C@rb!de
- Thread starter Hatstand
- Start date
axbridgecaver
Member
While on a caving expedition to Thailand I used a carbide generator. The only memories I have of it is always going out while swimming and also extinguishing on the difficult part of a climb. Probably due to my inexperience with carbide and a cheap generator!!!
ttxela
New member
When I used to be a competition marksman, we used to use small cylinders of carbide with a flint lighter on top for blacking iron sights. The soot from the smoke was just right to coat the sights with a lovely matt black finish to give a perfect crisp sight picture.
As a bit of an amateur welder as well, I think it's probably true that alot less people are using acetylene now.
As a bit of an amateur welder as well, I think it's probably true that alot less people are using acetylene now.
whitelackington
New member
Carbide, may be produced as a by product, so was my gererator, it was made in Russia,
of (put the of in for Peter and Graham) Titanium.
I think it is a nasty process, nasty like stainless.
Now Titanium is manufactured for areospace purposes, when The U.S.S.R. was collapsing, they didn't want to build quite so many rockets, so the titanium found its way, among other things into climbing and caving products.
I hear Russia is doing O.K. these days out of (nuther one for the boys)
Global Warming, they have a shit load of gas to sell to us, also as it warms up, gets more cosy in northern Siberia.
of (put the of in for Peter and Graham) Titanium.
I think it is a nasty process, nasty like stainless.
Now Titanium is manufactured for areospace purposes, when The U.S.S.R. was collapsing, they didn't want to build quite so many rockets, so the titanium found its way, among other things into climbing and caving products.
I hear Russia is doing O.K. these days out of (nuther one for the boys)
Global Warming, they have a shit load of gas to sell to us, also as it warms up, gets more cosy in northern Siberia.
Peter Burgess
New member
Are you taking the p*ss? Then you can p*ss of.
Les W
Active member
Just as a side issue, I would take issue with the posters who claim that because something is old technology it has no place in a modern society.
Through out history technologies have been superceded by the "next big thing" but it has never replaced what has gone before.
Think of the Stone age, the Bronze Age, The Iron Age etc. we still use stone and bronze, it's just they now have a much smaller more specalised part to play. :read:
In this day and age how many cavers have fashioned digging tools out of a handy rock to assist in an impromptu dig, or used a rock to cut a rope in the absence of something sharper - this is stone age technology in practical use in the 21st century
Despite all its problems and foibles, A carbide generator and aceiling burner fitted with a 21 litre jet gives the best light in a caving situation I have ever seen. One of the intangible benefits has to be the raising of morale within a group on a long hard trip, the light from a carbide is warm, friendly and welcoming and brings out the best in people (I wonder if the wavelength is similar to sunlight :-\ ). Caving with people on carbide always makes for a better trip
Through out history technologies have been superceded by the "next big thing" but it has never replaced what has gone before.
Think of the Stone age, the Bronze Age, The Iron Age etc. we still use stone and bronze, it's just they now have a much smaller more specalised part to play. :read:
In this day and age how many cavers have fashioned digging tools out of a handy rock to assist in an impromptu dig, or used a rock to cut a rope in the absence of something sharper - this is stone age technology in practical use in the 21st century
Despite all its problems and foibles, A carbide generator and aceiling burner fitted with a 21 litre jet gives the best light in a caving situation I have ever seen. One of the intangible benefits has to be the raising of morale within a group on a long hard trip, the light from a carbide is warm, friendly and welcoming and brings out the best in people (I wonder if the wavelength is similar to sunlight :-\ ). Caving with people on carbide always makes for a better trip
AndyF
New member
Les W said:
I don't think anyone said that. They (I/we) said it has no place in modern caving because because they.....go out in crawls, go out in water, needs frequent attention, heavy, produce poisonous non recyclable waste, burn ropes, produce soot...etc etc.
It's not that it has no place because it is old, it has no place because it is rubbish......
Anyone who uses carbide can answer this question - what DO you do with the spent stuff, once you've got it home. Anyone who disposes of it in household waste form a queue here.... :spank:
cap n chris
Well-known member
axbridgecaver said:
There are courses in reconstructive archaeology at Bristol University where you can go along and learn how to fashion ancient objects from natural materials such as flint, leather and bone; there are also courses in ancient technical skills, one of which is "How to operate 16th Century Mining Lamps". I'm sure you'd become a more capable Carbidey-Caver after attending this course. It's an evening class, 2hrs each Wednesday for 22 weeks; cost £185. Starts on 6th September.
Hatstand
New member
cap 'n chris said:
When caving in OFD1 (I think it was there Les will doubtless put me right/provide details) we had to descend a wooden runged rope ladder. Personally, as not much of a ladder fan this was the most fantastic ladder ever
Not that I'm saying I'd want to lug one around vice an electron ladder but I'd certainly rather climb it!Heading slightly closer to the topic in hand I very quickly ditched the oldham style cell I spent most of my time swearing at and currently cave with a Nova 3 which I am very happy with, but I still think that fizzy rocks sound like FUN!!!!!
...and that's what caving is meant to be isn't it???? :
cap n chris
Well-known member
No.
Caving is meant to be miserable, demanding, unpleasant, cold, nasty, dangerous, damaging to your body/mind/spirit, unfriendly, unwelcoming, full of hardship, scary, injury-prone, pointless and above all depressing*.
If you're having fun while caving you've obviously gone underground with the wrong people.
* But at least it's cheap!... so it appeals to tight-fisted masochistic misanthropes with a hatred of shopping, people and cleanliness**.
** I lifted this last bit from the "Personal Qualities" heading of my CV.
Caving is meant to be miserable, demanding, unpleasant, cold, nasty, dangerous, damaging to your body/mind/spirit, unfriendly, unwelcoming, full of hardship, scary, injury-prone, pointless and above all depressing*.
If you're having fun while caving you've obviously gone underground with the wrong people.
* But at least it's cheap!... so it appeals to tight-fisted masochistic misanthropes with a hatred of shopping, people and cleanliness**.
** I lifted this last bit from the "Personal Qualities" heading of my CV.
Roger W
Well-known member
When I was at school there was a lad who had a carbide lamp on his bicycle. I think that was a bit out-dated, even then
The main use of carbide then seemed to be dropping bits in the inkwells before leaving the classroom at the end of a lesson - the resulting stink made the room practically uninhabitable for the poor so-and-so's who were there for the next class...
You can't do that with a rechargeable Li-ion cell...
The main use of carbide then seemed to be dropping bits in the inkwells before leaving the classroom at the end of a lesson - the resulting stink made the room practically uninhabitable for the poor so-and-so's who were there for the next class...
You can't do that with a rechargeable Li-ion cell...
cap n chris
Well-known member
Hughie said:
.... Just like Cornwall, then?.....
Peter Burgess
New member
Disposing of it was the main reason why I switched to an electric illuminant.
It just took up too much of my time to encapsulate the spent carbide inside inert glass beads, then to seal them into special steel cannisters filled with epoxy resin, and what finally made me give up with carbide was the local council's refusal to provide me with a special recycling bin for the exclusive purpose of disposing of the now reasonably safe carbide waste.
