Breaking Bad....Only in America

[Shaggy]

Well I'm glad it was set here because it's my favorite show ever.

It is a good show, but can you tell me this. Why do they waste time stealing methylamine just to make their precursor when they could instead use phenylalanine to make amphetamine as their precursor which results in a far simpler cook (amphetamine + chloromethane + vapourize together = meth), and would mean they don't need to get their hands on any difficult-to-obtain and restricted chemicals? Here's a link. Converting Phe to amphetamine is also very easy, and the whole cook is a lot simpler, and for that matter safer, than a P2P cook. Mr White obviously can't be a very good chemistry teacher if he wants to make meth the hardest imaginable way!

Some one should do a comic of that!

I remember there being a scene where alternative methods are discussed. Idk if they address that in particular, but I know Walter has a very specific way he makes his product, and any other method, whether it be easier or safer or whatever, doesn't produce the quality that he wanted.

[Jackalope]

My dad liked Tommy Tutone...

Now how old do you feel?

Too old.

Get off my lawn. Both of you.

[Cinjin]

But WAIT, I thought the US government had just given us all free health care. O that's right .... what a god damn joke.

[Autumnlicious]

Converting Phe to amphetamine is also very easy, and the whole cook is a lot simpler, and for that matter safer, than a P2P cook. Mr White obviously can't be a very good chemistry teacher if he wants to make meth the hardest imaginable way!

There are a few reasons about the hardest way:
1) Easy to show on TV
2) Easy to detect due to the ingredients

The story-wise explanation may be as follows:
Purification of Phe->amphetamine may require additional passes to purify or does not crystallize as easily/leaves contaminants. As Walt's product spiel is "the purest" meth, any additional time spent to refine from a less controlled source is inviable. Furthermore, the yield amounts may be lower for a Phe->amph conversion or requires rarer catalysts that are easier to watch/track.

Hydrogen is not easy to process and contain in large quantities, for example. Metals are prone to purity issues. Etc, etc,.

[Rev. Rye]

It is a good show, but can you tell me this. Why do they waste time stealing methylamine just to make their precursor when they could instead use phenylalanine to make amphetamine as their precursor which results in a far simpler cook (amphetamine + chloromethane + vapourize together = meth), and would mean they don't need to get their hands on any difficult-to-obtain and restricted chemicals? Here's a link. Converting Phe to amphetamine is also very easy, and the whole cook is a lot simpler, and for that matter safer, than a P2P cook. Mr White obviously can't be a very good chemistry teacher if he wants to make meth the hardest imaginable way!

Some one should do a comic of that!

I remember there being a scene where alternative methods are discussed. Idk if they address that in particular, but I know Walter has a very specific way he makes his product, and any other method, whether it be easier or safer or whatever, doesn't produce the quality that he wanted.

That, and Walt's issues with hubris certainly help explain it; If memory serves, in Season 4, Walt actually talked Hank out of thinking Gale was Heisenberg because he wouldn't let anyone else take credit for his own work.

[Aractus]

Here we go, I suck at drawing but...



Yay my first comic, ever!

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The story-wise explanation may be as follows:
Purification of Phe->amphetamine may require additional passes to purify or does not crystallize as easily/leaves contaminants.

A P2P cook, which is what Walt does from season 2 on, only produces at the very best 50% pure meth (50% d-meth, 50% l-meth), and thus it requires additional purification to yield his mythical 99% d-meth. Using the other precursors (ephedrine or amphetamine) never produces l-meth so purity shouldn't be a problem. FYI there is no way to instantly test the purity as depicted in the show, although you can certainly test it.

[wolf39us]

You've heard that song too, and you're four years younger than me?

My dad liked Tommy Tutone...

Now how old do you feel?

I like Tommy Tutone... I'm 28.

But I grew up with 80's music (my dad is about 47 now)

[My imaginary friend is GOD]

I like Tommy Tutone... I'm 28.

But I grew up with 80's music (my dad is about 47 now)

*Scoffs*
My dad raised me on COOL 80s music like Ozzy Osbourne and shit. (He's 53. I'm 23.)

[wolf39us]

*Scoffs*
My dad raised me on COOL 80s music like Ozzy Osbourne and shit. (He's 53. I'm 23.)

Woah there... Maybe I should reiterate... My mom was into Tommy Tutone.

My dad on the other hand was into Black Sabbath and Motley Crue and shit... which I also love! :-)


matter of fact, have at it.

My playlist that was influenced by Dad: https://play.spotify.com/user/126561011/...t2RvSlxpm6
My playlist that was influenced by Mom: https://play.spotify.com/user/126561011/...YYEOx3rNm9

[Aractus]

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Oh the comic is inaccurate! He actually cooks meth to leave wealth for his family after he is gone, not so that he can get treatment for his cancer.