Re: Tool Steel's

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: Ed Phillips <evp@xxxxxxxxxxx>

Hey Glen...

"oxidation" is going to occur on any type of metal used in a spark 
gap...   the reason we use copper is for the cooling properties and 
electrical conductivity. Other metals cool alot slower than copper 
and eventually will become hot enough to maintain an arc alot longer 
then copper. The voltages used in a sparkgap are high enough to 
destroy almost anything conductive ( not too sure about diamonds tho) 
save the money and use the copper  :)

Scot D"

   Many of the spark gaps used in "wireless telegraphy" had 
electrodes made of zinc.  Don't know its relative merits but copper 
was probably no more expensive so "there must have been a reason" - maybe.

Ed