window shattering tool

[rh71]

You know, for those emergency situations where you end up either upside down unable to open the door or in the river. But after receiving it, there's a disclaimer that says it will not shatter laminated windows. I recall seeing ads from window tinting companies showing that thieves cannot shatter your window if you do tint. How true-to-life is this? A quick perusal of the comments in the product link shows no mention about tint.

The product: http://www.amazon.com/ResQMe-Keycha...0EZO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328299997&sr=8-1

The tint film: Suntek Carbon

The realization: maybe that's another reason they don't let us tint the front windows here... so we can survive driving into the Hudson River.

 

[jlee]

The tool's disclaimer is referring to laminated glass (like windshields). If you see a broken windshield, notice how it breaks into a huge mess of cracks but stays intact:

Compared to a broken side window, which just shatters:

 

[kornphlake]

Window tint may hold the shattered pieces together somewhat, but if you break the window on the door of a car, even with tint you should be able to push it out of the track once it's broken, if the water pressing in on the vehicle doesn't do it for you.

 

[Perryg114]

All you need is a spring loaded center punch to break auto glass. You may have to pop it more than once to get to the second pane in auto glass.

http://www.harborfreight.com/spring-loaded-center-punch-621.html

Perry

 

[exdeath]

Windshields are laminated standard glass. They cant be tempered glass because you'd risk obscuring visibility or cause a safety hazard from a simple rock chip on the freeway. All other windows are tempered glass, like used in desks and entertainment centers.

Tint is nothing. Once the glass is shattered you can just push it out like food wrap.

 

[mpo]

Yep, the local fire department uses a center punch to break tempered side and rear glass. They use a sawzall to cut through the laminated windshield.

 

[JulesMaximus]

My elbow works well enough.

 

[JulesMaximus]

All you need is a spring loaded center punch to break auto glass. You may have to pop it more than once to get to the second pane in auto glass.

http://www.harborfreight.com/spring-loaded-center-punch-621.html

Perry

What second pane? Auto glass isn't dual pane, only the windshield is laminated so that won't shatter but the side and rear glass will shatter into a million pieces quite easily.

 

[manimal]

What if that thing goes off in your front pocket. If your a manlet that may not be scary.

 

[bbs lm-r]

All you need is a spring loaded center punch to break auto glass. You may have to pop it more than once to get to the second pane in auto glass.

http://www.harborfreight.com/spring-loaded-center-punch-621.html

Perry

I've never been in that type of situation (knock on wood), nor do I hope to be any time soon, but I don't think I'd wanna cheap out with a HF tool in a life/death situation.

HF tools have their place no doubt, just not there IMO.

 

[MotF Bane]

Can't you do it with a key through your fist, or some other vaguely pointed hard object?

 

[Throckmorton]

Can't you do it with a key through your fist, or some other vaguely pointed hard object?

What pointy hard object do you keep in your car? If you try to break a window with your fist, you will fail. Kicking might work.

 

[JulesMaximus]

What if that thing goes off in your front pocket. If your a manlet that may not be scary.

Everything is scary when you're a manlet... or so I've heard.

 

[janas19]

Window-shattering tool: open-source drivers

 

[ThatsABigOne]

I think it would be fun just to go to a scrap yard and try different methods of breaking the tempered glass.

 

[pcgeek11]

My elbow works well enough.

Not underwater.

 

[Ferzerp]

Not underwater.

Actually, underwater, a window would be under more stress, and be slightly easier to break.

I still wouldn't try it with an elbow though.

It's worth noting, that as soon as the water covers the inside of a given door, it will open right up though, so this is one of those weird fears. It's not as bad as fan death, but it's still a really odd scenario.

 

[Bartman39]

I think it would be fun just to go to a scrap yard and try different methods of breaking the tempered glass.

Here is one for those that would like to try it...

Get a reg spark plug and break the ceramic and pick out a little chunk of it and throw it against the tempered glass you have a sample of... You will be highly surprised as the little piece of spark plug with do the trick... Be sure to stand back a bit as the piece of glass will "pop" and kinda explode and possibly back at you...

I would guess you could fashion you a little hammer and use the ceramic piece as the head...?

 

[MotF Bane]

What pointy hard object do you keep in your car? If you try to break a window with your fist, you will fail. Kicking might work.

pointy hard object.. Like a key.



.

 

[IcePickFreak]

Here is one for those that would like to try it...

Get a reg spark plug and break the ceramic and pick out a little chunk of it and throw it against the tempered glass you have a sample of... You will be highly surprised as the little piece of spark plug with do the trick... Be sure to stand back a bit as the piece of glass will "pop" and kinda explode and possibly back at you...

I would guess you could fashion you a little hammer and use the ceramic piece as the head...?

Yup that will definitely do it. Years back we had a group of kids around here going around breaking peoples windows with just that, the ceramic insulator from spark plugs. They weren't stealing anything either, just breaking peoples windows.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Window-shattering tool: open-source drivers

 

[pcgeek11]

Actually, underwater, a window would be under more stress, and be slightly easier to break.

I still wouldn't try it with an elbow though.

It's worth noting, that as soon as the water covers the inside of a given door, it will open right up though, so this is one of those weird fears. It's not as bad as fan death, but it's still a really odd scenario.

No it wouldn't.

 

[exdeath]

pointy hard object.. Like a key.



.

Lol not happening

 

[exdeath]

No it wouldn't.

This. Harder to break. Like an egg shell or submarine hull, the water pressure on the convex side of the window is reinforcing it and dampening any shock to the glass.

 

[SonicIce]

mythbusters already did it