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- Formulas For The Straight Dynamite Series
- -----------------------------------------
-
- Probably one of the single greatest breakthroughs in explosives came
- by accident, when Nobel discovered a primitive form of dynamite. One of the
- primary ingredients of dynamite is nitroglycerin, which has great explosive
- power, although it has the disadvantage of being ultrasensitive to heat and
- shock. What dynamite does is to combine the high explosive power of nitro with
- a stabilizing agent, to render it powerful but safely usable. Nobel developed
- what is called today the straight dynamite series, which is nothing more than
- nitro and a stabilizing agent. The most common straight dynamite formulas
- follow (nitroglycerin will be referred to as NG):
-
- [1> NG 32 [10> NG 26
- sodium nitrate 28 potassium nitrate 33
- woodmeal 10 woodmeal 41
- ammonium oxalate 29
- guncotton 1 [11> NG 15
- sodium nitrate 62.9
- [2> NG 24 woodmeal 21.2
- potassium nitrate 9 sodium carbonate .9
- sodium nitrate 56
- woodmeal 9 [12> NG 35
- ammonium oxalate 2 sodium nitrate 37
- woodmeal 27
- [3> NG 35.5 ammonium oxalate 1
- potassium nitrate 44.5
- woodmeal 6 [13> NG 32
- guncotton 2.5 potassium nitrate 27
- vaseline 5.5 woodmeal 10
- powdered charcoal 6 ammonium oxalate 30
- guncotton 1
- [4> NG 25
- potassium nitrate 26 [14> NG 33
- woodmeal 34 woodmeal 10.3
- barium nitrate 5 ammonium oxalate 29
- starch 10 guncotton .7
- potassium perchloride 27
- [5> NG 57
- potassium nitrate 19 [15> NG 40
- woodmeal 9 sodium nitrate 45
- ammonium oxalate 12 woodmeal 15
- guncotton 3
- [16> NG 47
- [6> NG 18 starch 50
- sodium nitrate 70 guncotton 3
- woodmeal 5.5
- potassium chloride 4.5 [17> NG 30
- chalk 2 sodium nitrate 22.3
- woodmeal 40.5
- [7> NG 26 potassium chloride 7.2
- woodmeal 40
- barium nitrate 32 [18> NG 50
- sodium carbonate 2 sodium nitrate 32.6
- woodmeal 17
- [8> NG 44 ammonium oxalate .4
- woodmeal 12
- anhydrous sodium sulfate 44 [19> NG 23
- potassium nitrate 27.5
- [9> NG 24 woodmeal 37
- potassium nitrate 32.5 ammonium oxalate 8
- woodmeal 33.5 barium nitrate 4
- ammonium oxalate 10 calcium carbonate .5
-
- The figures given in the right column are percentage parts, adding
- up to a sum of 100%. Percentage parts are always based on a weight ratio
- rather than volume. When preparing any high-explosive formulas, be sure you
- know what you are doing. Have the correct equipment, and the correct
- chemicals. Many of these chemicals are sold under brand names, which are more
- familiar than their chemical names, but, before assuming anything, read the
- ingredients, and take nothing for granted.
- These formulas listed above are for straight dynamite. Straight
- dynamite is a very primitive form of what we know today as dynamite. Later
- ammonium nitrate was added to the dynamite. This substance produced a
- greater explosive action, but less velocity. The intensification of the
- explosive action results because ammonium nitrate furnishes more oxygen for
- the dynamite. Ammonium nitrate has not only been used in dynamite, but also
- in many other different explosive compounds, including nitroglycerin,
- picric acid, and coal dust. Ammonium nitrate when mixed with these substances
- creates the cheapest form of high explosive known to man.
-
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