Carbon fiber is a hell of a lot stronger than you think. But I know what you're saying MahiMan about feeling it's fragile. I have a carbonfiber knife (handle obviously not blade) and I never use it. It's supposed to be really tough, it was expensive as hell, and the makers of the knife abuse the hell out of it in testing, and it stood up just fine. However, it just feels too light so I only use it to open letters with
. Carbon fiber will break though, just like an oak tree, because what doesn't bend, snaps. Take a look at some of the sailboat masts that are made out of carbon fiber (and we think it's pricey to use on a speargun!!!!). Those masts are strong as hell and they do not flex, but if you push them just over their breaking point they will snap like nobody's business. Wood and metal will bend rather than break...so if you're overloading it you will be able to tell. Carbon fiber on the other hand. You could stress it to within 1lb of it's breaking point and it would look just fine, until WHAMMM. However that breaking point, if the gun maker hasn't thinned out the walls of the barrel to make it more economic, will probably be far beyond what we can do. Titanium is way too flexible a metal to be used for barrels. I've never see one, so I assume that is why. I know that a knife blade made of titanium is a real pain to sharpen because the edge doesn't stay straight. Not that I'm looking for a reason to not buy a carbon gun...my bank account is certainly reason enough...but if any of these excuses work for you then just throw them into the mix too. Personally I really like the wooden guns. If the varnish chips you can sand them down and re-varnish them and the cost is next to nothing. Carbon can chip/flake, and last time I checked I didn't have a 2000lb press in my garage
. Plus I think that wood is just beautiful. If you think that a carbon gun is the coolest looking thing around check out this thread..
http://forums.deeperblue.net/euro-sp...int-heart.html Now that is a pretty looking gun (although at $800 it's not like I'll be picking one up any time soon.
Fun thread though... if anyone can explain how carbon fins flex I'd be interested. Perhaps an additive in the resin?? Kind of goes against everything I've heard about carbon fiber.
