Getting PETN from det cord

[Teck]

I was wondering whats the best way to get PETN from det cords?

What I was thinking is cutting the det cord open with a sharp razer blade, but thats time consuming. And mabey someone has a better idea of doing it.

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Ideas are more powerful than guns. We would not let people have guns ...why should we let them have ideas?
--Joseph Stalin
(and thats what todays governments try to do is brain wash everyone)

[Anthony]

I've never actually handled the stuff so this may be well off, but how about inserting a little wad of tissue paper into a free and pushing it through with a rod? The PETN should come out of the other end in a sausage.

[richl261]

wouldn't it be more fun if you wrapped the det cord around a tree, or say, a car and detonated it? http://theforum.virtualave.net/ubb/smilies/smile.gif

[BoB-]

Detcord is already an explosive man, unless your looking to make plastique I dont see a point.

[ST]

det cord contains threads throughout it to keep the explosive in place, so you cant push it out.
It also keeps the explosive at a low density, so at best itll give around 7000ms.
Ive split the stuff out to make small shaped charges and it takes fucking ages.

[Anthony]

Thanks for pointing that out ST, how about a solvent then?

[Teck]

I need the PETN for boosters. Also if I wrap the det cord around a 7" tree about 6 or 8 times, it cuts the tree right off. Too bad I dont have digital camera. However I have it on 8mm video cassette, and when I run it in slow motion the explosion is so fast you cant see the clean explosion, its all blurry.
Also the det cord is like 1/4" thick and about less then 1/8" of it is PETN. What I was thinking is soaking it in nitromethane or some other strong solvent and getting it out this way. The cutting it open method is really slow and really annoying.

[BoB-]

Just duct tape a few 3" long peices of Detcord to the detonator then stick the thing in a plastic bag.
This should work okay for a booster, its not my idea though, I read it in Ragnar Benson's mortar book.

[This message has been edited by BoB- (edited May 27, 2001).]

[SATANIC]

the detcord would work as a perfect booster. maybe wrap it around the detonator, it should detonate really easily, and provide a good boost. Is it only PETN in detcord? i thought there was RDX in there as well.

[Teck]

Most det cords contain only PETN rdx has a slower speed.

[cutefix]

Hello Teck,there is also a military type of detonating cord that contains RDX in its core,it can be noticed because there is a color coding for it,its yellowish in color.RDX should had a higher velocity of detonation than PETN.If it appears in the det cord that it may have slightly lower velocity it may have something to do with the binder quantity and type or maybe made to be so because military specs are for more tolerance in extreme field conditions.RDX is known to be slightly lesser than PETN in sensitivity to shock.

[CodeMason]

RDX has a lower VoD than PETN.

[the freshmaker]

PETN: 8400 m/s

RDX: 8750 m/s

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good boy with bad ideas

[Mekap]

"Using a razor blade, cut detonating cord lengthwise and remove the center filler (P.E.T.N.). Approximately 1/2 pound of P.E.T.N. can be removed per 100 feet of detonating cord."
That was taken from a special operations field manaul for the U.S. Army. I have not this myself but can assure you this would be the best way. And its funny how the military field manual describes a few procedures with det cord, but there is no mention of this elusive R.D.X. det cord.
Does it really exist?

[Teck]

Thats what I did with my det cord is cut it lenghtwise. I was amazed by how much PETN I got out of 10 ft of detcord. Also the PETN is as fine as flour. What Im thinking in doing for my blasting caps is filling a vial 1/2 full with PETN and fill the rest with AP the tube is 20mm dia. x 150mm long, so I think it should be good for my ANNM plastique and regular ANNM. I dont like pressing AP but I think Ill press PETN. http://plauder-smilies.de/yellows/dozey.gif

[Mekap]

Another route you may have overlooked is semtex, providing you can produce RDX. If possible I would fully recomend semtex as it has nearly the same power as military C4 but is slightly more sensitive, which means you can detonate it with a comercial detonator (no booster required). You mentioned making acetone peroxide, even a novice chemist that has made AP a few times without injuring themselves is quite capable of taking a step up to RDX as it is a safer procedure and product. Semtex consists exactly of PETN, RDX and a small amount of vegetable oil.
Have you ever heard of counter force charges, If I were you I would reserch it and keep your det cord in one piece, as it is a very valuble explosive that cant be replaced in certain situations (like counter force charges).

[cutefix]

Counterforce charges is one form of breaching charges listed in Explosives and Demolition extract:http://instant.punk.net/text/FIELDMAN.TXT using detonating cord to simultaneously initiate opposite charges.I think it is not right towaste such a valuable explosive device as detonating cord.

[TylerDurden]

You don't need a booster for setting ANNM off!. Slightly less than 1 gram of (moderateley) pressed AP will suffice (if you don't want to press it, just use more (filling that tube of 20mm diameter and 150mm lenght will sure be enough!)).
So cutting det cord is a waste! Even if you wanted to use the PETN for making Semtex, because ANNM is a very powerful/brisant explosive that comes close to semtex (I think using 10-20% more ANNM intead of Semtex will give the same results).

[This message has been edited by TylerDurden (edited May 31, 2001).]

[Mr Cool]

If you want to get it out, cut the det. cord into bits a few inches long, and cover them in hot acetone. This will dissolve out the PETN, and then you can just strain out the plastic.
the freshmaker: when you posted those VoD's of RDX and PETN, you didn't mention density. The RDX could have been more compressed.

[the freshmaker]

sorry I forgot.
RDX: 8750 m/s 1,82 g/cm3
PETN 8400 m/s 1,77 g/cm3

please correct me if I'm wrong with this!

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good boy with bad ideas

[ogi]

wrapping lead around det cord is handy as it will cut even aesier through what ever your trying to cut

[SATANIC]

why ogi?

[Cricket]

Well, when det cord explodes, it is mostly gas and some plastic. When you wrap lead arround it, it converts much of its energy to the lead and the lead is much much more dense than the air so it has much more kinetic energy than the air and plastic would. If that makes any sense. It is like shooting a potato gun with just air in it, then shooting it with a potato in it. That's it. And I heard that you can buy det cord with out a license or anything because it is not concidered an explosive, just like fuze. I want to make a couple shaped charges and re-arm a couple more grenades and don't want to use peroxides (that's all I can make now) so my only other option really was det cord (except maybe the grenade, I might could use AN in there). Well where can I get this at and is there an age restriction? Any price estimates? Thanks.

[PYRO500]

Det cord is dangerous and is restricted from the public, so you won't find it in stores

[Mr Cool]

Cricket: fuse IS considered an explosive, class 1.4S IIRC.
Det cord has all the restrictions that C-4 would have. End user statement needed, explosives authorisation certificate needed, good reason for having it needed! Basically I don't think normal people can get it.

[Cricket]

Fuckin' shit. I was sure I read that somewhere though, oh well. I sure had my panties in a wad though, thats some good shit! And one more thing, I heard you could buy explosives and accessories in Mexico (on the black market). Is that true? Are they generally safe, stable, and so on. I just basically want some fuze, detonators, and boosters (for AN). If I want a big bang, I will use AN, and if I just want some crackers or little shit like that I use AP. Sure is basic, but it works! I haven't used AN yet, but I have used a lot of AP (a pineapple grenade's worth packed quiet tight, excellent results!). Well thanks for the info anyway http://theforum.virtualave.net/ubb/smilies/smile.gif.

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"You will not be taught the knowledge you seek, you must teach yourself." - Megalomania