This was my favorite Mythbuster episode growing up. Usually I love one of the stories far more than the other but in this one I find them both awesome.
I can tell you with asbolute confidence and experience that c4 alone is incredibly stable. We set it on fire, stomped on it, rolled in balls and even threw it against walls. It will not go off until a catalyst is introduced. HOW EVER, the blasting cap we used is incredibly sensitive to the point that a small static discharge will set it off. So once the cap is introduced we handle that thing like its nitro glycerin. We even ground ourselves for 10 seconds before even touching a blasting cap.
@@aljoshilagan3204 Not really, is quite toxic and carcinogenic. Maybe to start a fire or in an emergency to boil water to disinfect the risk is worth it but in other circumstance I would avoid it.
I am a former Army Paratrooper and Airborne Ranger. I served in Vietnam from 1968 through 1971 as part of the 173rd Airborne Brigade (Separate). I used C4 almost on a daily basis exploding bombs that were duds, I did not use C4 to heat water! Rather, I used a marble-sized portion of C4 to heat C rations quickly and rapidly by fist denting the can, heating with C4 for fraction of a minute until the can reconfigured to its original shape by the internal pressue build-up. Once it had reconfigured, the food inside was piping hot uniformly. You may then open the can with a P-38 and "Lunch is served."
for those confused about the W shape of the shaped charge: It might sound more intuitive to have it V-shaped, but that would be rather ineffective at cutting. With the W shape, there is a focused jet that is generated in the middle of the W shape. They also need to be placed a little distance away from the target for it to be most effective.
Most shaped charges for cutting purposes (aka linear shaped charge) actually are V-shaped in cross section, though when used, the vertex of the V-shape is pointed away from the material to be cut. The interior surface of the V is empty, and is indeed positioned a short distance away from the desired cut (as you did correctly say), with the explosive charge on the outside of the V-shape. The metal used to form the V-shape has to be ductile (hence why copper is most often used), because the cutting effect is caused by the V essentially being turned inside out. A high explosive is required to make this work (with a minimum detonation velocity of 3 kilometres per second), forming a jet of material which travels at hypersonic speeds, literally forcing its way through practically any known material. Hence why this type of shaped charge is so effective at penetrating armour. For anti-tank rounds, the liner is cone shaped since a cone is still V-shaped in cross section, again with the interior of the cone left hollow. The fuzing mechanism is placed ahead of the cone, enabling the round to be detonated on contact while still leaving the ideal spacing between the charge and the surface of the armour plating.
@lloydevans2900 Thanks, I failed to specify that I am talking about V and W shapes filled with explosives like the one in the video, you are of course right. Personally the only kind of shape charge I ever used was the German Panzerfaust, and yes we had the pull out fuse in the front of the munition, you could set it in multiple positions if I remember right.
@@CharlieTheAstronautYou actually used a Panzerfaust? What kind of range did it have? Supposedly the accuracy during WW2 was so variable that anyone who had any success with it fired at point blank, or close enough anyway.
@@lloydevans2900 Yeah in 2009. it was the Panzerfaust 3. Only in training, I witnessed a live charge, but did not fire one myself. I only got to fire the training ammo that have no explosives or some baby charges, but it is "only" the impact that is different. I believe they are supposed to be effective up to 600 meters, but we fired it at under 100 (could not tell you the exact distance). Fun times in the Geman/French brigade. I used the Mg3 Machine Gun, G36, later FAMAS and p8 as the sidearm.
Confirmed the guillotine on all accounts, but the throwing skill of someone clearly not trained or very coordinated, was the reason you think it wouldn't work? I really didn't want the idea to work at all but you Confirmed it beyond doubt!!!
c4 is a high explosive so theyre not allowed to show or even mention the chemical process. with good reason.. but we use it for shaped charge's when tnt wont do the job
The reason why some soldiers could resort to using c4 as a cooking tool is probably cuz they didnt have anything else left. Thus they had to improvise! Maybe a soldier behind the front had trouble with supplies, and got hungry?
Grant was really just some wheels away from throwing (yet another) Battlebot at his victim. Can't help but think that next to those *very practical* assassin weapons, maybe they should have just used the anvil from the C4 myth and called it a day.. :D
Though they didn't really touch on two other downsides. For one C4 is toxic and gives off toxic fumes as it burns. Also it's quite expensive and the commander won't like the C4 being wasted.
Those are true problems. But having heard enough “marines chew crayons” stories, I would think toxicity would not hinder them. And of course they would be chewed out by the commander, but a hungry stomach trumps that problem.
Wait?? Carrie's takes the head off and is deemed not a decapitation, Torries still has the head hanging by flesh and is deemed a plausible decapitation........as far as I know decapitation means cutting the head OFF
they hasve to enclose the c4 fire with bricks leaving a lil gap for oxygen on both sides to focus the heat on the pan it would get hotter like 150 i think as 2 mins at 1000 degrees is alot of heat
I wonder what would have happened with an explosive round being shot at the C4? As we clearly see, fire will not detonate these stable explosives. But a “starter” explosive just might. As we might know, detonators for those explosives dont use fire, but a smaller ammount of explosives to start up the main charge. So maybe the explosion in an explosive round could start off the C4? No ammount of fire will get it going, but a super small explosive charge inside a bullet? Now that would have been interesting to see.
Explosive rounds are illegal to possess in California. However, incendiary rounds are also illegal, and they still tested that somehow???? Maybe police officers can get special permits for them?
A starter explosive what a blasting cap is. Though while it won't explode burning C4 is still very dangerous. It burns readily and gives off a lot of heat as well as produce a large amount of toxic gasses. Of course that's preferable to it blowing up but you still don't want fire anywhere near C4. On top of that C4 is also not cheap so I would think the commander would be pretty angry if he found out that the soldiers are burning C4 as cooking fuel.
Using units like inches, feet, Fahrenheit, ounces and pounds in a show that is about physical science is just as suitable and useful as if a historian instead of stating, "Louis XIV of France was born in 1638", dated this event by saying something like, "Louis XIV of France was born 7 orbital periods of Neptune and 5.1 average lifespans of a spotted hyena after Galla Placidia's flight to Constantinople." 😂😂😂
Yeah that comparison just doesn't make sense as nobody would be able to relate to those units. Mythbusters, on the other hand uses units familiar to most of its target audience.
Most TV is aimed at less than 4% of the entire world population. They are aimed at americans at home, so they will use their outdated units. We can take peace in knowing the hardcore scientists at places like NASA use metric units because they make more sense and are more compatible with their partners at Japan and Europe.
Why might burning C4 explode? well it wouldn't it is Hi-Explosive not low explosive. that is one of the defining things of Hi-Explosive that it requires a high energy input over a very short period of time. burning low explosive would make it go boom. Hi-Explosive requires far more energy than burning can give.
@@XtreeM_FaiL well, I'm pretty sure, but my dad isn't around to check. He explained it quite carefully when telling the story. Also using gasoline poured into a drum full of sand for cooking
Way to go overcomplicating the ancient chinese decaptiator ! How about get a chinese light weight hat (cheep from vietnam) then make a skirt with a fishing net around the perimeter of the hat. Then at a light but strong rope (eg something like thin paracord) to tug on that will provide the force nessasary. And attach razor blades to the bottom of the skirt but you may find that you need to have the blades curved to follow the circular net and in small segments so it is really light and can tighten to a very small diameter, as the skirt tightens with the rope it cuts through. If you use two strings to help draw in the net to a tight circle it may also overcomplicate it so only one string. Tory came close but no cigar from me.
This was my favorite Mythbuster episode growing up. Usually I love one of the stories far more than the other but in this one I find them both awesome.
Yeah this is one of those rare episodes where both A and B team get actually entertaining and interesting myths. Usually one is boring af lol
Presumably, the person deploying the 'murder hat' would be well practiced/skilled at yeeting it.
Yeah. Their inability to use said weapon doesn’t mean it’s not busted. Just for them it’s busted.
@@daveylacyYou just contradicted yourself.
I love their passion to make the C4 explode, the second crew with the death hat were doing great as well
26:26 I like how you can tell the dude just ducked his head under the jacket.
You mean they didn't actually decapitate that actor ? Bummer.
No sh1t Sherlock
it 'saws' alrightio
32:10 Mythbusters in a nutshell 😅
Grant's mechanism looks like it would be at home on the set of a Saw movie.
It was featured in Saw 4
I can tell you with asbolute confidence and experience that c4 alone is incredibly stable. We set it on fire, stomped on it, rolled in balls and even threw it against walls. It will not go off until a catalyst is introduced.
HOW EVER, the blasting cap we used is incredibly sensitive to the point that a small static discharge will set it off. So once the cap is introduced we handle that thing like its nitro glycerin.
We even ground ourselves for 10 seconds before even touching a blasting cap.
That is a cool piece of info. Thanks!
so, with your experience with the thing.
do you recommend using it as a cooking agent? even if its just to start a fire?
Missed opportunity to " rolled it in balls, threw it against walls. It will not go off until a catalyst is involved" rime ( ish)
@@aljoshilagan3204 Not really, is quite toxic and carcinogenic. Maybe to start a fire or in an emergency to boil water to disinfect the risk is worth it but in other circumstance I would avoid it.
yeah we watched the video too..
No idea why, but seeing that stomping robot is hilarious! Be great for a Char-Dee-Mac-Denis victory stomp
Grant really should be lucky he didn't accidentally disembowel himself with that prototype. Those blades were so fast and quick!
Unfortunately he passed away a few years ago
@@thetruthisoutthereofficialsay sike rn
@@RexThePandaunfortunately it is true he passed away from a brain aneurysm three- four years ago
Rip grant bro I didn't even know😭
Dude... @@RexThePanda
the fact the .308 incendiary, which lets face it is essentially a primer in this scenario, didn't set it off it quite incredible.
this has to be one of the most dangerous episodes ever.
Somebody needs to make this show again...
35:34 If you go frame by frame you can see flames from the explosion 1 frame ahead in the reflection in the pond due to the rolling shutter effect
39:05 on lower left corner there is a clear splatter of unexploded C4 flying in the air.
With modifications, Grant's device could work as a "drop trap" in a D&D game...
I am a former Army Paratrooper and Airborne Ranger. I served in Vietnam from 1968 through 1971 as part of the 173rd Airborne Brigade (Separate). I used C4 almost on a daily basis exploding bombs that were duds, I did not use C4 to heat water! Rather, I used a marble-sized portion of C4 to heat C rations quickly and rapidly by fist denting the can, heating with C4 for fraction of a minute until the can reconfigured to its original shape by the internal pressue build-up. Once it had reconfigured, the food inside was piping hot uniformly. You may then open the can with a P-38 and "Lunch is served."
Ah! There’s the Mythbuster episode!
C-4 Cooking
Myth conbusted, seems appropriate
for those confused about the W shape of the shaped charge:
It might sound more intuitive to have it V-shaped, but that would be rather ineffective at cutting. With the W shape, there is a focused jet that is generated in the middle of the W shape. They also need to be placed a little distance away from the target for it to be most effective.
True. Because the middle and sides of the W would split flying in 3? directions.
Most shaped charges for cutting purposes (aka linear shaped charge) actually are V-shaped in cross section, though when used, the vertex of the V-shape is pointed away from the material to be cut. The interior surface of the V is empty, and is indeed positioned a short distance away from the desired cut (as you did correctly say), with the explosive charge on the outside of the V-shape. The metal used to form the V-shape has to be ductile (hence why copper is most often used), because the cutting effect is caused by the V essentially being turned inside out.
A high explosive is required to make this work (with a minimum detonation velocity of 3 kilometres per second), forming a jet of material which travels at hypersonic speeds, literally forcing its way through practically any known material. Hence why this type of shaped charge is so effective at penetrating armour. For anti-tank rounds, the liner is cone shaped since a cone is still V-shaped in cross section, again with the interior of the cone left hollow. The fuzing mechanism is placed ahead of the cone, enabling the round to be detonated on contact while still leaving the ideal spacing between the charge and the surface of the armour plating.
@lloydevans2900 Thanks, I failed to specify that I am talking about V and W shapes filled with explosives like the one in the video, you are of course right. Personally the only kind of shape charge I ever used was the German Panzerfaust, and yes we had the pull out fuse in the front of the munition, you could set it in multiple positions if I remember right.
@@CharlieTheAstronautYou actually used a Panzerfaust? What kind of range did it have? Supposedly the accuracy during WW2 was so variable that anyone who had any success with it fired at point blank, or close enough anyway.
@@lloydevans2900 Yeah in 2009. it was the Panzerfaust 3. Only in training, I witnessed a live charge, but did not fire one myself. I only got to fire the training ammo that have no explosives or some baby charges, but it is "only" the impact that is different. I believe they are supposed to be effective up to 600 meters, but we fired it at under 100 (could not tell you the exact distance). Fun times in the Geman/French brigade. I used the Mg3 Machine Gun, G36, later FAMAS and p8 as the sidearm.
Confirmed the guillotine on all accounts, but the throwing skill of someone clearly not trained or very coordinated, was the reason you think it wouldn't work? I really didn't want the idea to work at all but you Confirmed it beyond doubt!!!
10:04 I mean, tha tprogram looks old. But I don't think it's _that_ old XD
c4 is a high explosive so theyre not allowed to show or even mention the chemical process. with good reason.. but we use it for shaped charge's when tnt wont do the job
The reason why some soldiers could resort to using c4 as a cooking tool is probably cuz they didnt have anything else left. Thus they had to improvise! Maybe a soldier behind the front had trouble with supplies, and got hungry?
Grant was really just some wheels away from throwing (yet another) Battlebot at his victim. Can't help but think that next to those *very practical* assassin weapons, maybe they should have just used the anvil from the C4 myth and called it a day.. :D
Next: Can C4 be detonated by a nuke...?
Yes
@@IronHexacyanoferrate I don't believe it until I "see" it 🤣
Honestly I'm not sure it would, I think it would vaporize the explosive/fuse first.
@@wingerding you're probably right...
15:40 could you immagibe the ammount of backlash a tv shot would get for making a joke like this today lol
I remembered there being more science in mythbusters, but it’s fun nonetheless
They lost the plot pretty quick that's for sure!
It's been a while since I've seen this episode
Though they didn't really touch on two other downsides. For one C4 is toxic and gives off toxic fumes as it burns. Also it's quite expensive and the commander won't like the C4 being wasted.
Those are true problems.
But having heard enough “marines chew crayons” stories, I would think toxicity would not hinder them. And of course they would be chewed out by the commander, but a hungry stomach trumps that problem.
@@mjfan653 it definitely does not. It's just as nutritious cold, not to mention more clandestine.
Yes! Flying Guillotine.
GeeeOtine 😂
23:35 Ouhh, that cracking…
Why am I eating a snack while watching something like this?!?
Can we consider C4 like a metamaterial?
Sargent Dan Powel sure looks like Jamies twin brother. It may just be a mustache thing.
Wait?? Carrie's takes the head off and is deemed not a decapitation, Torries still has the head hanging by flesh and is deemed a plausible decapitation........as far as I know decapitation means cutting the head OFF
the head did not get cut off, it just fell, the threads with which it was attached to the neck failed
A real human neck is way better attached and also a human isn't nailed to the ground.
It ripped the head off, not slice. Tori's was the more accurate decapitation.
Who’da thunk an explosive that was designed to be stable to all but blasting caps wouldn’t be able to explode without said blasting cap.
Grant just straight up built a saw trap.
Anybody knows what's the episode with two Jamies that appears on the intro? 😂
they hasve to enclose the c4 fire with bricks leaving a lil gap for oxygen on both sides to focus the heat on the pan it would get hotter like 150 i think as 2 mins at 1000 degrees is alot of heat
Question: who cooked with c4 first? 😅
How much sauce would C4 force if C4 could force sauce?
I like how they skipped 22, 9mm and all logical starting points. Straight to 308
I wonder what would have happened with an explosive round being shot at the C4?
As we clearly see, fire will not detonate these stable explosives. But a “starter” explosive just might. As we might know, detonators for those explosives dont use fire, but a smaller ammount of explosives to start up the main charge. So maybe the explosion in an explosive round could start off the C4?
No ammount of fire will get it going, but a super small explosive charge inside a bullet? Now that would have been interesting to see.
38:25
Explosive rounds are illegal to possess in California.
However, incendiary rounds are also illegal, and they still tested that somehow???? Maybe police officers can get special permits for them?
A starter explosive what a blasting cap is.
Though while it won't explode burning C4 is still very dangerous. It burns readily and gives off a lot of heat as well as produce a large amount of toxic gasses. Of course that's preferable to it blowing up but you still don't want fire anywhere near C4. On top of that C4 is also not cheap so I would think the commander would be pretty angry if he found out that the soldiers are burning C4 as cooking fuel.
The puns man
Its a movie myth not a kung fu myth
A Kung fu Movie Myth.
Using units like inches, feet, Fahrenheit, ounces and pounds in a show that is about physical science is just as suitable and useful as if a historian instead of stating, "Louis XIV of France was born in 1638", dated this event by saying something like, "Louis XIV of France was born 7 orbital periods of Neptune and 5.1 average lifespans of a spotted hyena after Galla Placidia's flight to Constantinople."
😂😂😂
Its american TV... they probably do it cause otherwise 95% of americans dont understand it🤣🤣🤣
Yeah that comparison just doesn't make sense as nobody would be able to relate to those units. Mythbusters, on the other hand uses units familiar to most of its target audience.
@@AlmeloNoordOost1994 True! 😁
@@allanshpeley4284 In this case their target audience is at the very outside 4% of mankind. When they are happy with that, okay!
Most TV is aimed at less than 4% of the entire world population. They are aimed at americans at home, so they will use their outdated units.
We can take peace in knowing the hardcore scientists at places like NASA use metric units because they make more sense and are more compatible with their partners at Japan and Europe.
Adam is so Savage! XD
(Okay, I'm gonna stop…)
a hypersonic object then they haven't tested it ,like mach 28?
Why might burning C4 explode? well it wouldn't it is Hi-Explosive not low explosive. that is one of the defining things of Hi-Explosive that it requires a high energy input over a very short period of time.
burning low explosive would make it go boom. Hi-Explosive requires far more energy than burning can give.
A FRIGGING 100.00MACH?/! OMFG (so u need plasma hi end blasting cap for C4 to explode!? holy cow
What's up with calling cooking with C-4 a "myth". In Vietnam we used C-4 all the time for cooking. Heat tabs sucked.
Myths have to start somewhere, right? It's just a modern tall tale that happened to be rooted in reality rather than fiction.
I stick with the HEXAMIN ...
You can turn it EASY in to explosive if you have to ... hahahaha
(HMTD)
Toluene + nitrating mixture
@@IronHexacyanoferrate : Hold my Aspirin ...
WA its West Australia
wait a second.... they don't just tell the myths?!
on the other hand
My dad used to cook with cordite back in North Africa, so I', going with; confirmed
How sure you're that it was cordite?
@@XtreeM_FaiL well, I'm pretty sure, but my dad isn't around to check. He explained it quite carefully when telling the story. Also using gasoline poured into a drum full of sand for cooking
Way to go overcomplicating the ancient chinese decaptiator ! How about get a chinese light weight hat (cheep from vietnam) then make a skirt with a fishing net around the perimeter of the hat. Then at a light but strong rope (eg something like thin paracord) to tug on that will provide the force nessasary. And attach razor blades to the bottom of the skirt but you may find that you need to have the blades curved to follow the circular net and in small segments so it is really light and can tighten to a very small diameter, as the skirt tightens with the rope it cuts through. If you use two strings to help draw in the net to a tight circle it may also overcomplicate it so only one string.
Tory came close but no cigar from me.
There is no such thing as an ancient Chinese flying guillotine bro. It's a cheesy movie gimmick, a great gimmick but only that.
😂❤😂❤
Can not stand the way they keep saying guillotine! The L is not silent.
Are you French?
Myth Shysters😅
Jamie is such a simp for anything military. It's SUPER cringe and very annoying that he kept trying to put military stuff in every episode.
yeet
Lol the master of the flying guillotine! What a cringe fest, so cool though still haha. No way anyone on the staff knew that movie.
Love how Carrie wasn’t at all ashamed to say how they all designed a working weapon when it was all Tori.
Haha he used a .308 .762 NATO round 😂 didn't think that was possible