Important: Safety Warning
This page contains instructions involving gunpowder or other explosive or pyrotechnic compositions. Preparing explosives as described has caused severe injuries and deaths, and is illegal in most places.
In addition, this page describes trade processes that use dangerously toxic materials such as cyanide solutions, mercury amalgams, or strong acids. These processes require training, equipment, and precautions far beyond what the text describes.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
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Fulminating Mercury
Dis- cific gravity of 1.500. The cotton, when well solve by a gentle heat 100 parts, by weight, saturated, is to be removed and squeezed to of mercury in 100 parts nitric acid of specific repel the excess of acid, and then well washgravity 1.4; and when the solution has ac-ed in clean cold water, until the water no quired a temperature of 130° Fahr., slowly longer reddens litmus paper. It is then dried pour it through a glass funnel tube into 830 at a heat not exceeding 212°. A lower tem- + parts alcohol of specific gravity .830. As perature is still safer. The cotton thus presoon as the effervescence is over and white pared explodes well, but does not dissolve fumes cease to rise, filter it through double easily in ether. Under Collodion will be paper, wash with cold water, and dry by found other preparations of Gun-Cotton. water, and liquefied by rubbing in a heated mortar; 4 parts phosphorus are next added at a heat not exceeding 150° Fahr.; then add 10 parts finely powdered saltpetre; and lastly 5 parts red lead and 2 parts smalts are mixed in, the whole being formed into a uniform paste. The matches are dipped, dried, varnished, and dried again, as before.