Again, the problem arises with blocking your opponents strikes. Perhaps something that had a pure diamond cutting edge with the main portion of the blade steel?

Valkyr · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **Valkyr** on Fri Jan 29, 2010 3:16 am

Reference; Obsidian Weaponry.

Incognito · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **Incognito** on Fri Jan 29, 2010 11:02 am

Obsidian is glass, not diamond.

A real life 100% diamond, ultimate sword or useless sword?

a topic in Discussion & Debate, a part of the RPG forum.

Is a 100% diamond sword the ultimate sword or a useless sword, given fighting is its main purpose?

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Re: A real life 100% diamond, ultimate sword or useless sword?

Re: A real life 100% diamond, ultimate sword or useless sword?

Re: A real life 100% diamond, ultimate sword or useless sword?

Re: A real life 100% diamond, ultimate sword or useless sword?

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Re: A real life 100% diamond, ultimate sword or useless sword?

Re: A real life 100% diamond, ultimate sword or useless sword?

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