Hiro Antagonist ([info]hiro_antagonist) wrote,
@ 2009-05-11 16:23:00
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Entry tags:tech

So that thermite...


Data recovery is going to be tough for this one


So I've used some of the thermite I mentioned in an earlier post on an old dead hard drive, and it's some pretty awesome stuff. It goes through just about anything, which is actually sort of the problem.

I've been trying to come up with some ideas on what to test it out on next, things along the line of 'really hard to destroy by any other means'. If you've ever tried to destroy a hard drive, it's not that easy - even with a sledgehammer!

So, suggestions?

(29 comments) - (Post a new comment)


[info]laviemoderne
2009-05-11 10:17 pm UTC (link)
Neato. Where'd you get thermite?

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[info]hiro_antagonist
2009-05-11 10:17 pm UTC (link)
believe it or not, ebay!

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[info]laviemoderne
2009-05-11 10:58 pm UTC (link)
Wow was that shipped through the USPS? I wouldn't think that'd be legal.

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[info]hiro_antagonist
2009-05-12 12:10 am UTC (link)
Yup! Completely legal like any other welding supply stuff (that's really what most of it is used for).

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[info]jetpackjunkie
2009-05-11 10:36 pm UTC (link)
Hmm... there's nothing that immediately springs to mind in the category of "thermite resistant" that you could reasonably get your hands on. If you want to shoot for the moon I'd say try depleted uranium, its about the densest thing i can think of, unless you've got some diamonds you feel like messing up.

Or try this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrCWLpRc1yM

Edited at 2009-05-11 10:43 pm UTC

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[info]hiro_antagonist
2009-05-12 12:10 am UTC (link)
Yeah, I wish I could get an engine block, but there's no easy way of getting one around here :/

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[info]firstashore
2009-05-12 05:11 am UTC (link)
Diamonds burn are relatively low temperatures, the sort you get in a normal fire. I hardly think they're worth wasting thermite on. :P

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[info]ehowton
2009-05-11 10:41 pm UTC (link)
Wow.

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[info]hiro_antagonist
2009-05-12 12:11 am UTC (link)
You could always rig your servers with the stuff if you were fairly paranoid!

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[info]ehowton
2009-05-12 01:46 am UTC (link)
That's exactly what the military does with the stuff.

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[info]hiro_antagonist
2009-05-12 02:15 am UTC (link)
And I no nozing about zat! nozing!

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[info]dizietsma
2009-05-11 10:52 pm UTC (link)
Fun shit I'd try:
Ignite it underwater for laughs (make sure you're not emotionally attached to the vessel it's in, oh and be careful for steam explosions).
Concrete (not sure what it'd do, maybe just turn brown - you might be able to graffiti-burn your name into it)
See how many fire blankets it'll burn through...

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[info]laviemoderne
2009-05-11 10:59 pm UTC (link)
ooooh, me likes the graffiti idea...

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[info]hiro_antagonist
2009-05-12 12:12 am UTC (link)
Yeah, I almost forgot that it works just fine under water - I'll have to see if I can come up with something...

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[info]orwellian_trash
2009-05-11 11:34 pm UTC (link)
Bank Vault.

Actually, maybe not...

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[info]hiro_antagonist
2009-05-12 12:12 am UTC (link)
If there was only one that they'd let me experiment on :/

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[info]radiumx
2009-05-11 11:44 pm UTC (link)
Masterlock / Padlock...

A friend once used a large amount to burn through an engine block.

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[info]hiro_antagonist
2009-05-12 12:13 am UTC (link)
The padlock is a good idea, saw something similar in a tv show, always wondered if it'd really work that neatly.

Do you remember how many pounds it took to get through the engine block?

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]aikurushii
2009-05-12 01:02 am UTC (link)
Hugh Jackman's abs.

Hahahahahaha

(No, seriously.)

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[info]hiro_antagonist
2009-05-12 02:15 am UTC (link)
I figured you would have suggested Colossus :P

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[info]aikurushii
2009-05-12 04:02 am UTC (link)
Hahahaha.

10 Points to you. :D

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[info]kittytreats
2009-05-12 02:47 am UTC (link)
Whoa...... that does a lot of damage! haha now no one can recover data.

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[info]hiro_antagonist
2009-05-12 02:50 am UTC (link)
:D

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[info]firstashore
2009-05-12 05:12 am UTC (link)
A sledgehammer. :P

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[info]firstashore
2009-05-12 05:13 am UTC (link)
How did you light the thermite, btw?

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[info]hiro_antagonist
2009-05-12 10:33 am UTC (link)
magnesium strip

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[info]hiro_antagonist
2009-05-12 10:33 am UTC (link)
certainly a thought!

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[info]jeramey
2009-05-12 07:58 pm UTC (link)
I was once able to completely shatter the disk in a hard drive with one well-placed whack from a standard old ball peen hammer. Haven't been able to replicate the feat since.

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[info]hiro_antagonist
2009-05-12 10:49 pm UTC (link)
Really? Impressive! I've smashed those disks around, and so far they've been pretty tough

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(29 comments) - (Post a new comment)

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