Question Belt into Sword (1967 movie)

Through an odd set of consequences I was watching the film The Ambushers . A "Matt Helm" film starring Dean Martin. Four movies were done as pseudo-parodies of the Bond films. In this one, which may be the first western film to feature "power suits" similar to the thing from Aliens, at one point late in the movie Matt pulls off his belt and gets it wet. The belt stiffens into a "sword," it's really blunt, but sword shaped. After seeing this, I remembered the scene where Jericho is going to turn his belt into a sword, and wondered if Diane had seen the movie (or maybe read the books, although that may not have been in the book).

She might have also been referencing Ranma 1/2 where Ryoga turns his belt into a sword and cuts down a tree with it (and later accidentally gives Akane her trademark short haircut with it).

Considering how many old movies she has referenced in TSRoAM, I would say that there is a fair chance that she has seen this one.

I actually saw a commercial for a similar item in the 1990's, don't recall exactly when. The belt did not turn into a sword, there was a flexible sword inside the belt that could be removed. It was fairly stiff in the strong direction of the blade, i.e. the depth or height but quite flexible in the weak direction, the thickness. Don't know how good it would be against a real sword, but it would certainly be frightening to someone who was unarmed.

amratner wrote: I actually saw a commercial for a similar item in the 1990's, don't recall exactly when. The belt did not turn into a sword, there was a flexible sword inside the belt that could be removed. It was fairly stiff in the strong direction of the blade, i.e. the depth or height but quite flexible in the weak direction, the thickness. Don't know how good it would be against a real sword, but it would certainly be frightening to someone who was unarmed.

I've heard tale of several swords going soft after their first use only to be revived with the help of another member. But with the advent of science and the use of a miracle product they say the sword could be inflated for hours on end although for some it could cause death as it swayed to and from without being sheathed. So for this the scientist had created a warning label. Not to be used without caution as it may cause death when stroked. Tho there were not many willing to put the label on the sword as it had to be removed most painfully when the sword did deflate on its own once expired.

Well that's what the scientist claimed when it was in testing.

amratner wrote: I actually saw a commercial for a similar item in the 1990's, don't recall exactly when. The belt did not turn into a sword, there was a flexible sword inside the belt that could be removed. It was fairly stiff in the strong direction of the blade, i.e. the depth or height but quite flexible in the weak direction, the thickness. Don't know how good it would be against a real sword, but it would certainly be frightening to someone who was unarmed.

Like this one?

From seeing the video, two things spring to mind:

1. The guy didn't slip the belt through the belt loops in his pants, and his "quick draw" would probably be impossible if the had done so. So, while it may be mildly useful as a hidden weapon, it strikes me as pretty useless as a belt.

2.This must also be pretty uncomfortable to wear, no matter what the announcer says: real belts are soft and accommodates itself to the contours of one's body. This is springy (so it will try to approximate a circle, which is *not* the shape of one's waist unless one is pretty fat) and flexible only in one dimension. It would be like having a long, thin ruler wrapped around your waist, with the border digging into your hips at every move.

Just to take the concept back a bit further, Operator #5 in the 30's pulps had a belt that could become a sword as well. And we know inventors dive into old pulps for ideas...