PrismCoin: 3d etching BTC address in Crystal

[deepceleron]

If you want a lasting material go with tungsten.

Melting point is significantly higher than structure fires, it is non reactive in most environments, and has high toughness.

=

Laser engrave private keys on a tungsten bucking bar. The bank can burn down around it and it will still be readable.

Which is why I keep a printed copy of the blockchain.

Seems reasonable:

[ElectricMucus]

Well it seems my bitcoin folder is fragmented/and or redundant  

The most secure method would probably be sony HD-MD if that weren't discontinued. MO-Drives are more reliable than DVDs, but for any reasonable effort that is probably the best thing.

[Elwar]

Laser etching it into a diamond that you then make into a wedding ring would be the ultimate sign of love.

The ring could then be passed down generation by generation.

[rjk]

Well it seems my bitcoin folder is fragmented/and or redundant  

The most secure method would probably be sony HD-MD if that weren't discontinued. MO-Drives are more reliable than DVDs, but for any reasonable effort that is probably the best thing.

I have dozens of these. Wanna buy? Only problem is that they are extremely slow when writing data, and limited to 1GB each. I also have an enormous box full of SD-MD discs, and some even have music on them.

[Ente]

Well it seems my bitcoin folder is fragmented/and or redundant 

The most secure method would probably be sony HD-MD if that weren't discontinued. MO-Drives are more reliable than DVDs, but for any reasonable effort that is probably the best thing.

HD-DVD is, as far as I remember, similar technique (magnetooptical). It was designed as a robust backup medium. Eventually several DVD burner wrote all three formats. No idea how it is now, but I am sure it is still widely used in the industry.

Laser engrave private keys on a tungsten bucking bar. The bank can burn down around it and it will still be readable.

*types off the privkey*
*imports into wallet*
*finds 168 BTC*
*sends 168 BTC back home*
*runs off laughing maniacly*

Ente

[thezerg]

Fantasizing about laser engraving on tungsten or diamond is a lot of fun but I've been thinking about really doing this.  Clearly a major issue is that you need to DIY not pay someone else to do it because if you pay someone, you cannot ever quite trust your key.  So it seems to me that the most practical solution is to buy 2 "blank" casascius coins and a hand engraver (about 3 BTC).  Engrave the private key on one, the public on the other and then glue (or maybe solder) them together so the private key is inside.  That would survive most fires... would filling the engraving with solder increase the longevity by stopping rust?

[Ente]

Fantasizing about laser engraving on tungsten or diamond is a lot of fun but I've been thinking about really doing this.  Clearly a major issue is that you need to DIY not pay someone else to do it because if you pay someone, you cannot ever quite trust your key.  So it seems to me that the most practical solution is to buy 2 "blank" casascius coins and a hand engraver (about 3 BTC).  Engrave the private key on one, the public on the other and then glue (or maybe solder) them together so the private key is inside.  That would survive most fires... would filling the engraving with solder increase the longevity by stopping rust?

Now we are talking!
Well, Casascius coins are made of brass, which corrodes relatively easily, and melts around 900°C if I remember right.
Just water won't let brass rust, I think. The quickest way would be to let brass touch some other metal which is either a lot more or a lot less noble than brass (copper and zinc). Have both metals touch water, aka electrolyte, and voila, have a free battery element. The lesser noble metal will dissolve.
Get a small disc (aka coin blank) of stainless steel, engrave the priv key into it, solder it in between two coins. Or in between one coin and a copper backside with a recession.
Bonus points for engraving the firstbits onto the outer side.
De-soldering is easy to get the key, but will be destructive and noticed. Not that it would help a lot at that point, if the cold-coin-wallet is stolen..

You will be able to engrave any metal with a cheap tungsten carbide tip for a dremel. Or just bring everything to a small jeweler's shop or the like. If there isn't a young guy playing on his smartphone behind the counter when you enter, you should be fine. Relatively! :-)

Ente

[jothan]

I was thinking of doing something similar with QR codes and a RepRap 3D printer. Printed ABS should make for a durable and waterproof private or public key token.

[teflone]

Well it seems my bitcoin folder is fragmented/and or redundant 

The most secure method would probably be sony HD-MD if that weren't discontinued. MO-Drives are more reliable than DVDs, but for any reasonable effort that is probably the best thing.

HD-DVD is, as far as I remember, similar technique (magnetooptical). It was designed as a robust backup medium. Eventually several DVD burner wrote all three formats. No idea how it is now, but I am sure it is still widely used in the industry.

Laser engrave private keys on a tungsten bucking bar. The bank can burn down around it and it will still be readable.

*types off the privkey*
*imports into wallet*
*finds 168 BTC*
*sends 168 BTC back home*
*runs off laughing maniacly*

Ente

Jesus!  this made me laugh manicaly..    awesome..  lmao

[deepceleron]

Laser engrave private keys on a tungsten bucking bar. The bank can burn down around it and it will still be readable.

*types off the privkey*
*imports into wallet*
*finds 168 BTC*
*sends 168 BTC back home*
*runs off laughing maniacly*

Ente

Jesus!  this made me laugh manicaly..    awesome..  lmao

Unlikely story: http://blockchain.info/address/1FuLUKEYji8msSWvLcz62jRExWBYkAYxLe

[rjk]

Laser engrave private keys on a tungsten bucking bar. The bank can burn down around it and it will still be readable.

*types off the privkey*
*imports into wallet*
*finds 168 BTC*
*sends 168 BTC back home*
*runs off laughing maniacly*

Ente

Jesus!  this made me laugh manicaly..    awesome..  lmao

Unlikely story: http://blockchain.info/address/1FuLUKEYji8msSWvLcz62jRExWBYkAYxLe

Haha, awesome.

[unclemantis]

Don't forget about AES encryption too!

[randomproof]

I've never used a 3d printer, but would it be possible to print a hollow cube with the private key QR code printed inside?

[byronbb]

I can see some beings or humans in the future unearthing these metal pieces with long strings of numbers and letters trying to figure out what it is.

And being totally unable to figure it out. Imagine the theories. It would be worse than the speculation forum.

[Ente]

I've never used a 3d printer, but would it be possible to print a hollow cube with the private key QR code printed inside?

Now thats a clever idea!
Yes, definitely possible. Most systems an have different materials, for example one "real" ABS building material, and one blank material to fill and support hollow parts or overhangs.
In this case you could not remove the inner fill material, but that wouldn't be a problem anyway.

I like this idea.
However, you could make a similar token by laminating the key between different sheets of paper/plastic, maybe with a hologram or the like as secure top layer? Or something like a scratch card?
..For all the people who don't have a 3D printer yet, anyway.

Ente

[randomproof]

I've never used a 3d printer, but would it be possible to print a hollow cube with the private key QR code printed inside?

Now thats a clever idea!
Yes, definitely possible. Most systems an have different materials, for example one "real" ABS building material, and one blank material to fill and support hollow parts or overhangs.
In this case you could not remove the inner fill material, but that wouldn't be a problem anyway.

I like this idea.
However, you could make a similar token by laminating the key between different sheets of paper/plastic, maybe with a hologram or the like as secure top layer? Or something like a scratch card?
..For all the people who don't have a 3D printer yet, anyway.

Ente

I just figured that the real problem is that no matter how tamper-evident you make a bill or coin (or whatever), someone could open it and then just remake it.