Talk:Cordite

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Contents 1 Uses 2 Nearly Incoherent 3 Not in use any more 4 Fiction references

[edit] Uses

Why is the famious patent on manufacturing smokless powder by H S Maxim US number 0430212 not mentioned? I thought it was the first to add Acitone to Powder B? here is the link to the US version of the patent http://patimg1.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=00430212&homeurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect1%3DPTO2%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526p%3D1%2526u%3D%25252Fnetahtml%25252FPTO%25252Fsearch-adv.htm%2526r%3D1%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526d%3DPALL%2526S1%3D0430212%2526OS%3D0430212%2526RS%3D0430212&PageNum=&Rtype=&SectionNum=&idkey=NONE&Input=View+first+page Windshadow 02:51, 4 June 2006 (UTC)

Thanks for the link, I could not get it open, I'll try again later. The answer is simple, Cordite is not Poudre B. They are both smokeless powders, but Cordite was used and developed in Britain as a double-base propellant; whereas Poudre B is a single-base propellant. The USA did not use Cordite (and probably still does not); that was one of the problems in World War II, the USA's propellants were totally different to the UK's, the USA did not want to use double-base propellant, they used single-base propellants. Maxim's was a US patent and is not valid in the UK; he would need to take out a UK Patent. I suspect he did not, as the legal action in the UK was between Abel/Dewar and Nobel; if Maxim had a valid UK Patent why did he not seek to enforce it? Pyrotec 09:32, 4 June 2006 (UTC)

What types of explosives use cordite? I'd like to see a list of missiles, bombs, ammunition, and other explosives that use cordite. Fresheneesz 23:48, 8 May 2006 (UTC)

Re your comment on Cordite.

My first thought was that you had misinterpreted the article, my second thought was perhaps the article needed clarifying.

Assuming that you had misinterpreted the article I would say that Cordite is properly classed as an Explosive for legal and transport reasons, but we don't wish to use it as an explosive, i.e. we don't wish it to go bang.

It is used as a propellant. In guns (fire arms, to battle tanks, to naval guns) a charge of cordite (bagged, brass cartridge case, cardboard case, or combustible charge case, depending on the weapon and the date it was designed) is used to propel a bullet or shell (depending on size of gun) up the barrel. In rockets (cordite was first used in WW II for Anti-Aircraft use) the cordite propels the rocket. The Space shuttle, for example, is lifted on a combination of liquid propellants and solid booster rockets - but its not Cordite.

This is why the various editors of Cordite and Smokeless powders (but not some much in Cordite) talk about grains, grain geometry, burning rates, regular burning characteristics, etc. For Cordite (not in article) burning rates are in the range of several inches per second down to several seconds per inch (centimetres can be used if you prefer). A high explosive detonates about 7 to 8 kilometres per second, only in the movies can people out-run it.

Welcome your comments. Without being unkind, an article on petrol (gasolene) would not be expected to list all the cars and vans it could be used in, thus I'm not sure it would be a good ideal to list every gun or rocket that used cordite. Welcome comments on the way to proceed.

Regards Pyrotec 08:42, 9 May 2006 (UTC)

I understand where you're comming from, and perhaps this page isn't a good place for such a list. However, I personally would be interested in perhaps seeing a link to such a list in the See also section.

So cordite isn't usually used as an explosive, but rather as a propellant? The fact that it is never used as a detonation explosive could be mentioned more boldly (if thats right?). Also it would be nice if the specifications of cordite could be tabulated for this page. Comments? Fresheneesz 10:13, 9 May 2006 (UTC)

There is some scope for Copyedit / expansion, which I might start today. I'm intrigued by the picture - looks like scrap ammunition dumped at sea, could be very dangerous. Stenciled information on the side, if it exists could link cordite back to filling factory and explosive ROF. Pyrotec 11:32, 9 May 2006 (UTC)

medicial/biosafety aspects of cordite?

cordite can reportedly be deliberately eaten (in small quantities) with no permanent ill effects. This supposedly has made it useful in the past as a field-expedient emetic and a superfically appearance-altering agent, almost immediately producing a strong grayish pallor, intense nausea, and a general appearance of ill health that may be useful in making someone appear older than they really are, (cf. end portion of The Day of the Jackal by Fredrick Forsyth, assassin eats cordite to help disguise self). The cramps, nausea and other symptoms caused by administration of cordite have repordedly be used as part of torture and dehumanization efforts used on soldiers, possibly eaten in unethical attempts to toughen them and inure them to pain and suffering. (see reference to eating cordite in computer came Metal Gear Solid 2 If this true, more than one coutry may have used the technique.

I have no knowledge about its use for torture. The rest of your comments about ill-heath are probably accurate; so the first point about no permanent ill effects is probably incorrect. Deliberately eating of cordite, and other explosives, is unwise. Pyrotec 17:26, 29 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Nearly Incoherent

How do you put one of those "really needs to be cleaned up" flags at the top of an article? This needs one. --Skidoo 20:44, 26 December 2006 (UTC)

Done. I fixed the really weird sentence in the first paragraph, but there's a lot more stuff going on that's ambiguous (factually, grammatically and syntactically), and the article is just really messy in general. I didn't know whether to tag it as unclear or in need of copy-editing or what, so I just put a general cleanup tag on. Dextrose 04:33, 10 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Not in use any more

"Cordite is now obsolete." It's a bit stupid to say this without mentioning (and providing a link) to what replaced it. Anyone know? ANTIcarrot 11:19, 4 May 2007 (UTC)

Well yes I do. The statement is factual, Cordite has not been made in the UK, to my knowledge, in the 21st century. However, as youre question is rudely worded I will not be providing you with an answer. Pyrotec 13:10, 4 May 2007 (UTC)

It's also a bit stupid to get pissy and whiny about a question not directed at you. Cordite was replaced with traditional smokeless powder, either stick or ball type depending on the application.<un-signed comment by Special:Contributions/69.92.250.98>

[edit] Fiction references

I was looking at the fiction references, and I have a hard time seeing that most of them have any actual relevance to Cordite. I think they'd be more appropriate on the corresponding articles than here. Arthurrh 01:04, 31 July 2007 (UTC)

Agree. Killed it. —Thernlund ^{(Talk | Contribs)} 21:27, 20 August 2007 (UTC)