Rod.
I was about 4 years old when I first introduced myself to the exciting world of electricity.
My parents had given me a Punkinhead desk lamp for my room, which always had to be on when I went to bed. For some long lost reason one day, I decided I wanted to cut the plug off the end of the cord. I knew enough that the cord would be a tough cut but I was sure Mum's prized Sheffield Steel Dress Making Shears would be up to the task. I also figured I would need both hands on the shears to be successful, so leaving the plug in the wall socket seemed a logical thing to free up both hands. I had also thought through that since I was making sure the lamp was turned off, no electricity could possibly be involved in the activity.
The flash and the bang were spectacular! A funny tingling raced up my arms and the shears went flying to the back of the room and a scorched metal smell lingered in the air. When I retrieved Mum's shears, a neat arc had been burned out of one of the blades, the same diameter as one of the cord conductors. Needless to say, putting them back where they belonged and playing dumb and stupid didn't work.
Cheers,
David
PS: I am betting that lamp would be worth a fortune today in original condition.
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