Breaking glass with a diamond

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Posted by Sherlock Holmes
September 25, 2012 2:48 pm 		#1

Can it really be done?

I found a bunch of people discussing it online, with specific reference to Moriarty in the Crown Jewels scene, but what do you guys all think?

http://community.discovery.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/6761919888/m/62019513011

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Posted by NW16XE
September 25, 2012 3:02 pm 		#2

I wondered about that too, and tried to research it after TRF. I think the scene is a bit disingenuous. My understanding is that shatterproof/bulletproof glass is not unbreakable, rather it is structured to break in a way that will not create great dangerous flying shards.  I imagine a plain hammer would have worked just as well, without being half as cool of course. 

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Posted by Joalro
September 25, 2012 3:14 pm 		#3

I would say yes.  The facts are

1) Diamond is indeed stronger than glass

2) The end of the diamond is a single point, which means the pressure (force per area) would be very high.

3) The fire extinguisher would have quite a bit of momentum after a swing.  Although glass can absorb quite a bit of shock, going back to number 2, the amount of pressure would be way too much for it.

EDIT: in regards to a hammer, I do not think a hammer would work.  Bulletproof glass is NOT shatter proof, but is HIGHLY shock absorbent.  The glass is flexible, and thus can absorb the momentum by allowing the glass to move (not enough to really see it happen, but enough to not break).  A hammer has enough surface area in contact to allow the momentum to be spread throughout the glass easier.  The diamond, however, focuses that impact to one point, and the glass would not be able to spread it out so easily.

Last edited by Joalro (September 25, 2012 3:17 pm)

 
Posted by Davina
September 25, 2012 5:36 pm 		#4

It is the same technique used to break the toughened glass of a car window using the tip of a spark plug. Someone did it to a car of mine once in order to steal from it...bless them!

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Don't make people into heroes John. Heroes don't exist and if they did I wouldn't be one of them.
 
Posted by Mattlocked
September 25, 2012 5:46 pm 		#5

Oh yes, and years later I still found those tiny little glass crumbs in every corner! 

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Posted by Davina
September 25, 2012 5:50 pm 		#6

And it completely messed up my automatic window! Bits of glass everywhere!

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Don't make people into heroes John. Heroes don't exist and if they did I wouldn't be one of them.
 
Posted by veecee
September 26, 2012 1:08 am 		#7

We had a big glass panel near the reception area where I used to work. One day it just shattered all by itself. Fortunately, it was the kind of glass that we're talking about, so the pieces were not sharp. But it was weird to see.

Maybe it was Moriarty practicing.

 
Posted by The Doctor
September 26, 2012 3:27 am 		#8

Keep an eye on Myth Buster - hopefully we know more soon!

http://community.discovery.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/9701967776/m/50219621111

 
Posted by Davina
September 26, 2012 6:47 am 		#9

Love Myth Buster! It's The Red-Headed League at work (well sort of).

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Don't make people into heroes John. Heroes don't exist and if they did I wouldn't be one of them.
 
Posted by qlue
July 5, 2013 8:03 pm 		#10

I haven't watched this show, but if it's true to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's books, then Sherlock Holmes lived in the Nineteenth century whereas laminated glass was only discovered in 1903.
So there should not have been any bullet proof glass then as bullet proof glass consists of multiple layers of glass and plastic laminates. (at least four sheets before it qualifies as "bullet proof")

So, the best possible alternative would be tempered glass. That would, on breaking crumble to a billion fine particles, much as a car's side window does. Even standard laminate glass, as used in car windshields, usually remains in one piece when smashed. 
 A car's side window can easily be shattered using an automatic centre punch which is the same principle described here. It requires very little force, even a young child could do it with an automatic centre punch.

Edit: I managed to get a glimpse of the scene. Ooops! my bad. It seems this version of Sherlock Holmes is set in today's World. However, having watched that scene I still say that the sheet of glass depicted is way too thin to have been bullet proof.

Last edited by qlue (July 6, 2013 7:44 am)

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