On Sun, 8 Oct 1995, Harmon Seaver wrote:

> 
>     Geez -- you guys sound like a bunch of old ladies. Thermite is a useful
> tool, is widely available, and is not explosive. It burns very hot. You can
> buy it at gun shows, plain or loaded into 12ga. shotgun shells. All this 
> warning stuff is nonsense. Gasoline is more dangerous. Don't drive your car
> it has a gas tank full with enough explosive power to wipe out a house if
> set off, eh?
>     Besides that, thermite is just plain fun. And it isn't really all that
> easy to ignite. 
> 
> -- 
> Harmon Seaver 
> hseaver@csd.uwm.edu
> hseaver@nyx.cs.du.edu
> seaverh@vaxa.cis.uwosh.edu
> harmon@buffett.engr.wisc.edu
> 
> All is impermanent -- and this too shall pass away.
>                             
> 
Well Mr. Harmon Seaver you sound like an extremely young and 
inexperienced person indeed.  Having been able to actualy use and deal 
with thermite in the Army Chemical Corps I can assure you that "Just 
plain fun" is a very naive and dangerous attitude indeed.  While not easy 
to ignite it is impossible to extinguish therein being the real danger.  
Throwing water on burning thermite will cause an explosion not unlike 
gasoline.  The only thing I've seen that can stop thermite is a chunk of 
the tile that they put on the shuttle to absorb re-entry heat.  This 
stuff is DANGEROUS.  Any man that tells you different is proud of the 
dirt cheap beach front property he bought on the sea of tranquility
Scott
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