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.
Home › Pyrotechny › Fulminating Silver
Fulminating Silver
Digest oxide of silver (recently precipitated, and dried by pressure between bibulous paper) in concentrated liquor of ammonia for 12 or 15 hours, pour off the liquid, and cautiously dry lets, and used as percussion powder for guns.
This composition, placed on the ends of splints dipped in sulphur, produces friction matches.
This mixture may also be employed for percussion caps, only without the gum; the two substances, mixed together dry, are forced into the caps, and a drop of varnish deposited on the inside surface of cach. A mixture of the fulminate of mercury, chlorate of potassa, and sulphur, however, is more commonly used for lining percussion caps.