A Japanese television program tested how well a katana stands up to a bullet, as seen in countless action films and anime. Turns out a katana will cut a bullet in half just fine—putting two bits of lead flying into the air instead of just one. Oops!
[via Gizmodo]
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Military? Really?
I could have created a whole new category for "weapons," but it seemed to be reaching a bit. Did it really impugn your sense of organization badly enough to comment on it?
Hey Joel. This Is Good, but take a look at this video of a Katana vs a .50 caliber machine gun. The gun is the clear winner, but it's not as clear cut as it originally seems.
I was more amused by the incongruity than suffering from any indignation, I'd say. Conjuring images of a military application of this is humorous, don't you think?
Anyway, "Weapons" seems like it would be a perfectly reasonable gadget category, to me.
My guess is that the real deciding factor will be bullet composition.
An unjacketed lead bullet vs. a hardened steel blade is one thing, as we see; that result isn't surprising. Lead is much softer than sword-quality steel, and the .45ACP they use also moves (relatively) slowly.
The .50BMG caliber rounds were probably jacketed (as most military rounds are) in addition to moving much faster. Speed helped, but the major factor here is the jacket.
It would be interesting to see the katana against a jacketed .45ACP.
-chet
I'm guessing they didn't get that katana from qvc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e77oXjFkIs
Holy snit. That background music. It's the "Boom-Shakalaka" song from Muppet Treasure Island. Sort of an incongruous choice. O___o
As long as the samurai is far enough back from the sword when the bullet hits, he'd be golden! Maybe there should be a baddie on his left and right so the fragments of bullet take them out. That would be the coolest scene ever. They would have to re-play it in slow-mo like four times. Maybe they could be ninjas.