The future of edged weapons

[Nightcrawler]

I've been hearing some talk about super-high-tech knives where the blades are only a few molecules wide; essentially creating an unGodly sharp cutting edge.

This leaves me with a couple questions.

One, does having a supremely sharp knife like this mean that a swipe that would normally just slash something would sever it? I mean, would sharpness of this degree make it insanely easy to cut stuff?

Also, how would you maintain an edge like this? Seems that if it got blunted enough, it would be a REAL pain to sharpen again.

Aside from this potential technology, what else is out there? I mean, edged weapons (knives, swords, etc) have remained largely unchanged for thousands of years. Are there any technological advances that could improve these types of weapons?

 

[Boats]

During an idle moment I once thought that if nanotechnology ever got off the ground, one might one day have access to "regenerating" features on a knife blade. Imagine countless microscopic smart "factories" and machine drones replicating not only themselves, but accepting something like a powdered steel/diamond impregnated compound rubbed onto the blade that they would process and reapply at the molecular level as required by degradation of the knife edge. No sharpening required if it worked, and the knife's edge geometry could be programmed as the end user required. Most of the knife would be traditional while from the grind line below it would be sci-fi.

Another innovation, which I am sure is being pursued somewhere, would be a non-brittle ceramic compound. That would be a pretty good material for cutlery in that it would be corrosion proof and could take an impact. Stone knives can be very sharp, someone just needs to solve the shock/ wear durability problem to potentially take a bite out of the steel industry.

A blade edge only a few molecules wide might make for an effective kitchen or skinning knife, but I fail to see how it would make for an effective blade overall that would take some abuse. Part of the strength of a knife is in its total geometry and weighting from the edge to the spine and from the tip to the tang. Starting off with such an easily damaged or degraded surface would compromise the entire blade in certain cutting tasks and would certainly be a poor stabber due to the overly flexible build that would be required to allow the edge to create a slash that would not become bogged down by the rest of the thickness of the blade. Yes, a molecular edge would initially cut well, requiring less force to make deep cuts, but it would be prone to cut deviation through flexing and the blade itself may not be able to carry enough weight to avoid bogging down. I just don't see the utility in such a knife for something like that to ever become an EDC.

 

[Joe Demko]

These things are, indeed, at least possible. Whether they ever are produced, with the exception of ceramic blades, I think is unlikely based simply on economics. People like us might be willing to shell out big $$$ for one of these blades, but the average person still buys and uses the cheapest cutlery he can find. Look at how well junk serrated kitchen cutlery sells. If there isn't enough of a market to produce and sell these things at a profit, they will never be more than a technological curiosity.

 

[Navy joe]

I am reminded of a knife that has one of the sharpest edges known to man when correctly made. Further, it's hi-tech materials render it invisible to metal detectors. Yep, an obsidian knife with a bone handle.

I'll stick to the good steel we have until lightsabers become a reality.

 

[Penforhire]

The SciFi guys commonly talk of the "monofilament" blade (just about the best part of that Johnny Mnemonic movie). But I'm more optimistic for a confined plasma beam (I suppose that makes it a light sabre). The energy of a plasma, ablative explosion plus heat-affected zone (heck, maybe even electrical shock) far exceeds the damage potential of a solid edge, no matter how thin.

 

[krept]

one of the neat substances currently being worked with is "liquid metal". Interesting thread here.

 

[Penforhire]

Hmm, with some nice fuel cells and some nanotechnology... voila, the handheld chainsaw, now in 6, 9, and 12" lengths.

 

[Roadkill Coyote]

Boats,

If its that good an edge, why not keep it, just incorporate it into a more useful blade. Wrap a u-shaped piece of a more conventional material around the back side to give it a spine and some weight to work with perhaps?

 

[JShirley]

I'd be concerned about overall strength of an extremely thin blade.

 

[Boats]

If its that good an edge, why not keep it, just incorporate it into a more useful blade. Wrap a u-shaped piece of a more conventional material around the back side to give it a spine and some weight to work with perhaps?

It's all about geometry. That edge, needs something supporting it. That something needs to be proportional to the edge to give it adequate support. Without a proportional foundation, your molecular edge would always be snapping itself off of the blade.

 

[Cal4D4]

My vision would be a "blade" edge based on vibration if you will. Energy source to "excite" the molecules along the leading edge. Compare to the pipe laying type plows using a vibrating plowshare to pull irrigation pipe undergreound. Slicing force greatly reduced so "blade" could be lighter and of non conventional materials. Maybe spooled up in handle when "sheathed". If it would glow blue or red would make it really cool.

 

[George Hill]

Sounds like lots of these future blades would be fragile as all get out.

I'll wait for a lightsaber.

 

[zahc]

My vision would be a "blade" edge based on vibration if you will. Energy source to "excite" the molecules along the leading edge. Compare to the pipe laying type plows using a vibrating plowshare to pull irrigation pipe undergreound. Slicing force greatly reduced so "blade" could be lighter and of non conventional materials. Maybe spooled up in handle when "sheathed". If it would glow blue or red would make it really cool.

Like the HF Blade in Metal Gear Solid 2!

 

[Kjay]

I suspect the future of edged tools will be more of the same. Incremental improvements in steels maybe some tougher ceramics. More improvements in synthetic handle materials. I guess the bigger question is how much better does bladeware need to get? What's the driver? What's going to cost less and do a better job than steel?

 

[mg-ca]

I have heard of blades with ultrasonic transducers used in industrial applications to slice through brittle materials. Maybe someone will come up with a way to incorporate a battery-powered ultrasonic piezo element into a hand held knife?

 

[Bruz]

But I'm more optimistic for a confined plasma beam

Cool, I'll take one! The most ineresting cutters that are available now are the high pressure water and air cutters. Seen them cut ten foot by ten foot by 4 inch slabs of granite with a little jet of water! Have a friend that cuts out his knife blanks with air! Now that and nano-technology is as cool as a light saber! An air one would be a stealth (light-less) saber!

 

[JShirley]

Welcome to THR, MG.

John

Bruz, you would have to have it attached to something, hoses and such.

 

[gun-fucious]

nice to see such optimism in the future of blade design

i'm still on the fence as to weather the hand knapped hand axe
is going to once again re assert itself as the major blade technology in the next 200 years

 

[Bruz]

Bruz, you would have to have it attached to something, hoses and such.

Sure John, just burst my bubble! Let's just see though, nano-tech would allow a mini nuclear power plant, you know how much energy is released spliting just one atom? Then the handle is where the air is compressed and the blade is made up of micro tubes and jets. We're really alot closer to reality than you think!

 

[Penforhire]

Ignoring the power and pumping aspects (this is the future after all) I think the air-jet knife will have a heck of a time staying cool enough to grip, but otherwise a neat idea. Might as well be a particle beam projector. Hmm, but then it wouldn't be a knife anymore.

 

[cookhj]

i've heard that there are techy-nerds out there that try to build futuristic hardware, both matematically and physically. with the lightsabers, they are not able to contain the beam like in star wars; the beam goes off into infinity like a laser. they have used super magnets to try and bend the beam, but they aren't able to get the beam to do a 180 degree turn at the end and have it be contained. who knows, as long as you have some nerds punching numbers in on a calculator day in and day out, maybe in 50 years or so you'll have people running around using lightsabers.