is there no limit to the amount of the Power that someone using one of the keys, can use? it mentions that rand got close to being burned out, but never how much one could draw. say LTT or Ishmael got at the male Key... or both linked? or even a circle? or like when rand and asmodien were fighting over it? is there a buffer on it (like all other Angeral)? or can one just draw so much that it consumes them and the rest of the world?

The actual CK have no buffer.  That's one of the reasons they needed the access keys.

 

There is a limit.  The female Choeden Kal was destroyed during the cleansing, and that was just Rand forming the conduit out of saidin and Nynaeve pouring saidar through it as fast as it would go.

There is a buffer using the ter'angreal Access Keys. I doubt it is limitless though, if it was limitless the Female Choedan Kal on Tremalking wouldn't have melted from overuse. I think the limit is the point where the materials or the weaves that made the Choedan Kal fail and is destroyed. Since the male Choedan Kal wasn't destroyed, yet it used much more Power, I think the female CK was a poorer quality build.

 

EDIT: Bob posted while I was typing.

Did the female choeden kal melt? I thought it was just the access key for the female choeden kal that melted. Were we ever shown the choeden kal on Tremalking after it started glowing and the group I can't think of the name for decided their prophecy had been fulfilled?

Yes.

 

There's nothing there now but a hole-in-the-ground.

 

The access key didn't melt, but it did fracture.

Did the female choeden kal melt?

yea, the great hand in tremaking...

The female Choeden Kal was destroyed during the cleansing, and that was just Rand forming the conduit out of saidin and Nynaeve pouring saidar through it as fast as it would go.

 

Other way around. Conduit=Saidar, Saidin was cleansed.

Also, the hole in the ground is where Shadar Logoth was, not where the Choden Kal was-as mentioned, that was Tremalking. The only sa'angreal with no buffer is Callandor-Cadsuane tells Rand about it

Also, the hole in the ground is where Shadar Logoth was, not where the Choden Kal was-as mentioned, that was Tremalking. The only sa'angreal with no buffer is Callandor-Cadsuane tells Rand about it

 

There was a hole after the female CK on Tremalking as well. Or to use the wording from the books, a deep hollow in the hill where it just to be.

Yes but the rest of the land of Tremalking is still as it was-I thought they were saying it was Tremalking that was utterly destroyed. Never mind, my error

The only sa'angreal with no buffer is Callandor-Cadsuane tells Rand about it

 

Well, technically yes that is correct--though it is true that the Choedan Kal alone have no direct buffer in them--without the Access Keys they could not be used by anyone, it is the Access Keys that serve as the buffer.

 

Indeed, thought that was obvious, otherwise would have said so myself. I wonder if Rand will use CK and Callandor at the same time, t'would be good to see. Although it is unlikely as he has said several times that he is scared of that much Power

Some people miss the subtlty of it, especially since Verin's comment in tGH seems to directly contradict it. Sorry if I overstepped myself, was just trying to be helpful.

Indeed, thought that was obvious, otherwise would have said so myself. I wonder if Rand will use CK and Callandor at the same time, t'would be good to see. Although it is unlikely as he has said several times that he is scared of that much Power

I think he said that next to the Choden'Kal Callandor was practally nothing.

I think the female Choden Kal melted because Saidar did more work than saidin during the cleansing. After all, saidar formed the conduit and had to hold together while saidin passed through, so it is reasonable that the female statue broke. However, i'm sure that RJ could have written the story such that the male choden kal also melted. He didnt though. Do u really think that Rand is going to go wielding the male choden Kal at Tarmon Gaidon? Many people think that, but I would be sort of dissapointed if that did happen because it is so easily expected. Sort of off the topic but I  wanted to say this anyways, sorry guys.

More saidin was used than Saidar. My guess is the the strain of constraining saidin, or perhaps the Taint as it was seeping out, was the cause of the meltdown.