Actually, I did NOT blow myself up. Never have found an intact artillery shell from the Civil War, and I actually don't own one. Until today, that is.
Was lollygagging around some relic and antique shops and stopped in this one I had been in a few centuries ago.
After asking the owner what he had, he pulled out this really nice looking shell, and gave me a price and I told him I'd take it.
We started discussing the safety of these things, and he proceeded to tell me this one was perfectly safe and had been unloaded.
Then he LOOKED at it. He said it was the type with the wood fuse and water would have found its way inside, so no problem with safety.
To prove it, he (gasp) took a steel screwdriver and a hammer and proceeded to drive it into the top of the shell where the fuse would have been, to demonstrate
how easily it would go all the way through.
Well, it only went 1/2 inch with resistance.
I'll be picking it up next week AFTER it's defused. OMG already!
Was lollygagging around some relic and antique shops and stopped in this one I had been in a few centuries ago.
After asking the owner what he had, he pulled out this really nice looking shell, and gave me a price and I told him I'd take it.
We started discussing the safety of these things, and he proceeded to tell me this one was perfectly safe and had been unloaded.
Then he LOOKED at it. He said it was the type with the wood fuse and water would have found its way inside, so no problem with safety.
To prove it, he (gasp) took a steel screwdriver and a hammer and proceeded to drive it into the top of the shell where the fuse would have been, to demonstrate
how easily it would go all the way through.
Well, it only went 1/2 inch with resistance.
I'll be picking it up next week AFTER it's defused. OMG already!