Re:Exploding Bolts (Score 1)

You also hit on the key reason such a mechanism was never used...the forces involved. Think about it...BY DEFINITION, the bolt (retaining pin, whatever) MUST be EXTREMELY difficult to seperate/remove. If not, it wouldn't withstand the forces involved. Of course, we have a situation where, at a precise moment in time, we want to "remove" the bolt...suddenly. Catch-22. Bolt needs to withstand incredible forces without budging, but at time X, needs to be easily and quickly removable. Simply put...the mechanism that could yank the bolt out would be bulky, expensive, difficult (if not impossible) to engineer and, as you said, prone to failure....making the "exploding bolt" idea an elegant solution in its simplicity.