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megalomania
June 17th, 2003, 08:16 PM
Fallout85
Frequent Poster
Posts: 55
From: U.S.
Registered: MAY 2001
posted 06-13-2001 08:18 PM
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Well, I read in Chemistry of Powder and Explosives that the snakes (the little fireworks that are legal everywhere that kids play with) may contain picric acid! Now I don't know if they do today since it is poisonous, but I asked some expert pyros in my town and they've always made it with picric acid. Does anyone know if picric acid is in the ones available to the public? If they do contain picric acid this would be an easy and cheap source for an explosive. A "crate" of snakes (200 boxes of 6 pellets) costs five bucks here. Each pellet contains, if I'm correct about the whole thing, 30 grams of oxidized napthol pitch, 6 grams of oxidized linseed oil, and 10.5 grams of picric acid. Any thoughts?


Fallout85
Frequent Poster
Posts: 55
From: U.S.
Registered: MAY 2001
posted 06-13-2001 09:07 PM
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Ah crap! I hit the wrong button and thought I was sending this to the High Explosives sections. Sorry! If you close it thats fine with me.


CodeMason
Frequent Poster
Posts: 383
From: Your Nightmares
Registered: NOV 2000
posted 06-13-2001 09:15 PM
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I thought snakes were basically just sugar and potassium nitrate, with a mucilage to stick it all together and help make more ash. I would be very surprised if they contained picric acid.


Fallout85
Frequent Poster
Posts: 55
From: U.S.
Registered: MAY 2001
posted 06-13-2001 11:13 PM
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Snakes are black. Is mucilage black? Neither sugar nor potassium nitrate are black, and this is why I ask.


ANTI-SYSTEM
Frequent Poster
Posts: 77
From: FL. USA
Registered: JUN 2001
posted 06-14-2001 12:23 AM
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fallout85: you are talking abou the black tablets the burn slowly into ash. i dont think their banned in the US. its is a high explosive so i dont see y they would use it in an idecenary.