132 Improvised Black Powder

eZine lover (@eZine)

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Jolly Rogers Cookbook Version

 · 4 years ago

  

Improvised Black Powder                             by the Jolly Roger 

     Black powder can be prepared in a simple, safe manner. It may be used as  
blasting or gun powder. 

Material Required 
----------------- 

Potassium Nitrate, granulated, 3 cups (3/4 liter) 
Wood charcoal, powdered, 2 cups 
Sulfur, powdered, 1/2 cup 
Alcohol, 5 pints (2-1/2 liters) (whiskey, rubbing alcohol, etc.) 
Water, 3 cups (3/4 liter) 
Heat source 
2 buckets - each 2 gallon (7-1/2 litres) capacity, at least one of which is  
     heat resistant (metal, ceramic, etc.) 
Flat window screening, at least 1 foot (30 cm) square 
Large wooden stick 
Cloth, at leat 2 feet (60 cm) square 

Procedure: 
--------- 

1) Place alcohol in one of the buckets. 
2) Place potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur in the heat resistant  
bucket. Add 1 cup water and mix thoroughly with wooden stick until all  
ingrediants are dissolved. 
3) Add remaining water (2 cups) to mixture. Place bucket on heat source and  
stir until small bubbles begin to form. 

CAUTION: DO NOT boil mixture. Be sure ALL mixture stays wet. If any is dry,  
as on sides of pan, it may ignite! 

4) Remove bucket from heat and pour mixture into alcohol while stirring  
vigorously. 
5) Let alcohol mixture stand about 5 minutes. Strain mixture through cloth to  
obtain black powder. Discard liquid. Wrap cloth around black powder and  
squeeze to remove all excess liquid. 
6) Place screening over dry bucket. Place workable amount of damp powder on  
screen and granulate by rubbing solid through screen. NOTE: If granulated  
particles appear to stick together and change shape, recombine entire batch  
of powder and repeat steps 5 & 6. 
7) Spread granulated black powder on flat, dry surface so that layer about  
1/2 inch (1-1/4 cm) is formed. Allow to dry. Use radiator, or direct  
sunlight. This should be dried as soon as possible, preferably in an hour.  
The longer the drying period, the less effective the black powder. 

CAUTION: Remove from heat AS SOON AS granules are dry. Black powder isnow  
ready to use.