Vibro-weapon question

[Lord Revan]

I have looked at pics of Republic Red Guard's (AKA the Imperial Guard's) force pikes and it that the tip ain't sharp enough to cut anything on it's own, but when the vibro tip is activated it can sever limbs at ease.

So are there any Vibro-based weapons that have cearly blunt surface or is there a certain limit under which they will cut things but not above it?

[Spanky The Dolphin]

Um...force pikes?

Sorry, I think that's pretty much the only example weapon.

[Sharpshooter]

I think it's more or less restricted to blades and such. For blunt trauma, usually the weapon is augmented with some sort of fancy doo-hickey, like a little generator that zaps anything you clobber.

[Darth Sephiroth]

I had thought that a few of the Gamorean axes in ROTJ were also Vibro Axes, or at least the cards said so

[Cykeisme]

Not meaning to throw the thread off, but are "vibro" weapons actually realistic?

I've heard of two ideas behind sci-fi vibro weapons.. one is that the vibrations somehow make it more effective at breaking (cutting) things. I'm not sure whether this one is realistic.
The other is that the weapon heats up due to the vibrations. This sounds silly because it'll be far more efficient to use a resistance heating element to convert electrical (or whatever) energy into heat, AND it's a dumb idea anyway since you'll simply be making your blade softer. It might cause some burns, but it'll be lousy at cutting stuff.


Back on topic, is a force pike in fact a vibro weapon? Or is it some kind of clobber-zapper, like Sharpshooter mentioned?

[Lord Revan]

Back on topic, is a force pike in fact a vibro weapon? Or is it some kind of clobber-zapper, like Sharpshooter mentioned?

it's both in fact, the discharge tip can vibrate to cut things or well discharge an electric shock to somebody

[Cykeisme]

It's both in fact

Ah, okay then.


I continue to wonder about the sense behind vibrating blades, though.

[Lord Revan]

It's both in fact

Ah, okay then.


I continue to wonder about the sense behind vibrating blades, though.

it must the princible as with electric knives in our world.

[Sharpshooter]

I had thought that a few of the Gamorean axes in ROTJ were also Vibro Axes, or at least the cards said so

I think they have the capability to do so, but the Gammorians seem to prefer to use brute force to slice, so they keep it off. The axes those other guards used supposedly have the capability, also.

it must the princible as with electric knives in our world.

Indeed. Think of it like Homer Simpson carving a Thanksgiving turkey, and substitute the other white meat with that more sentient.

[Darth Sephiroth]

I had thought that a few of the Gamorean axes in ROTJ were also Vibro Axes, or at least the cards said so

I think they have the capability to do so, but the Gammorians seem to prefer to use brute force to slice, so they keep it off. The axes those other guards used supposedly have the capability, also.

Yes, but as none of the vibro-weapons identified are actually used in a fight in the movies. But the Gamoreans, for the most part, prefer to use their own natural strength rather than the vibro abilities of their weapons

[Cykeisme]

Hmm, the electric carving knife concept sounds fine, but I'm pretty sure the specific rationalization behind vibro-weapons' cutting ability was a bit more exotic than that...

[Ford Prefect]

Probably something along the lines of the Progressive weapons of Evangelion and the HF katana in Metal Gear Solid. It's supposed to be able to cut on a molecular level or some such.

[Grandmaster Jogurt]

it must the princible as with electric knives in our world.

Doesn't that only work if the blade is serrated? From what I remember, the vibro-weapons pictured are smooth-bladed. I could easily be misremembering, though.

[Ender]

Not meaning to throw the thread off, but are "vibro" weapons actually realistic?

To a limited degree, yes. Ultrasonic vibrating scapels already exist. But as a portable weapon, the power source and durability aren't there yet.

I've heard of two ideas behind sci-fi vibro weapons.. one is that the vibrations somehow make it more effective at breaking (cutting) things. I'm not sure whether this one is realistic.
The other is that the weapon heats up due to the vibrations. This sounds silly because it'll be far more efficient to use a resistance heating element to convert electrical (or whatever) energy into heat, AND it's a dumb idea anyway since you'll simply be making your blade softer. It might cause some burns, but it'll be lousy at cutting stuff.

My understanding is that they worked like mini chainsaws. Or those powered meat cutters they have at buffet places. Two micro serated halves vibrate past each other at high speeds, cutting as they go.


Back on topic, is a force pike in fact a vibro weapon? Or is it some kind of clobber-zapper, like Sharpshooter mentioned?[/quote]

[Sharpshooter]

According to the EGWT, it's a combination vibro-stun weapon:

The force pike is a two-meter-long pole-arm weapon topped with a charged power tip. Weighing barely seven kilograms, it is light for its size, alowing someone with sufficient training to manipulate the weapon with stuning swiftness. As is typical of other vibroweapons, the force pike's power cell energizes an ultrasonic vibration generator and so produces a distinctive low hum when activated. Conducting circuits that line the pole's interior carry the ultrasonic charge to the power tip, which emits thousands of microscopic vibrations per second. this rapid motion allows the blade to slice effortlessly through stone, metal, and of course flesh and bone. The blade's vibrating action means that even a grazing attack can cause serious lacerations, dismemberment, and other grievous injuries. Even with the generator deactivated, the metal blade is extremily sharp.

A force pike also can be set to release a stu charge, which is delivered as soon as the power tip comes withi four centimeters of the target. This painful shock charge is powerful enough to knock a full-grown Wookiee unconscious.

[Molyneux]

Probably something along the lines of the Progressive weapons of Evangelion and the HF katana in Metal Gear Solid. It's supposed to be able to cut on a molecular level or some such.

Don't know about the katana...but the Progressive knives *are* vibroweapons. Remember the second Angel (I think) that Shinji fought? When he stabbed into the thing's core, it sure as hell wasn't just stabbing. That thing was *sawing*.

[Darth Sephiroth]

Not meaning to throw the thread off, but are "vibro" weapons actually realistic?

To a limited degree, yes. Ultrasonic vibrating scapels already exist. But as a portable weapon, the power source and durability aren't there yet.

I've heard of two ideas behind sci-fi vibro weapons.. one is that the vibrations somehow make it more effective at breaking (cutting) things. I'm not sure whether this one is realistic.
The other is that the weapon heats up due to the vibrations. This sounds silly because it'll be far more efficient to use a resistance heating element to convert electrical (or whatever) energy into heat, AND it's a dumb idea anyway since you'll simply be making your blade softer. It might cause some burns, but it'll be lousy at cutting stuff.

My understanding is that they worked like mini chainsaws. Or those powered meat cutters they have at buffet places. Two micro serated halves vibrate past each other at high speeds, cutting as they go.


Back on topic, is a force pike in fact a vibro weapon? Or is it some kind of clobber-zapper, like Sharpshooter mentioned?

Yes it is a vibro weapon