There are plenty more pictures over
on the Kickstarter page, but in short:
In order to get a hacksaw through an object, you have to be able to hold it rigid. Not only has John chosen a particularly infuriating-to-cut alloy (part of the reason they cost so much), but there's also no real way to hold it in place. The lock body rotates freely on the end of the bow.
You could go at it with a bold cutter, of course, but the high end one holds off a 48" bolt cutter, while the sleeker one still holds its own against a 36".
And I would love,
love, to see a thief go at one of these with a grinder, throwing an arc of white-hot titanium sparks in a burning ring around themselves. Sure, you can get through it, but it's probably the least subtle thing you can do.
I'm the designer on the project, not the engineer. That's John, the other guy. I'm the guy behind the camera, the guy making sure there's a simple place to keep the lock, making sure it fits into one's actual bike experience in a way Kryptos don't. But John's really, really excited about the properties of the lock.
I've been using one for about six months, as has another Bike Forums user. We're both really impressed with it mechanically.
At $100 a pop it would only fulfill a niche market but certainly one which is not over saturated.
Well, the $100 is a limited time thing, just for the Kickstarter. I don't think we'll be able to actually retail them for that. If you want one at that price, this is your shot!
Keep in mind also: this is John and me. We're two guys who love biking, engineering, and design. If you guys back this project (and thanks to those of you who are! There are a couple more backers since I first posted this thread!), it's because you want to see this project become real, not just because you want the project. We're just really excited to be able to give back to the people who help us make it real.