What Are Black Matches And How Are They Made?

These are simply stated, cotton strings which have been impregnated with black powder (gunpowder). If coated with high quality powder, the black matches can burn at a rate of 1 inch per second. On its own, a black match can be used to initiate an explosion with some amount of delay, depending on the length of the black match used.

If one or two black matches are placed in one paper pipe, a quick match is produced. The increase in burning rate of quick matches is over a thousand-fold. So if your black match burns 1 inch every second, if you insert it into a paper sheath, it can burn at 100, maybe 200 feet per second. Again, better powder burns faster.

Quick matches make it possible to control complicated fireworks displays from one central point. Simply by making the proper connections and bringing all the terminals of the fuses back to one point, anyone can single-handed set off fireworks in different places at the same time.

To make black powder you will need potassium nitrate, refined charcoal and sulfur. These ingredients are normally combined in the proportion of 75:15:10 by weight respectively.

A substance known as dextrin is also needed to make the gunpowder stick to the cord. It is made from either potato or corn starch by heating it in an oven. The starch turns light gold after heating for some minutes. When the substance yields negative results for starch with iodine solution, it should be removed from the oven and cooled.

You need to combine 30 parts of the gunpowder with 3 parts of dextrin to make black powder. The powder has to be made smooth and fine by repeated straining through a sieve.

NOTE: Only potassium nitrate should be refined by straining through a sieve. Other explosives are sensitive to friction and can easily catch fire and even explode while being strained.

You need a 1:4 solution of isopropyl alcohol and water to dissolve the powder. A shallow, plastic container with a lid is also needed. Punch a hole in the lid that will just let the string through without squeezing. The deeper your container is, the longer the portion of the string that will not be coated.

Pour the powder into the shallow container. By repeatedly spraying with the water solution and stirring, dissolve the powder until it assumes the consistency of yoghurt. Continue stirring until the mixture is even.

Cut the string into manageable lengths (40 cm. more or less).

Insert a strand through the hole in the plastic lid until just a portion of it is left outside. This can be done prior to mixing the slurry. Drop the longer portion of the string into the slurry and mix in slowly with a stick. Let it soak for about a minute then pull out the string through the hole in the lid.

You can use a clothes line to dry the black matches up. The line should be indoors in a place that is ventilated but not windy. It will take the string about one or two days to become stiff and dry. Then you can cut it into shorter strips or store it.

HG-624-UAW

James Chen is a writer for Skylighter.com and invites you to check out their great selection of black matches and sky lanterns.

Catalog

Articles

- Hobbies
- Pets
- Fishing
- Hunting