Basilisk fang

[David]

No: HPFGUIDX 54139

 Lynda asked:
> > 
> > > ... the Basilisk, ...fang BREAKS OFF in skinny little Harry's 
arm. 
> > > The fang  would ... be ...as big around as Harry's arm ...
> > > So why did it break off?
> > 
> 
Amandageist suggested:
> >  ...edited...
> >  Perhaps the basilisk's fangs are designed beautifully for the
> > "vertical" stress of piercing, but when the "horizontal" stress 
of 
> > a snagged fang occurred (pulling back instead of up), the 
structure 
> > of the tooth was not built for this and could not withstand it.
 
> bboy_mn confirmed:
> 
> Amandageist, I think you've hit on the answer exactly. Let's also
> remember that since this is a tooth that delivers venom, it is 
hollow,
> not solid like a human tooth.

and added some physics.

I believe also that the fangs of venomous snakes are hinged.  They 
are normally folded away in the snake's mouth, and swing down as 
part of the strike.

I guess that must make them very weak to stress which is at an angle 
both to the fang itself and to the direction that the hinge swings: 
that is, stress lateral to the snake's head, which could easily 
occur when the dead Basilisk falls on Harry.

David