[Boatanchors] Racor Blade Rectification

Thu, 22 Jan 2004 21:26:57 -0600

I would say antique and junque shops.  Somewhere, I've got a "Burma Shave"
brand razor-blade.  I guess the had there own brand just before WWII.
Anyway I see all kinds of old toiletry or sundry or whatever you want to
call it items in antique places all the time.  I would also try a web-search
for "Midnight Science" which is an outfit that sells xtal radio kits.

Tom
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Greg Stec" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>; <[email protected]>
Cc: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2004 8:11 PM
Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] Racor Blade Rectification

> My question: Where do you find new blue blades to make a WW2
> foxhole set?
>
> They are just not around anymore.
>
>
> >From: "Duane Fischer, W8DBF" <[email protected]>
> >To: "Al Klase" <[email protected]>
> >CC: <[email protected]>
> >Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] Racor Blade Rectification
> >Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2004 20:42:56 -0500
> >
> >Hi Al,
> >
> >It seems that both Marlin and Gillette had so called blue blades at the
> >same
> >time. Apparently this was prior to Gillette trademarking the name.
> >
> >You may be correct that the blue coating contained a selenium compound
that
> >reacted with the graphite in the lead pencil cat whisker to cause
> >rectification.
> >However, I am told by those who were there and used them, and you would
> >qualify
> >here too, that you still had to tune around the blade for the sweet spot.
> >
> >Any other thoughts or memories Al?
> >
> >Fascinating stuff!
> >
> >Duane W8DBF
> >
> >
> >----------
> >From: Al Klase <[email protected]>
> >To: Duane Fischer, W8DBF <[email protected]>
> >Cc: [email protected]
> >Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] Racor Blade Rectification
> >Date: Thursday, January 22, 2004 8:10 PM
> >
> >Hi Duane,
> >
> >I started a minor foxhole radio craze at Cahm Ran Bay in
> >1970 to keep the tradition alive. 10KW AFRTS station about a
> >mile away made this easy.
> >
> >As far as I know, blue blades work best.  Scarpe a spot part
> >way through the coating and use a pencil lead lashed to a
> >saftey pin for a catswisker.
> >
> >One theory is that the bluing contained a selenium compound
> >that might account for the rectifier action.
> >
> >Al
> >
> >Duane Fischer, W8DBF wrote:
> > > Question: exactly what made the Marlin or the Gillette razor blade
work
> >as a
> > > diode for rectification? Some say it was the special electric printing
> >of the
> > > product name on the blade and others claim it was what the blade was
> >made of.
> >
> >
> >
> >--
> >Al Klase - N3FRQ
> >[email protected]
> >Flemington, NJ 08822
> >Web Page:  http://www.webex.net/~skywaves/home.htm
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> >** List Administrator - Duane Fischer, W8DBF/W9WZE **
> >** For Assistance: [email protected] **
> >$$ For vintage radio info, see the HCI web site $$
> >http://www.w9wze.org
> >
>
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