Hi everyone.

This may be a stupid question but I´ll ask it anyway. Modern barbed wire, like the one hanging on the rear of Abrams-tanks in Iraq. What kind if metal is it made of? Does it rust or is it stainless steel?

// Torbjörn

Excellent question. I know the old barbed wire rusted quickly, but the newer stuff (called concertina or even heard it called razor wire) I don't see as rusty. Not an expert but I would lean towards stainless or some non-rusting or rust resistant metal We wouldn't want the bad guys catching tetnus from cutting themselves on rusty wire now would we ? :-)

Absolutely correct, Steve..
Modern "razor wire" (actually a slang term derived from a manufacturers name) is normally made of stainless or galvanized steel...typically the core wire is galvanized and the tape part stainless. Proper terminology is "barbed tape"...great question, mate!
Gunny

Steve & Mark maybe right about the US version of razor wire, but the stuff we have over here gets rusty. I've seen plenty of it. No idea where it's manufactured though.

Dear Torbjörn
Here is the answer:

Like barbed wire, barbed tape is available as either straight wire or concertina wire. Unlike barbed wire, which usually is available only as plain steel or galvanised, barbed tape is also manufactured in stainless steel, to prevent the points from rusting to bluntness. Typically the core wire is galvanised and the tape is stainless, although fully stainless barbed tape is used for expensive permanent installations or underwater usage.

Barbed tape is also characterised by the shape of the barbs. Although there are no formal definitions, typically short barb barbed tape has barbs from 10 mm to 15 mm long, medium barb tape has barbs 20 mm to 25 mm long, and long barb tape has barbs from 60 to 66 mm long. There does not seem to be much available research to indicate whether longer barbs are actually more effective in resisting penetration, but they certainly provide a stronger psychological deterrent.

YOu will find the complete story here
Razor_wire

Enjoy
Seb

Thank you all for your help. And Sebastien, that link you added, it was really good.