[Milsurplus] Foxhole Radios

[J. Forster]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluing_(steel)

Some modern gun bluings contain Selenium, but that's not likely so of the
WW II blades.

The Iron Oxide might have some crude semiconducting properties.

-John

=============



> As a current project our local Vintage radio club is going to try and
> characterise some materials used for detectors, including the Gillette
> Blue Blade razors used the Foxhole Radio.
>
> Are any of our chemically inclined members able to define the junction
> material in the Blue Blade which enabled it to rectify. As a detector
> this was sometimes used with a safety pin for contact, other times
> pencil lead was used. It is more of a curious undertaking than any
> monumental research. How did the GI's know it would work?
> Thanks for any thoughts.
>
> Ralph
> VE3BBM