# Episode of "Ripley's BION" - What was this fluid? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 10, 2012, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episode-of-ripleys-bion-what-was-this-fluid/637282 "2012-10-10T04:16:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RearEchelon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@RearEchelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RearEchelon)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episode-of-ripleys-bion-what-was-this-fluid/637282/1 "2012-10-10T04:16:45Z")
A few years ago, on “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not” they had a guest who brought with him some sort of yellow-brownish fluid. He soaked a small round cotton pad with this fluid, then once it dried he used nothing but this pad as a link in a chain to lift a car with a crane. He then donned a suit of “armor” that was made from/with this fluid and allowed two men to beat him with baseball bats, to no effect. He then stood in front of a brick wall and allowed the crane operator to swing the aforementioned car into him, knocking him through the wall - again, to no effect. He wasn’t hurt, and the cotton pad was not damaged. Does anyone remember this? Does anyone know the man’s name, or what the fluid was made of? Or even if it was real? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episode-of-ripleys-bion-what-was-this-fluid/637282/2 "2012-10-10T12:08:32Z")
It sounds like this guy: > **[Troy Hurtubise](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_Hurtubise)** > > Troy James Hurtubise (November 23, 1963 – June 17, 2018) was a Canadian inventor and conservationist, noted for self-testing his often bizarre creations. These inventions included various ray generators, firepaste (an ablative heatproofing material), the Ursus personal armour suit and the Trojan Ballistics Suit of Armor. > Born in Hamilton, Ontario, he moved to North Bay and later died in a vehicle collision west of there on June 17, 2018. > Hurtubise built a metal suit for protection from grizz... ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episode-of-ripleys-bion-what-was-this-fluid/637282/3 "2012-10-10T12:25:52Z")
Probably was. [This](http://www.tv.com/shows/ripleys-believe-it-or-not/episode-8-232177) says he was on Ripley’s in season 1 episode 8: > [@](#): > > Indestructible Man > Troy Hurtubise, nature photographer, has created an indestructible suit that can resist any form of punishment. His latest creation is a new formula that when applied, makes anything 50 times stronger than steel. ---
**Author:** ![Furious\_Marmot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dfb087/32.png) [@Furious\_Marmot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Furious_Marmot)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episode-of-ripleys-bion-what-was-this-fluid/637282/4 "2012-10-10T16:25:06Z")
Judging from the wiki article, he’s a garden-variety crank. ---
**Author:** ![Blakeyrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blakeyrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blakeyrat)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episode-of-ripleys-bion-what-was-this-fluid/637282/5 "2012-10-10T22:50:41Z")
> [@Furious\_Marmot](#): > > Judging from the wiki article, he’s a garden-variety crank. He’s a really interesting guy. Watch the documentary about his life, [Project Grizzly](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Grizzly), and you’ll… well you might still think he’s a crank, but you’ll respect him. And he did produce a series of very, very good armored suits on a very, very small budget. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episode-of-ripleys-bion-what-was-this-fluid/637282/6 "2012-10-10T23:11:47Z")
> [@Furious\_Marmot](#): > > Judging from the wiki article, he’s a garden-variety crank. He’a very entertaining crank. It’s really funney to watch him get knocked over in his bear suit and see that he has no way of getting up. This guy is a real life Far Side character. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episode-of-ripleys-bion-what-was-this-fluid/637282/7 "2012-10-10T23:16:05Z")
Has he ever actually tested the bear suit against a bear? ---
**Author:** ![RearEchelon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@RearEchelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RearEchelon)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episode-of-ripleys-bion-what-was-this-fluid/637282/8 "2012-10-11T00:05:22Z")
Thank you all - that’s the guy. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episode-of-ripleys-bion-what-was-this-fluid/637282/9 "2012-10-11T02:49:35Z")
> [@Indistinguishable](#): > > Has he ever actually tested the bear suit against a bear? He has. Read his wikipedia page where it mentions that he regretted cheaping out on the chain mail! ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episode-of-ripleys-bion-what-was-this-fluid/637282/10 "2012-10-11T02:56:53Z")
So his 1313 paste sounds pretty amazing: “In the tests, the material successfully blocked explosive charges greater than those of a rocket propelled grenade, although they were not shaped charges, and was able to block shot after shot on exactly the same point of impact by a sniper rifle (which is a feat no material in use by the U.S. nor any other military has matched in public demonstrations)” Why isn’t it being used anywhere? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episode-of-ripleys-bion-what-was-this-fluid/637282/11 "2012-10-11T03:18:36Z")
> [@coremelt](#): > > So his 1313 paste sounds pretty amazing: > “In the tests, the material successfully blocked explosive charges greater than those of a rocket propelled grenade, although they were not shaped charges, and was able to block shot after shot on exactly the same point of impact by a sniper rifle (which is a feat no material in use by the U.S. nor any other military has matched in public demonstrations)” > > Why isn’t it being used anywhere? I assume because those claims aren’t true. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episode-of-ripleys-bion-what-was-this-fluid/637282/12 "2012-10-11T06:24:47Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I assume because those claims aren’t true. They’re pretty obviously untrue just by their nature - a liquid that makes anything 50 times stronger than steel. - there’s just something about claims like this that should automatically trigger skepticism. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episode-of-ripleys-bion-what-was-this-fluid/637282/13 "2012-10-11T12:04:13Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > They’re pretty obviously untrue just by their nature - a liquid that makes anything 50 times stronger than steel. - there’s just something about claims like this that should automatically trigger skepticism. Oh, dang! I’m glad I kept the receipt. ---
**Author:** ![FluffyBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@FluffyBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FluffyBob)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episode-of-ripleys-bion-what-was-this-fluid/637282/14 "2012-10-11T13:14:07Z")
> [@Indistinguishable](#): > > Has he ever actually tested the bear suit against a bear? Of course he did. Hilarity ensues. And again. And again. You can’t stop this guy. There is no word to describe his peculiar level of Genius-idiot because there has never been a poet or comedian creative enough to imagine such a ridiculous person. You have to watch the previously mentioned film. ---
**Author:** ![busterpickle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@busterpickle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/busterpickle)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episode-of-ripleys-bion-what-was-this-fluid/637282/15 "2012-10-12T02:43:46Z")
> [@FluffyBob](#): > > Of course he did. Hilarity ensues. And again. And again. You can’t stop this guy. There is no word to describe his peculiar level of Genius-idiot because there has never been a poet or comedian creative enough to imagine such a ridiculous person. You have to watch the previously mentioned film. I second this statement. At first I was like, oh god, this is gonna suck. Then, about 8 minutes in… with the log test, it begins… ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episode-of-ripleys-bion-what-was-this-fluid/637282/16 "2012-10-12T04:18:28Z")
The Wikipedia article is hysterical. Some gems > [@](#): > > Hurtubise experienced an epiphany while watching RoboCop in his college dorm > [@](#): > > the 545-kg (1200-lb) male Kodiak bear began tearing apart the chainmail. This made clear to Hurtubise that using less expensive butcher’s chainmail from France instead of shark chainmail was not the best decision > [@](#): > > Hurtubise keeps the list of ingredients for his concoction secret, but during a segment aired on Discovery Channel’s daily news show Daily Planet, he revealed one secret to be Diet Coke