[DallasBiff]

Can a grenade be deactivated and still be used as a museum piece?

[Nifty]

How would they have known? Did they look to see? I mean I’ve seen dozens of exhibits with this stuff.

[Lazamataz]

I understand grenades can become far more touchy and dangerous with sufficient age.

[clee1]

Yes, greandes are fairly easy to inert.

[Cold_Red_Steel]

Well, inert grenades wouldn’t be historically accurate!

[ProtectOurFreedom]

When I was about 10 years old (1961), Dad gave me a hand grenade lighter. It sure appeared to be made from a real old grenade. I never checked to see if the explosive had been removed.

[TheDon]

Quite an authentic exhibit!

[Carl Vehse]

Because the finding of live grenades in a history museum exhibition collection occurred in Minnesota, it's not all that surprising.

And being it happened in Minnesota, one should not be surprised that the history museum might have no records as to who donated the grenades to be put in the exhibition.

Oh, and being it happened in Minnesota, it's not at all surprising that the KTTC "reporter" did not inquire and report as to how the grenades were found to be "live" and the bomb squad then called.

We should all be grateful that the Bradbury Science Museum is in Los Alamos instead of Minnesota. Otherwise, the bomb squad might have to check to make sure the replicas of Little Boy and Fat Man are not "live".

[mabarker1]

Yes, by removing the Fuse, Powder Charge or Explosive material (depending on the type and age of the grenade) and drilling a hole in the casing.

[CIB-173RDABN]

I always get a little smile when I read these stories about someone finding a grenade and they send out the bomb squad, fire department, and police blocking the entire area before sending in an expert dressed up with a ton of protection.

Why the smile? I think back to the year as an infantryman in Vietnam where I had always had about six grenades hanging off my utility belt walking through the jungle and crossing rivers. I never gave them a moment of thought (until they were needed and they always worked).

FYI - for all those that have never tossed a grenade it is not like Hollywood. There is no big fiery explosion. It is a loud bang blowing debris into the air. The fragments can fly in a radius of up to 60 feet so you want to make sure you can toss it more then that (or be behind some protection). Last point, contrary to what you see in the movie you are not pulling the pin with your teeth, it takes a little effort to pull the pin.

[mairdie]

The Convent of the Guns

Bradley T. Van Deusen, ROTC Cavalry
University of Chicago - The Daily Maroon
Oct 18, 1928

Our clean curved mouths are cold and dead.
Our polished skin is marred.
Our tawny thighs are thick with dirt,
Dinted, cut, and scarred;
Our day is done! But once!
Our open mouths blazed Deaths’ caress
Our tongues with steel were tipped!
Ah! Bitter spinsters were we then
As we slashed and cut and ripped;
Our youth was filled with lovers
All laughing, joyous boys
Who stroked our slim, proud beauty
Their latest, deadly toys.
Then clean and fresh and polished
We went forth with the Dead
The living, lovely happy lads
Whose last touch, dyed us red.
But supplanted like all harlots
By the newer fresher one
We turned to rest and quiet
As our kind have always done,
With a printed tag about our throats
To inform our lovers’ sons
We’re an Ordanance Exhibition
The Convent of the Guns!

El Tigre.