The
Anarchist's Home Companion
Table Of Contents:
I An Introduction to the Anarchial
Arts. Pg. 3
II The Tools of the Arts.................
Pg. 4
III Mild Anarchism........................
Pg. 5
IV Anarchy for Amusement.................
Pg. 6
V Anarchy for Profit....................
Pg. 8
VI Havoc and Hell........................
Pg. 10
VII The Black Arts........................
Pg. 12
VIII Theft:................................
Pg. 13
A Single Party Theft..............
Pg. 14
B Multiple-Party Theft............
Pg. 15
C Other Forms of Theft............
Pg. 16
IX Destruction:..........................
Pg. 19
A Home Made Weapons...............
Pg. 21
B Interesting Ideas...............
Pg. 22
C The Fun Part....................
Pg. 23
X Deception.............................
Pg. 24
XI Sub-Forms.............................
Pg. 25
XII Weapons and Explosives:...............
Pg. 26
A Home-Made Explosives............
Pg. 27
B Chemical Explosives.............
Pg. 39
XIII General Anarchy.......................
Pg. 41
XIV More Easy Gadgets.....................
Pg. 43
XV Complex Explosives:...................
Pg. 50
A Common "Weak" Explosives........
Pg. 51
B Thermite Reactions..............
Pg. 53
C Nitrogen-Containing High Exp....
Pg. 54
D Other Stuff.....................
Pg. 56
XVI Stars, Flares, and Color Mixtures.....
Pg. 57
XVII The Chemistry of Pyrotechnics.........
Pg. 64
Note Sheets...........................
Pg. 70 _______________________________________________________________________________
Chapter One: An Introduction to the Anarchial Arts _______________________________________________________________________________
First off, I guess I must allot for
those of you who don't know what I mean when I say Anarchy. (ALWAYS capitalize
that word...don't forget!) Well, maybe I should start off with a definition..
Anarchy: <`an-ahr-kee>...noun. 1. A social structure without law and
order, government, or authority. 2. Utter confusion. 3. A rebellion against
what's accepted as right or correct. Ya...right outta Webster's own, there.
Well, I HOPE that you got some idea as to what I'm talking about from that.
If not, toss this out...it isn't for you. Done? Okay. Now that only the
REAL people of the world are here, we may commence the study of the perfection
of this art, and examine some of the newer developments and state-of-the-art
achievements in this religious pastime. _______________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Two: The Tools of the Arts _______________________________________________________________________________
Explosives - A personal favorite. As everybody knows, there are many, many,
files floating 'round out there on this topic. I have seen docs and plans
for everything from the front axle car bomb to the exploding ball-point
pen. So, you should have no trouble with this section... Flammables - Gasoline,
hairspray, ANYTHING that burns enthusiastically classifies. However, with
the availability of gasoline, and the relative inexpensivity, (now .68/gal!),
this most often becomes the chosen fluid. Attain some, and I'll tell you
what to do with it later... Projectiles - Yes, even the most basic of prehistoric
weaponry can be the Anarchist's best friend. Everything from rocks to eggs
to your little brother classifies, anything that can be used to damage
or destroy when thrown will do... however, due to the relative inexpensiveness
and availability of rocks leads to their wide usage... Instability - C'mon,
let's not be silly. Every Anarchist is so BECAUSE of an inherent mental
imbalance. A true Anarchist is a psychopathic Anarchist. This REALLY comes
in handy when preparing for a "run", for to an Anarchist, quite simply,
the mad, the impossible, isn't. This is sometimes referred to by Anarchists
as "guts" or "balls"... Transportation - (Preferably motorized... be real).
Or, in many cases, a flock of such. A mandatory requirement for a successful
authoritative attack, for true Anarchists don't get caught at the scene...
_______________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Three: Mild Anarchism _______________________________________________________________________________
As much as people would like to deny it, prank calls, yes, prank calls
are a form of what could be known as "pre-Anarchy". It can even be found
in The Specter's infamous satire of the loser, "Anarchy for the PreAdolescent",
under "Major Devilment for the American Youngster." Face it, EVERYBODY
as made prank calls once in a while for entertainment, and we still do,
yet now it's more for profit than for amusement. Even the universally-
despised jokes, phrases, and clauses told to preteens by their visiting
grandparents such as, "Excuse me, but is your refrigerator running?" and,
"Is there a John in the house?" are heard from time to time spewing forth
from the mouths of giggling infants into the phone receiver into your hateful
ear. It's unavoidable. Yet they do successfully annoy you, therefore, in
essence, completing SOME form of mild anarchy. Face it, like it or not,
these little jerks are the future freaks and Anarchists of America... More
inventive forms of this nature include ringing doorbells and running, putting
a modem on auto-redial at an enemy's home, letting air out of your neighbor's
tires, and selling fake raffle tickets...(100% profit!) Yet, we must move
on... _______________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Four: Anarchy for Amusement _______________________________________________________________________________
Yes, Anarchy CAN be an entertainment outlet for a slow Saturday night!
Just get a couple friends together, grab some brew, and you're off to wreak
unholy havoc upon society! But what to do first? Hmm, you consult your
ever- ready "Anarchist's Handbook," and espy the chapter, "Fun Through
Blatant Destruction of Property!" Aha. That's the one, but how? Well...
A. Spray Paint - Fun stuff! Sure, why not, for no reason at all, just go
out and paint "@#$% You!" all over everything in sight, or maybe the infamous
Anarchy sign, an encircled "A" everywhere? Why not, YOU won't have to clean
up that mess? Hey! Why not paint "Can't Drive 55" signs all up and down
Interstate 75 like on Sammy Hagar's album? A warning, though. Park OFF
of the InterState, like in a parking lot on a nearby road. That way, when
the pigs see you, you've got plenty of time to scramble to the car and
get away. Also, paint can be "picked up" quite easily from any drug store
or hardware store, or, if you're not "into shoplifting," it's relatively
cheap. A movie's about $4.50, a can of paint's $1.75 or so, I don't know,
haven't BOUGHT any in quite some time.. But in any case, it's cheap entertainment.
Not even a new flick can get your heart racing like a cop chase can. B.
Destruction - Where are those bricks I threw back here?!? Hmm, maybe one
or two would look good in Ms. Johnson's living room? Sure, the colors match
beautifully! But, aw shucks, the door's shut. No need to bother the sweet
old bitch, we will just have to put them there ourselves...but how? A window
-- perfect. Just toss 'em in there! I'm sure she'd like to thank you for
your good day, but the Good Book says that we shouldn't do something for
the thanks that we receive, but just out of the goodness of our heart...so,
get out of there before she sees you and tries to thank you personally
it's the "good thing". C. An Invasion - (of privacy, that is!) Blackmail
material, possibly? I wonder... Grab your ever-handy beige boxes! A swift
kick to the bottom of the phone box should cause it to open freely. Alligator
clips, do your stuff.. But if you'd prefer continual results, simply plant
a "bug" in their house when you're there, like under the kitchen table,
and, can't forget, under the bed... There are literally hundreds of plans
circulating for the quick- 'n-easy construction and usage of this homemade
hardware also, don't gripe if you can't find any, 'cause if you can't,
then you just haven't been looking! _______________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Five: Anarchy for Profit _______________________________________________________________________________
Financial gain is the goal, social disruption is the route. No, I'm not
talking about becoming a "hit-man" for the mob or anything, just some clean
fun, and a little profit on the side. Sure, you could use step "C" above
for blackmail and information hostage purposes, but let's be a little inventive,
that's been being done for YEARS.. No, you can't say that making people
pay "protection money" is inventive. G'zus, it's on the "A-Team" every
week, for chrissakes! Let's think.. Watch we make money by calling with
MCI, Metro, and Sprint, but, that's not outright collection of payment,
that's...well, that's more like SAVING money, like clipping coupons in
the newspaper, if you will...you get what you want for a lower price than
usual. We need money, and we need it NOW! Maybe if you're.. "into" this
stuff....you could possibly CREATE an imaginary employee at some
company deep within the bowels of the conglomerate computer? Maybe send
his paychecks to a mysterious P.O. Box? Sure, why the hell not? Hey, this
P.O. Box stuff sounds good. I wonder... Visa...MasterCard...American Express...Diner's
Club...K-Mart Credit Cards! Sure, goods on credit! It's the AMERICAN way,
after all, isn't it? Why not do some late-night trashing? G'z..you'll have
to miss David Letterman!?! Just go up to the video store, (Highland's the
easiest: they've a "no-questions-asked" return policy), and "buy" a VCR.
(I'm sure you can get ahold of your mummy's credit card for an hour or
so to do a little shopping..). Next stop, Radio Shack. Waltz inside like
you're some rich preppie/yuppie with all the money in the world, and he
won't notice the holes in your faded jeans, he'll think that they're "in."
Sunglasses always work best, for some reason, rich people tend to wear
'em a lot. (Why not slip a pack of ten'a dem cheap-ass Tandy disks into
your jacket as long's you're there? Don't worry...alltheir "security systems"
are Tandy-Made, so they always work like crap anyhow..) Yes, sir, I'd like
to buy THAT model. Yes, that's right, the TX156-34YI38Ejr. Yes, I think
that'll be all. Here's my card. I'll sign...okie. Thank YOU, sir. (After
all, you need some toons for tonight's trashing..) Now, return your mummy's
card, and, as soon'z it's dark, we're off! (But don't forget to return
the box and the VCR after tonight, you can buy them on somebody else's
card tomorrow! Or else mommie'll get mad...) Try to locate an "everything
store," like K-Mart or Major's. These places are the most open, the most
disorganized. 9 times out of 10 there will be a couple large trash bins
behind the store. Whatever they try to tell you, they most often will NOT
lock these, because that's the job of the stock boy, and he's most often
more concerned with Jenny, the salesclerk in Electronics to bother once
he's off work. Most of their stock boys are about 16 or 17, so as long
as they're NORMAL teen-agers, they'll do as little as possible to keep
from being fired. Why lock the bins, sir, who would want to go in THERE?!?
I would.. EVERYTHING they have goes in there. The salesclerks are SUPPOSED
to rip the carbons in half, but we know how often they REALLY do that.
Even when they do, it's no problem getting the name, number, and anything
else you may need for card identification off of a ripped carbon, they
usually stick to each other anyhow.. Get one kid to keep watch, and everybody
else go fishing for anything...computer access codes, (good luck at K-Mart!),
telephone numbers, credit check phone numbers, but, most of all, look for
card carbons! These will provide you with a limitless source of TV-Ad goodies
and mail-order stuff.. This search should take anywhere from :30 min to
all night, depending on cop surveillance. Fill suitcases and travel bags
with anything that looks important, you can sort it all out at home.. (This
is one good thing about K-Mart, there's no produce section..no rotting
food to sift through..) Got it all? Now, just flip on a local station,
or MTV, or whatever, and, before you can say "I Love Ma Bell," you'll run
across 9 or 10 million ads for stuff like "Ronco 'In the Shell' Egg Scramblers"
and "ACME Nosehair Clippers" and the like..write down the phone number
for the company that makes whatever product you could want, and give them
your name, (off of the card, stupid!), and your card number..and presto!
In 4 to 6 weeks, you've got your own brand new set of Ronco Party Circumcisers..free
of charge. (YOU try to say "I Love Ma Bell"...*I* can't!) Another good
idea is to cruse over to the 7-11 and,once you've gotten your Slurpee,
buy a lot of mail-order magazines, (ie. Ninja Magazines, etc.) They've
got a lot of card order forms and phone numbers.. But, don't forget! NEVER
SEND THE GOODS TO YOUR HOME! That's the PERFECT loser thing to do.. Always
find a "drop point," like a vacant house which is for sale, or a P.O. Box.
You cannot be traced back through either method... Have fun... _______________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Six: Havoc and Hell _______________________________________________________________________________
Just what you've been waiting for, I knew it. Well, there are SO many different
forms of Anarchial aggression that it would be impossible to even TRY to
list them all. New and inventive methods of destruction are being conjured
up every day, so I'll just try to give a brief overview. First off, I'd
like to state that you don't HAVE to be a stoner or a headbanger to be
an Anarchist, you don't even have to drink alcohol. You can be perfectly
NORMAL and...well, I guess if you didn't do any of that you wouldn't be
normal, would you? Anyhow, you can be perfectly NORM..er..ODD..and still
be an Anarchist at heart you don't have to be into blatant destruction,
you don't even have to like heavy metal music...but it helps. Who knows,
maybe you just like to replace normal light bulbs with gasoline-filled
ones? Maybe you just, for some reason, enjoy running down little kiddies..
YOU can't help it. So, if you can't help it, pursue it. Become the best
hit-and-run artist on your block! Maybe even in the whole county! Modify
your vehicle to your interests and mount a kangaroo bar on the front of
your Ford Bronco or S-15, so that the people you run over slide more easily
under your car...maybe even put a window in the floor so you can see who
you just helplessly maimed? Ms. Johnson? Oh- hello...did you enjoy the
bricks? You did? That's good. If they convulse, you did it right. A good
way to make a great start on a successful career as another one of "those
'Anarchial @#$holes'" is to try drowning the neighbor's cat in their pool.
Hmm, knowing how much cats hate water, we'll have to try to find a way
around their fears...see how thoughtful Anarchists have to be? I think
that it's a very good training for future life myself.. Hmm, howzabout
the infamous TV favorite, "cement shoes?" Perfect. But how to get the cat
into cement? Ah- replace the kitty litter with cement and spike the cat's
water with something like the cyanide found in many medicines. It's barely
perceptible, so the catill get blitzed off of its ass and then go to the
kitty litter, and get stuck inside.. Cats make a LOT of noise when they
realize that they've been trapped, so act quickly before suspicions arise..
Slip the cement out of the bin, (don't forget to use "no-stick" PAM before!),
with the cat stuck by all four legs inside, and have a friend wash out
the bin quickly..it should be somewhat clean, so then re-fill it with kitty
litter before you are noticed. Hurry up, or you'll miss all the fun. Drop
the kitty into the pool. If you used the right cement, then you won't have
to worry about it sinking.. It is actually quite interesting the way that
all the cat's fur floats in the water with every current! Wild.. Next target...the
dog! Make your own lynch plan for the dog, I haven't perfected one as of
yet, they are too big and noisy.. (I don't consider chihuahuas and the
like to be dogs..they are just sub-dogs) You can treat sub-dogs as cats,
though, if you want the cat to have some company... Hey, why not try the
bird? Easily captured, easily cemented! It really is quite funny watching
a bird try and fly with it's feet cemented.. don't worry, they sink just
as well as anything... Most of all, though, have fun at it..experiment!
_______________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Seven: The Black arts _______________________________________________________________________________
Well here it is, the path to true Anarchy... Are you worthy of the title
of a true Anarchist? We will soon see. The Black arts are Theft, Deception,
Destruction and all sub-forms of Anarchy. To master the techniques involved
takes time and patience but most of all, it has to be in your blood! You
can always tell the difference between a True Anarchist and a dabbler...
Pulling the fire alarm at school doesn't cut it (Although that can be fun
during a slow day)... Anyone can do that, BUT, can you do it without getting
caught? Well,that is the tough part. Even at an early age one can see the
signs of Anarchy emerge... if a kid watches Mister Rogers all day, forget
it but if he builds crude weapons out of household items and delights in
torturing the family pet, his sister etc.. then he has potential. Anarchy
usually starts off small and grows over a long period of time... at first,
primitive forms of Anarchy such as crank calls, nicky nine doors and petty
theft will begin the process. At this point, frequent failure or getting
caught may put a stop to the increasing chaotic tendencies within the person
in question. If the little bastard is successful in his endeavors, however,
he will move on to bigger and better things. The real fun stuff starts
in high-school... there are endless possibilities for amusement at the
expense of others... these will be documented later. One thing to remember
however is that there are many obstacles which stand in your path such
as COPS, locks, alarms and of course, the most important thing to watch
out for is carelessness on your part. It is because of carelessness that
many good hellraisers have met their fate. Well, enough bull@#$%, let's
get started! _______________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Eight: Theft _______________________________________________________________________________
Theft is one of the most common forms of Anarchy, almost everyone does
it at one point in their lives... Even the Pope probably stole dime-store
candies when he was a kid... Not everyone, however, will perform this maneuver
to the same extent or with the same rate of success. The CARELESS ones
get eliminated by the forces of good. Regardless of the motive, the objective
is always the same... To acquire at no cost and with minimal effort, items
which are not originally or rightfully yours... There are two sub-classes
of theft. These are single party theft and multiple party theft (with accomplice).
Regardless of the type of theft, there are three important elements to
consider: Planning, Execution, and ESCAPE. The latter is probably the hardest
part and must be planned carefully. A plan is always required for a successful
theft and should offer a high probability of success with as little risk
as possible. _______________________________________________________________________________
Part A: Single party theft _______________________________________________________________________________
It is a good idea to make a surveillance sweep of the target area beforehand
in order to decide on the best route to the desired item and a quick escape
route. Always have at least one alternative escape route in case of unexpected
intervention by cops or onlookers which render your first one impassable.
Once you have entered the target area, time is of the utmost importance...
Get in and out as quickly as possible... Be discrete and do not attract
attention. Always make a quick scan for mirrors or cameras, try to stay
out of direct sight of others. Sometimes, the easiest things to take are
items which are kept right in front of the cashier... all it takes is for
him to turn his back for one second and before you know it... FREE JUNK
FOOD! Be alert, if there are other people present, do not go directly to
the desired item. Browse a little, but take the first reasonably safe opportunity
to make your way over to it. Pocket the item quickly without looking at
it or fumbling with it. DO NOT rush out of the area immediately if you
don't have to, be casual and maybe even make a purchase. If you are confronted
however, GET THE $#@! OUT Take the quickest one of your escape routes that
you can, if you are perused then you must leave a difficult trail to follow.
Dodge on and out of buildings or cars, backtrack, hop fences or do what
ever you have to do to lose them. If possible, motorized transport is a
good idea... (cover the license plate) If not, then work with what you
have, create obstacles as you go, such as throwing objects at your pursuers
or knocking things down in your wake. Sometimes, a good cop chase can really
give you a good feeling... It sure satisfies the Rambo in me! If you are
forced to deviate from your plan due to unexpected interference, follow
your instincts... but remember that a true Anarchist doesn't get caught
at the scene! If it seems inevitable that you will be caught, stash the
goods somewhere safe until you can collect it. After you have bin caught
then it's all over...unless, you lie like a bitch or your captor turns
out to be a friend of the family. If you escape, then you have successfully
completed your mission. Hopefully you will have the foresight not to hit
a store in your neighborhood or one that you go to regularly. Try not to
hit the same place every time... that's dangerous! For an added challenge,
you may want to try to swipe items stored behind the cashier's counter.
There are ways to do this such as the classic "Can I use your phone? I'm
stranded and need to call home" Heh, if they let you then your only problem
is how to distract their attention. For this reason, it is often easier
to execute a successful theft if you have an accomplice... _______________________________________________________________________________
Part B: Multiple party theft _______________________________________________________________________________
In a multiple party theft, the basics are the same but certain adjustments
must be made to your plan. First you must decide who will do what... One
person as to distract the attention of onlookers while the other performs
the actual crime. You should have included a signal in your plan so that
the you can discretely inform your buddy that you have the goods and it's
time to leave. A third person may have been posted as a look-out and if
so, must also be kept aware of what's going' on. One of the important tricks
is to make it look like you don't know any of your accomplishes... don't
walk in together or leave together, unless you get burned. If you are confronted,
then it is not always necessary for all the members of your team to flee
if you have successfully convinced the teller you are not together. The
guy with the goods has to split BUT while the Cashier is chasing him, or
calling the cops, what better opportunity will the other two have to fill
their pockets? If it becomes necessary for all parties to run, at least
you now have an added benefit due to the fact that if you split up, it's
harder to catch all of you. It is an unwritten rule that a guy who gets
caught can't squeal on the others if there is a chance they can get away
with it. You should have a specified rendezvous point and time if you split
up so all the parties (minus those who were bagged) can meet and decide
on appropriate actions to take to insure no further problems will arise.
After a few hits with the same people, you should have a kick-ass team
and will be able to tackle anything! One thing though, always watch your
back cause as Stalin said "You can't trust anyone, not even yourself."
_______________________________________________________________________________
Part C: Other forms of theft _______________________________________________________________________________
Well, if your not into stealing' from convenience stores, there are many
available sources of "low-cost" items, such as cars, houses, purses &
wallets and my personal favorite... school lockers! Cars are easy... just
get a 1.5 ft. long piece of flexible but sturdy wire (coathanger will do)
and bend a loop at the end to fit over the lock button. Slide the wire
through the gap between the window and the middle section of the car (not
the top of the window). Now loop the end around the lock button and pull.
For newer cars that do not have the lockbutton but have the switch by the
lever on the inside door panel, you need more equipment. You will need
a flashlight, a mirror and a coathanger. Before you begin, look through
the opposite window at the door your gonna open and memorize where everything
is positioned. Now, tape the mirror to the outside of that window with
the reflective surface facing into the car. If you have a friend helping
you, you don't need the mirror as your friend can stand on the opposite
side of the car and see through that window where you have to move. Now
slip the coathanger in as above and use the window to bend it as you insert
it so it touches the inside of the door... using the mirror or your friend
to guide your movements, unlock the door and there you go! If you are in
a hurry or don't need to worry about noise or anything, just throw a brick
through the window. Remember to search the dashboard, glove compartment
and back window ledge. If you have a lock pick set and can use it, go for
the trunk to! Motorcycles are a cinch to swipe. All you need are a pair
of vice-grips, a screwdriver and a dime. Jam the screwdriver into the ignition,
clamp the vice-grips to the shaft of the screwdriver and twist... -=SNAP!=-
Now just press the start button and away you go! When you've had your fun
and ya wanna ditch the bike, drop the dime into the ignition keyhole and
give it a quarter turn to turn off the engine. Now, the most risky but
often most profitable source is a house. Before you even approach the house,
phone to make sure they're not in. If you don't have their number or they
are a bunch of rug-pilots who don't have a phone, ring the doorbell...
once you have established the fact that they are not home, you can decide
on your method of entry. To break into a house, Your two sources of entry
are doors and windows. Before I start describing methods to bypass locks
and bolts, remember that if you think there is a security system on the
house FORGET IT and move on... why risk it? Anyway, there are many types
of door locks and for most you will need a lock pick set which will be
dealt with in a separate chapter. If you have a lot of time and are in
a deserted area, you can use various power tools to destroy the door itself.
Windows are the harder to reach but more simply bypassed entry routes.
There is either a deadbolt or a simple twist/pull lock for both, you just
blow a hole in the window just above the lock (with a bee-bee gun) or bar
and use wire or a thin screwdriver to knock the bar out or release the
lock. Apartment buildings are also a good target... just go into the front
doors and press every intercom button on the panel. Some deluded idiot
will let you in. If not, wait `till a resident comes in and pretend to
be fumbling for the door key... he will of course, open the door for you...
Heh. Once you get in, make sure no one is home... then grab a pillow case
or a garbage bag and take everything that is even remotely valuable! Once
you have done that, cut the phone line and GET THE @#$%^ OUT!!! Mission
Accomplished.... Lockers! The easiest way to get money or goods for nothing.
One way is to write down the serial # and the combination of the lock your
using this year and then next year, find it and voila! In the mean time,
you have to find alternate methods to keep you busy for a whole year, but
look... there are hundreds of lockers! With little peckers you can stand
behind them and simply watch them enter the combination. If you want to
hit a locker belonging to an older student, you have to be covert about
it. You might as well start close to home by easily breaking into the lockers
on either side of yours. This method is simple but requires time and you
will need a hex-driver. Look at the inside panel of your locker that forms
the wall separating it from the adjacent one. If the heads of the bolts
are on your side, you will have no problems. Just unscrew the bolts and
remove the panel... Hmm... now why didn't you think of that before? Well,
now you know. Most of the schools supply spin combo locks that are hard
to pick so if all else fails, use those heavy duty metal shears to cut
through the shank. Once your in, you are on your own... Have fun! The last
type of theft I will discuss is the art of picking pockets. This method
is becoming more and more difficult with the advent of self- defense lessons...
yes!... even little Grandma Johnson could be a black belt. Basically all
you have to do is either run by the victim and snatch it, or wait `till
they put it down somewhere where you can whisk it away. Once you have the
purse or wallet, there are many things you can do... Money! I'm sure you
can all find a use for that... Credit Cards! Now we're talking! You can
go crazy ordering and carding everything you desire (not to your house)...
You may find a spare key in there to, if so, look at the I.D. in the wallet
to find out their address and away you go! Geez, what a week for the poor
sucker eh! First his wallet now his house and car!!! Heh, always be thorough...
NOTE: ALWAYS LEAVE THE SCENE AS YOU FOUND IT SO THE VICTIM WILL TAKE LONGER
TO NOTICE A CRIME HAS BEEN COMMITTED. _______________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Nine: Destruction _______________________________________________________________________________
Ahhh, there's nothing' like a good hour of destruction to relieve all that
tension after failing your math exam. Yeah you remember, the one you were
supposed to be studying for while you were mixing explosives in the garage.
This form of Anarchy allows for more creativity than most. You can stick
to doing mild damage with your hands or you can obtain a wide variety of
weapons for more severe effects. It is usually easier to make your own
weapons and there are a large number of chapters dealing with the production
of explosives and simple weapons. For a successful strike on your target
area, you will need the following: o Camouflage (dark clothing, mask)-
To prevent discovery & Identification o A small bat or solid stick/bar
- To eliminate people or dogs who get in the way & to increase destructive
power o A small, "efficient" weapon - For serious emergen- cies only! (knives
or mini-chucks are good) o Flashlight - So you can see! o Several projectiles
- To increase fire pow- er and range o Smoke Bombs - A valuable tool, o
FIRE - .......... A MUST!!!! o Explosives - Not compulsory for the job
but they sure add a spark to the evening! o Spray Paint - To mark out your
territory & let the world know you were there... o Lock Picks &
a Bag - Just in case an easy target for theft presents itself while your
vandalizing. _______________________________________________________________________________
Part A: Home-Made Weapons _______________________________________________________________________________
Mini-Chucks: These little babies are easy to make and are easily concealable.
All you need are a pair of those metal nut-crackers and a 2 foot length
of chain. First, take the nut crackers and cut through the hinge with metal-
shears, being sure to leave the rivets intact. Now open up the last link
at each end of the chain and close them around the rivet shaft on the metal
bars. HEY! Look what you've done... little nun-chakaus. Tennis Ball Bombs:
Cut a one inch slit in the tennis ball and stuff it full of wooden match-heads.
(A little gunpowder adds to the effect) Once the ball is firmly packed,
it will detonate on contact with a solid surface producing large amounts
of flame and flaming projectiles. Flaming Darts/ Exploding Darts: Take
ordinary darts and wrap an oil soaked strip of rag around the shaft. Then
just light and throw. For an exploding dart, tie a cherry bomb to the shaft
using a twist tie and light the fuse. Molocov Cocktail: Fill a Pepsi bottle
half way to the top with gasoline, insert a rag, light and throw... instant
hell fire! _______________________________________________________________________________
Part B: Interesting Ideas _______________________________________________________________________________
Try out these nasty thoughts on your local loser: Personalized Lawns: Sure!
Why not leave your initials on the guys lawn using gasoline or weed-killer?
Better yet, if your artistic, a graphic picture of him pumping the local
stray dog... heh, long-lasting damage! Hose Through The Mail Slot: Stick
the end of the garden hose through the mail slot in his door, then crank
the faucet and run like a *&^%er! If you do this at 3am, his house
will be floating down the street before he even wakes up. Address Switching:
Use your trusty screwdriver to switch address numbers and steal mailboxes
throughout the neighborhood. Heh, if you find the right numbers, you can
make three houses in a row with the same address, the fun part is when
you order a party-size pizza to that address. (If you are really on the
ball you can rip off the delivery car while Guido is walking from door
to door). _______________________________________________________________________________
Part C: The Fun Part _______________________________________________________________________________
Once you have all your equipment, your ready to go. Easy targets are mail
boxes, bird feeders, X-mas lights (when in season) and greenhouses. The
weapon you will use most is the bat or steel bar you brought along in your
trusty Anarchist's bag. Remember to spray paint the traditional encircled
"A" where ever you go to let the world know Anarchy is alive an' well.
If you possess a slight sadistic streak, domestic pets can make amusing
targets. The classic " "cement shoes" is good to drown the neighbors cat
in their pool. Fire can be used in countless ways to destroy almost anything.
The good part is once you've set the fire, it will continue to do damage
while you are running' to the next target. The interesting thing is when
you are spotted and chased. Now you have to use some direct methods to
evade capture. Start off mild by simply running. If they persist, create
obstacles as you go by knocking things down in your wake, jumping' fences,
cars, etc.. If that fails, try a few smoke bombs lobbed over your shoulder
to block their view... NO! Hmmmm well it's time to get serious because
you smoke too much to stay ahead for long. Sooo, use the explosives...
that should do it but if not, just turn around, whip out the projectiles
or the weapon of your choice an' just beat the living' &^%$# out of
`em. Now you can go home, being sure to spray paint an encircled "A" on
Mr. Johnson's bleeding forehead... (heh, I doubt he'll chase you next time).
_______________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Ten: Deception _______________________________________________________________________________
Well, anyone who has done anything similar to the acts described above
must also have found it necessary to lie once in a while. Remember that
to get away with lying, you must make the lie seem like reality. If you
convince yourself that it is true then others are more likely to believe
you. It's a good idea to make sure all the people involved in the caper
have the exact same story. Always stick to your story and never stray from
it. Try to have supporting evidence on your side too, go for realism! Unfortunately,
no book is gonna turn a lousy liar into a good one... it has to be in your
blood, it does, honest! _______________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Eleven: Sub-Forms _______________________________________________________________________________
Aside from the themes outlined above, there are many other forms of Anarchial
behavior. Some people are specialists in one area like Pyromaniacs or assasins.
Others tend to be less proficient in a wider range of areas. For those
of you who are specialists, SPEAK UP! There are many people who are hungry
for material which you could provide from your experience. Those of you
who don't even bother and are just reading this book for entertainment...
"*&^% OFF!" I don't have time for pussies... I would suggest that you
find out what your specific interests are and pursue them. Whatever your
topic is, there is a book on it somewhere... believe me! If you are not
sure where your skills lie, then start small until you find them. I know
your all probably saying "C'mon, get on with it @$$hole!" So, here we go...
_______________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Twelve: Weapons & Explosives _______________________________________________________________________________
Introduction: Assuming that you have read the first bit in this series
and that you are a true Anarchist, I'm sure you will find this chapter
both interesting and useful. We have compiled some of the easiest to make
but most destructive devices in the Anarchist's arsenal of home-made weapons
and explosives. A true Anarchist has a remarkable ability to overcome any
obstacle using only the materials at his disposal. I am not saying that
you need to know 100 different ways to kill a man with a stapler, just
that you should be able to get by using whatever you have. This chapter
shows you a few ways to increase your destructive power using simple household
items. Remember that there is a certain element of risk involved in handling
some of the devices which you will see, so please use caution. Neither
myself nor anyone associated with the creation of this book will take any
responsibility for damage or injury sustained as a result of attempting
any of the procedures depicted. _______________________________________________________________________________
Part A: Home-Made Explosives _______________________________________________________________________________
The Motor Mine _______________________________________________________________________________
This device causes basically the same damage as the "basic mine", but it
is more convenient if the intended victim happens to miss stepping on it.
Materials: Film Canister ( or any container ) ---------- Match Books (
17 fill a Black's film canister ) Wire ( preferably long lengths ) Small
Electric Motor Battery & Push-button Switch Method: First, take the
lid of your container and make a small hole in it. This should be big enough
to hold the axle of the motor snugly. You need to make a small cardboard
disk or, if you can find one, a small plastic gear- like piece meant to
fit on an electric motor. You have to cover this small disk ( about 1 cm.
wide ) with the brimstone from the matchbooks. Fill the container with
match-heads, push the motor's axle through the lid and push the disk onto
the axle from the other side. Now put on the lid and tape the whole thing
up, plus the motor so it doesn't wobble around. Hook your wire up to the
terminals on the motor and then to a switch or a battery or whatever. Conceal
the mother and stand back. You will hear a high pitched screech of the
motor grinding and then BOOM! Works well. _______________________________________________________________________________
Time Bomb _______________________________________________________________________________
This device isn't too hard to make, but it does have a limitation. It doesn't
work on the principle that the time you set it to is when it goes off,
it's more of a mechanical thing....just read. Materials: o Some sort of
container o Wooden Matches ( 17 boxes fill a film canister but if you want
a bigger bomb, buy about 50 or so boxes and fill a 2ltr. pop bottle. o
Small Electric Motor o Friction Disk ( see previous file "motor mine" )
o Wire o Battery ( 9 volt should do it ) o Cheap Clock with hands o Electrical
Tape Method: 1) Make the "motor mine" explained above. 2) Instead of both
leads going straight to the battery, you will have a clock in between,
with the faceplate taken off. 3) Tie the positive and negative leads to
the clock hands and set them to an appropriate distance apart. 4) When
the hands meet, this will complete the circuit which will start the motor.
The Friction disk will spin and rub against the matchheads and KABOOM!!
Note: To increase the power of this device, gun powder may be added to
The match-heads to fill the container. Here's a Diagram: __________
Clock with hands-> ! \ __!___ ________________________________!___\
/~ ! | | ___________ _ ! ~o ! | +-~ |_______+___-/ | ! ! | ____##____<-Motor
[ ] | !_________! | !* * * * *! [9v ] | | !* * * * *! [___] |________________|
!* * * * *! !* * * * *! ^ !* * * * *! Battery ~~~~~~~~~~~ ^ Container filled
with match-heads _______________________________________________________________________________
Napalm Bomb _______________________________________________________________________________
Napalm is, in itself a very simple substance. It can be used for in the
construction of many simple explosive weapons. Here's a good one: Materials:
---------- Gasoline Dishsoap (Joy is good) A Nail Ammonia Pellets A Drill
Flexible Wire A Coke can Procedure: ---------- [1] First, make a mixture
of 1/2 Dish-soap and 1/2 Gasoline. [2] Cut the top off of the Coke can
and fill it with the mixture. [3] Take the drill and put a hole in the
ammonia pellet big enough so that the nail can fit through it. [4] Put
the nail through the pellet and wire it to the top of the can so that the
nail can be slipped out easily, allowing the pellet to drop into the mixture.
[5] Attach some string or fishing line to the nail head and detonate from
a distance by pulling the string. WARNING: DO NOT LET THAT PELLET FALL
INTO THE MIXTURE UNTIL YOU ARE SAFE OR YOUR WIFE WILL SOON BECOME A WIDOW!
Wait until you are ready to set it off to pull the string... It should
look like this:
Ammonia Pellet / <====[*]====()
<- Nail | | | | <- Coke Can | | |===========| |===========| |===========|
<- Mixture |===========| |===========| ~-----------~ _______________________________________________________________________________
Das Crackkerwork! _______________________________________________________________________________
Das Crackkerwork: A neat way to scare the $#!^ out of someone and to ----------------
cause moderate amounts of damage. Materials: o A rocket engine (The bigger
the better but class ---------- A will do fine) o A fire cracker o Tape
o A kick-ass nature First, take the engine, it will have one hollow end
and the other end is filled with the rocket fuel (it resembles clay). Take
a screwdriver or something hard and start grinding up the substance from
the inside. Don't grind up the thing totally though. Now put the fire cracker
inside the engine, with the fuse sticking out of the convenient hole. The
hole is usually used for solar flares. Now tape up the son of a bitch so
that it's black an' mean looking. Finally, light it and throw it, the fire
cracker will go off (but won't damage the engine), then the engine will
ignite and go whipping around. It makes a lot of ruckus and the exhaust
can cause damage. Diagram: ---------- Fuse / _ / | |~~| |__| <- Fire-cracker
inside engine body | | and fuse through little hole in | | rocket substance.
|__| Basically, it looks like one mean fire-cracker... Have fun with Das
Crackkerwork ! _______________________________________________________________________________
Smoke Bomb _______________________________________________________________________________
Materials Diagram ----------- --------- - Coffee can - screen \ <-fuse
- Fuse or Rag - \__\___ - Gunpowder - !__/___! - Motor Oil - ! \ !<-
gunpowder - Screen - coffee can ->!__/___! - Lighter - !______!<- motor
oil Procedure: ---------- 1) Pour a 1/2 inch layer of motor oil into the
coffee can. 2) Pour in some gun powder ( The more, the merrier ) 3) Cut
a 6" diameter circle of metal screening and poke a small hole in the center
of it. 4) Place the screen on top of the can and secure it. 5) Insert a
dry fuse or oiled rag through the screen so that it reaches the bottom
of the can. 6) Light the fuse. This device will produce extremely large
amounts of smoke and flame. _______________________________________________________________________________
How To Make A Fuse _______________________________________________________________________________
One reason for which many well made bombs fail is the lack of a good fuse.
To make a dry fuse, you will need the following: o Several sheets of tissue
paper (The kind used for machee) o Gasoline/Kerosene o Gunpowder o A paint
brush o Patience Method: --------- 1) Use the paint brush to apply a thin
film of gasoline on a sheet of tissue paper. 2) Let dry 3) Sprinkle a thin
line of gunpowder onto the paper 4) Roll the paper up tightly from one
end 5) Apply a few more layers by repeating steps 1&2 and rolling each
new layer around the existing fuse. 6) Let the whole thing sit for a couple
of hours 7) Apply a final coating of gasoline with the paintbrush 8) After
it is completely dry, it will work beautifully Note: ------- Experiments
are currently being done in an attempt to design a fuse which will burn
under water. _______________________________________________________________________________
Tennis Ball Grenade _______________________________________________________________________________
Most of you have probably heard of the Tennis Ball Bomb. It is a handy
explosive or noisemaker. The Tennis Ball Grenade is based on the same idea
but does more damage. You will need the following: 1) A Tennis Ball 2)
A Knife 3) Several boxes of wooden matches (not safety matches) 4) Hockey
Tape 5) Gunpowder 6) A Sparkler 7) Flint Method: ------- 1) Cut a small
round hole in the ball with the knife 2) Take the flint (the kind used
for flip-top lighters) and crush it into a powder 3) Separate the wire
handle from the sparkler and grind it up 4) Mix the flint and sparkler
powder together with gunpowder 5) Pour the mixture into the tennis ball
6) Cut off the match-heads and pack the ball with them until you can't
fit anymore into it. 7) Use the tape to cover the hole completely 8) The
grenade will explode on contact with any solid surface, producing large
amounts of flame and flaming projectiles. 9) [optional] For a delayed blast
grenade, insert a dry fuse into the hole before you tape it up. These babies
are easy to make, light weight, concealable and do plenty of damage for
their size....in general, a kick-ass weapon. You can make dozens of them
for hours of enjoyment. _______________________________________________________________________________
The Boom-Box _______________________________________________________________________________
The Boom-Box is simple to make and is very effective. It is an antipersonnel
device and works on one or more victims. Materials: ---------- o A metal
box with a hinged lid o String o A mouse trap o C-4 or any volatile plastic
explosive o Tape Procedure: ---------- 1) Secure the mousetrap to the bottom
of the box (inside) with tape. 2) Tie a piece of string to the trip-bar
of the mouse trap 3) Place a wad of C-4 where the cheese would normally
go and be sure that the spring loaded bar will hit it 4) Set the trap 5)
CAREFULLY tape the other end of the string to the inside of the lid so
that it is taught when only half open 6) Close the box 7) Leave the box
somewhere where the intended victim will find it, when he does...he will
open it and BOOM! Diagram: -------- \ / \ <- lid string -> / \ ____/_____\.
| / | | o/____ | mouse trap -> | ======= | <- metal box with C-4 ~----------~
_______________________________________________________________________________
Exploding Pen _______________________________________________________________________________
This device is hardly a weapon but it is a mild explosive and will serve
as a good prank or practical joke. If you wanted to increase the power
of the explosive, it would not be hard to hard to turn it into a destructive
device with a few alterations to the construction. Materials: ----------
1) A ball point "click" pen 2) Gun powder 3) 8-10 wooden match heads 4)
1 wooden match 5) A piece of sand paper (1 1/2" X 2") Procedure: ----------
1) Unscrew pen and remove all parts except for the button at the top of
the pen 2) Stick the match inside the pen where the ink fill was 3) Roll
the sand paper around the match with the rough side facing in so it touches
the match head 4) Put the remaining match heads in, be sure they are inside
the sand paper 5) Put a wax stopper in the other end of the pen where the
ball point came out 6) Fill the front part of the pen with gunpowder and
make sure that the wax prevents it from spilling out The finished pen should
look like this: Wax stopper Gun powder Matches & Sandpaper \ | | \
| | \ _______________|___________________________|________ <___________________________________|________________|===
/ / Clicker Applications: ------------- Basically, anywhere there is writing
to be done, there is a target for this device. Think of exams!! Heh, I
don't think many people will be asking to borrow a pen from now on. _______________________________________________________________________________
The Cat Bomb _______________________________________________________________________________
This bit is for amusement only. We suggest that you do not try this out
at home. It has come to my attention that a real panic can be generated
by a cat-bomb in a supermarket or department store. A cat-bomb is a simple
and inexpensive thing to make. Materials: ---------- 1 cat - large 1 sparkler
or 1 ft. of waterproof fuse 1 acetylene/oxygen torch 1 book of matches
Procedure: ---------- Squeeze all air and $#!^ out of cat, being careful
not to kill same. Insert torch nozzle into cat's ass. Turn on a 50/50 mixture
of the gasses, inflating the cat to approximately 1/3 larger than normal.
Insert either sparkler or fuse into cat's ass being careful to minimize
gas release (some recommend stapling the orifice shut after insertion of
fuse) very messy! Deployment: ----------- Place cat in a place of demonstration,
and light fuse with matches. Retire quickly to a safe place, (entrails
will be a-flying soon) Cautions: --------- Recent experiments with larger
animals have shown a 10 minute railroad flare to be of substantially greater
sealing capacity than the fuse or sparkler method. Greater gas retention
and thus a greater explosion are possible in this manner. _______________________________________________________________________________
Part B: Chemical Explosives _______________________________________________________________________________
Astrolite Mixtures _______________________________________________________________________________
Astrolite: ---------- Astrolite is a liquid explosive which was a product
of rocket propellant research in the 60's. Astrolite A-1-5 is said to be
the world's most powerful non-nuclear explosive. It is approximately 2
times more powerful than TNT and is safer to handle. Astrolite G -----------
Astrolite G is a clear liquid explosive especially designed to produce
very high detonation velocity, 8600 mps (meters/sec.) compared with 7,700
mps for nitroglycerin and 6,900 mps for TNT...In addition, a very unusual
characteristic is that the liquid explosive has the ability to be absorbed
easily into the ground while remaining detonatable... In field tests, Astrolite
G has remained detonatable in the ground for 4 days, even after being exposed
to rain. Procedure: ---------- Mix 2 parts (by weight) of ammonium nitrate
with 1 part anhydrous hydrazine. The 2:1 ratio is not exactly perfect but
if you screw around with the mixture, you will find a better formula. Hydrazine
is quite hard to get ahold of. It is used in; Rocket fuel, agricultural
chemicals (maleic hydrazide), drugs (antibacterial & antihypertension),
polymerization catalyst, solder fluxes, photographic development &
diving equipment. Hydrazine is a chemical that you should be careful with.
Astrolite A/A-1-5 ----------------- Mix 20% (weight) aluminum powder to
the ammonium nitrate, and then mix with the hydrazine. The aluminum powder
should be 100 mesh or finer. Astrolite A has a detonation velocity of 7,800
mps. _______________________________________________________________________________
Sodium Chlorate Mixtures _______________________________________________________________________________
Sodium Chlorate: ---------------- Sodium chlorate is similar to potassium
chlorate, and in most cases can be a substitute. Sodium chlorate is also
more soluble in water. You can find sodium chlorate at any hardware/home
improvement store. It is used in blowtorches and you can get about 3 lbs.
for $7.50 SC Rocket Fuel -------------- Mix 50% sodium chlorate 35% rubber
cement 10% epoxy resin hardener 5% sulfur You may want to add more sodium
chlorate depending on the purity you are using. SC Incendiary Mixture SC
Impact Mixture --------------------- ----------------- Mix 55% aluminum
powder Mix 50% red phosphorus 45% sodium chlorate 50% sodium chlorate 5%
sulfur SC Filler Explosive SC Gunpowder ------------------- ------------
Mix 85% sodium chlorate Mix 65% sodium chlorate 10% vaseline 22% charcoal
5% aluminum powder 13% sulfur A sprinkling of graphite _______________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Thirteen: General Anarchy _______________________________________________________________________________
J.L. Hudsons! Bring a good, strong magnet with you, and head for the clothing
section... Look at the clothes on the rack, look at the tag... ___________________
| | | X X X X X X X | |:::::::::::::::::::| |___________________| See that
row of colons ^^ I drew? Well, that represents the magnetic strip which
they use for inventory purposes. If you erase this strip with the magnet,
the cash register won't be able to read the tag and the lady will have
to enter the whole number... this gets very nasty if you erase the tags
on almost every shirt, blouse, etc. in the store... most of the stuff has
more than one tag, be sure to erase both... Anywhere: Bring a small screwdriver
with you, find one of those drinking fountains that has a cooling system,
(it makes a humming sound every so often, and there is a fan).. Reach underneath,
behind it and find the coolant line that is the largest. Next, find the
little valve on it, it will have a cap on it. Remove the cap and you will
see what looks like a bicycle- type valve. Poke it with the screwdriver
until some air is sucked into the system.. Then get out of there, the compressor
will make some strange noises, then will quit. In a few minutes, it will
cool off, and try to start again. This cycle will destroy the compressor...ha.
Restrooms: Take the toilet paper and pull off a section about 4 feet in
length. Stick it in the toilet the flush it down.. If you still have your
screwdriver, turn the water inlet valve to full - this is that valve on
a normal toilet... -*==0 | | ------- It's a little hard to understand,
but it is usually capped, take off the cap. If you do it right, the whole
roll of toilet paper will be gone in no time - keep doing it 'till it floods...!
Any Store! Some stores have a security system that employs the use of little
plastic buttons, slips, or disks that are fastened to articles of clothing.
Inside these articles are a piece of copperish-looking foil coated with
some green plastic marked, "Inventory Control - Property of the Store."
(In some cases, this piece of plastic is placed on a string all by itself..)
Take this piece of plastic and do any of the following - drop it into a
bag or the pocket of another piece of clothing, (they won't be able to
find it but it will trigger the alarm all the time!).. Find a little kid
standing all by himself, and tell him it's a special magic card, and to
keep it! (Once he leaves, the alarm will go off, and his parents will get
busted..) Or, of course, you can drop it into the bag of another customer,
that's always fun.. Any Large Department Store: Sometimes there are phones
laying around in unsupervised check-out booths, (like in hudson's or something),
pick up the phone, and dial a three digit number - this usually connects
you with another part of the store - after some real pranking around the
whole store, you might want to walk around and see what you've done; (usually,
there will be a small store directory taped into the handset, it always
comes in handy.) The HardWare Department: Find a small cylinder of methyl
acetylene propeniene, (or the tradename "mapp"), and jam a small nail into
the top, not allowing too much gas to escape at one time... The smell of
the gas you will soon find out is -->terrible<-- and if left around
slowly releasing the gas, it might cause an explosion, (if it is near the
electrical and lighting dept.), or most likely it will cause some really
pissed customers who smell the stuff; it really smells bad!! Elevators:
Remember when your parents got pissed when you messed with the buttons
on an elevator? Well, forget that - find the switch, usually a pushtype,
and turn it off when you are at a floor. Most people don't know how the
hell to work it, and will get quite pissed... Also, push and stick one
of the buttons down, (lets say the highest floor so it is in a non-traffic
area), with some gum or tape or a nail; the elevator will always seek that
floor when it's not being called by other floors - over time, it becomes
slower and slower... At A Large Department Store: Find one of those brass
disks on the floor.. Stand on it and turn your whole body counter-clockwise
to unscrew it. Take a look inside, and you'll see a pair of wires that
look very thin, there is a good chance that those are serial register bus
wires. Strip them, (with your handy-dandy swiss), and touch them together,
if there is a small spark, you're in luck. If there is a large spark forget
where you read this - this will effectively knock out all the data transmissions
from each register to the master computer, depending on the setup, each
register might go dead.. (What a mess...) _______________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Fourteen: More easy gadgets _______________________________________________________________________________
These devices aren't of the chemical nature, so they shouldn't be hard
for anyone to build. They are also the kinds of devices which can be improved
by simply making them bigger. _______________________________________________________________________________
Simple mine _______________________________________________________________________________
This is where it all started. The simple land mine is used in other devices.
The device itself isn't complicated, but takes patience to make it work
well. Materials: Film Canister (or Folger's Coffee can if you wanna blow
away the block) Packs of matches (17 fill a film canister). Patience. First,
take the lid of the canister or can, etc. and cut a square hole in the
lid the width of the striking strip on a book of matches (about 5mm). Next,
cut 4 striker strips off the matchbooks. With these you must make a "box".
You might want to leave an extra millimeter of cardboard on the edge of
the strips, and bend them so you can glue the edges of each strip together.
Because it's hard to glue just edges together. Form the box around a pencil
or something, so you can have support when gluing it. Make sure the whole
inside of the box is the brimstone side of the strips. What it will look
like when it's made is a 3cm long hollow box, with the ends open. You then
push this box halfway through the lid with the hole in it. Now cut the
joint edges of the box only on the top side of the lid, so you can fold
these sides down to the lid, to hold it better. It now will look like a
lid, will a cross of cardboard on the top side, and on the underside, the
rest of the box is sticking out. Next cut your match heads off and fill
the canister. Then, take 2 or 3 matches, tape them together tightly, and
insert them Carefully in the "box" from the top side of the lid. MAKE SURE
they fit snugly, otherwise they'll slip about and won't strike the insides
of the box and therefore light everything else. Finally, put the lid on,
and tape the son of a bitch up as much as possible, over the lid as well.
Bury the whole thing in the ground so just the "button" (the 2 or 3 matches,
which are about half way into the box) are sticking above ground. And when
someone steps on it, BOOM! Of course with a film canister, the explosion
isn't too big, but if you had a Godamn coffee can, you could blow someone's
foot off. Or a 2 litre pop bottle, using the cap in place of the lid!!
_______________________________________________________________________________
String Cannon _______________________________________________________________________________
Once again, the basic principle of the mine is used here. Materials: Container.
Matchbooks. Piece of piping with one end closed off (make sure it is possible
to put a hole in the closed end though). ABS piping (available at Home
Hardware) Blacks is good because the film canisters fit PERFECTLY. But
only the see through ones. Ask Blacks for TRANSPARENT film canisters. String.
Violent nature. Ok, make a basic mine (you MUST have the mine to do this).
But don't put in the match heads yet. Pierce a hole in the bottom of the
canister (big enough for strong string to fit through). Now, once you have
made the 2 or 3 match button (from the first mine explained) you will be
pulling it from the bottom rather than stepping on the top. Tie the string
to the matches in the brimstone box and then bring the string through the
bottom of the canister, fill the canister with match heads, and put on
the lid. Once again, the more you tape, THE BETTER. You want to hold this
explosion as much as possible, so when it goes off it's more powerful.
Put a hole (for the string) in the blocked end of the piping. You might
find it hard to the string through, but try and get it through a small
a hole as possible. You don't want anything coming out the back! A good
idea is to, insert the string through the pipe, THEN do the rest explained
above. And drop the mine CAREFULLY down to the bottom of the pipe. Now
walk around like you have a shotgun and whenever you want to blow something
away, just point and pull the string. A spray of match heads, fire, plastic
bits etc. will fly out, pretty impressive I guess. _______________________________________________________________________________
Mortar _______________________________________________________________________________
Basically, that's exactly what this is. It shoots out projectiles that
explode on contact. Useful for small scale war. Materials: 4 or 5 cans.
Strong tape (or a welder if you can get your hands on one) Matches (MUST
be "eddy lights" (the ones with the different coloured tip)) Squashball
or dogball, as long as it's hollow (a tennis ball can be used, but you
need cans wide enough to house it) Ronson's lighter fluid Will to blow
something up. Basically, this device is quite easily made, you just need
some good tools to do it properly. First, take one of the cans, and cut
the entire top of of it (this might be hard with pop cans, since they have
a high edge which gets in the way of using a can opener). Then, on the
bottom of the can, cut about 3/4 of it out, so you have a semi-circle of
tin missing on the bottom, like in this diagram: ______ /}*****\ / }******\
* = amount of tin left on bottom [ }*******] of can. [ }*******] \ }******/
\}*****/ ~~~~~ Do exactly the same thing to all the rest of the cans as
explained above (NOT the last one though), making sure that the open part
in the bottom of each can alternates with the one below it. In other words,
if you looked down the barrel of the thing, you'd see a semi-circle missing
on the left, then the right (directly opposite) then the left etc. It must
look this way. When you get to your last can, leave the bottom on and still
cut the whole top off. Now you must tape/weld all these cans together (with
the one with the bottom on the bottom, naturally). This might be hard if
you used pop-cans since the edges would be very rough (because you'd need
to actually CUT off the top, not use a an opener). Anyway, now that's done.
Last, make a small hole in the side of the bottom can (as close as you
can get to the bottom). It just has to be big enough to squirt the Ronson's
inside. Next, you need to make "Roly Poly Match Heads". You must find a
ball that is hollow, and will fit as best as possible in the cans, so it
doesn't wobble too much, but doesn't have trouble coming out the end. Make
a small slice in the ball (not a hole), and start pouring in cut off match
heads (eddy lights, remember) until it's quite tightly packed. Put this
down the barrel of the mortar, tilt it upright at about a 45 degree angle.
Squirt some ronsons into the small hole at the bottom (and a bit around
the hole, in case it doesn't catch right away), light it, and BOOM. The
ball should go VERY far if the cannon is made well, and it will explode
when it lands to boot! _______________________________________________________________________________
Simple Rocket Launcher _______________________________________________________________________________
Materials: ABS piping (at least 8 cm diameter, so the fins of the rocket
can be fit inside, and it should be about 4 feet long). Also get a smaller
piece of ABS piping about 1 foot long and 3 inches wide (home hardware
will tell you what diameters the piping comes in exactly). This one foot
piece will need to be cut in half with a hack saw. Switch (get it at Radio
shack) 9 volt battery Alligator clips (Radio shack of $#!^) Small rocket
(buy smallest size at Merry Land toys at Bloor and Yonge) 3 "A" sized engines.
Solar flares (3 come with the engines, but it's good to get another pack
of them) Mine. This is if you want an explosion at the end. Relatively
easy (as I always say) to build. After you've cut the small piece of ABS
in half. Tape the two "handles" to the bottom of the larger piece of ABS
(the launcher itself), one will act as the front handle, and the other
will have the "switch" on it. Tape them in places where it's comfortable
to you. You will be holding it most likely on your right shoulder, and
your left arm will be out front supporting you, and your right arm will
be close into you, ready to pull the switch, and the back end of the barrel
will be resting on your shoulder (don't worry, barely anything comes out
the back, just a bit of smoke). Next put the rocket together (you can read
the instructions yourself). *BUT*, since the rocket only supplies fins
for the back end (because your supposed to be launching it up, not less
than something like 70 degrees (which is considered "ballistic")), you
will have to make makeshift fins for the from so the rocket is pointing
straight ahead inside the launcher, not the from end sagging down, and
only the back end up. The good part about getting he smallest rocket is,
the transparent film canisters (once again, they are the better of the
two types, so ask for those), have sort of a circle that juts out on the
lid, which fits EXACTLY into the cardboard body of the rocket. So, voila,
you can put a mine on the front. It seems they make these things fit nicely
just for us anarchist doesn't it? Anyway, once you have the rocket built,
you should now hook up some long wire to the switch you have, and have
one end going to the battery, and from the other terminal on the battery
to the rocket, and the other end of the switch to the rocket. Here's a
diagram... ________________________ ________________<-----__ < rocket
inside II *II ^ * = switch front handle Close up diagram: + - _____________________]
] < put alligator clips [ _____________] on ends of these &&&&&&&&&&&&&[&&
H & ]&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
wires (which should [ & A & ] be taped along the on/off > \# &
N & ] body of the switch [ & D & ] launcher) and clamp [ &
L & ] them to the solar [_& E &_] flare, which is in the back
of the engine. & = ABS plastic Obviously, if you have a mine, the "button"
on the top of the mine will be facing outwards, so when it lands, boom.
The weight of the engine should balance the weight of the bomb on the front.
Well, there you have it. Just point, and launch! _______________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Fifteen: Complex Explosives _______________________________________________________________________________
This chapter deals with the instructions for creating some dangerous explosives.
If you intend to make any of these explosives, do so in SMALL AMOUNTS ONLY,
as they are all dangerous and could seriously injure or kill you if done
in larger amounts. If you don't know anything about chemistry, DON'T DO
THESE EXPERIMENTS! I am not joking in giving this warning. Unless you have
a death wish, you shouldn't try any of the following unless you have had
prior experience with chemicals. I am not responsible for any injury or
damage caused by people using this information. It is provided for use
by people knowledgeable in chemistry who are interested in such experiments
and can safely handle such experiments. _______________________________________________________________________________
Part A: Common "weak" explosives _______________________________________________________________________________
A. Gunpowder: 75% Potassium Nitrate 15% Charcoal 10% Sulfur The chemicals
should be ground into a fine powder (separately!) with a mortar & pestle.
If gunpowder is ignited in the open, it burns fiercely, but if in a closed
space it builds up pressure from the released gases and can explode the
container. Gunpowder works like this: the potassium nitrate oxidizes the
charcoal and sulfur, which then burn fiercely. Carbon dioxide and sulfur
dioxide are the gases released. B. Ammonal: Ammonal is a mixture of ammonium
nitrate (a strong oxidizer) with aluminum powder (the 'fuel' in this case).
I am not sure of the % composition for Ammonal, so you may want to experiment
a little using small amounts. C. Chemically ignited explosives: 1. A mixture
of 1 part potassium chlorate to 3 parts table sugar (sucrose) burns fiercely
and brightly (similar to the burning of magnesium) when 1 drop of concentrated
sulfuric acid is placed on it. What occurs is this: when the acid is added
it reacts with the potassium chlorate to form chlorine dioxide, which explodes
on formation, burning the sugar as well. 2. Using various chemicals, I
have developed a mixture that works very well for imitating volcanic eruptions.
I have given it the name 'MPG Vulcanite' tm). Here it is: potassium chlorate
+ potassium perchlorate + ammonium nitrate + ammonium dichromate + potassium
nitrate + sugar + sulfur + iron filings + charcoal + zinc dust + some coloring
agent. (scarlet= strontium nitrate, purple= iodine crystals, yellow= sodium
chloride, crimson= calcium chloride, etc...). 3. So, do you think water
puts out fires? In this one, it starts it. Mixture: ammonium nitrate +
ammonium chloride + iodine + zinc dust. When a drop or two of water is
added, the ammonium nitrate forms nitric acid which reacts with the zinc
to produce hydrogen and heat. The heat vaporizes the iodine (giving off
purple smoke) and the ammonium chloride (becomes purple when mixed with
iodine vapor). It also may ignite the hydrogen and begin burning. Ammonium
nitrate: 8 grams Ammonium chloride: 1 gram Zinc dust: 8 grams Iodine crystals:
1 gram 4. Potassium permanganate + glycerin when mixed produces a purple-
colored flame in 30 secs-1 min. Works best if the potassium permanganate
is finely ground. 5. Calcium carbide + water releases acetylene gas (highly
flammable gas used in blow torches...) ______________________________________________________________________________
Part B: Thermite reactions ______________________________________________________________________________
The Thermite reaction is used in welding, because it generates molten iron
and temperatures of 3500 C (6000F+). It uses one of the previous reactions
that I talked about to START it! Starter=potassium chlorate + sugar Main
pt.= iron (III) oxide + aluminum powder (325 mesh or finer) Put the potassium
chlorare + sugar around and on top of the main pt. To start the reaction,
place one drop of concentrated sulfuric acid on top of the starter mixture.
STEP BACK! The ratios are: 3 parts iron(III) oxide to 1 part aluminum powder
to 1 part potassium chlorate to 1 part sugar. When you first do it, try
3g:1g:1g:1g! Also, there is an alternative starter for the Thermite reaction.
The alternative is potassium permanganate + glycerin. Amounts: 55g iron(III)
oxide, 15g aluminum powder, 25g potassium permanganate, 6ml glycerin. _______________________________________________________________________________
Part C: Nitrogen-Containing High Explosives _______________________________________________________________________________
A. Mercury(II) Fulminate To produce Mercury(II) Fulminate, a very sensitive
shock explosive, one might assume that it could be formed by adding Fulminic
acid to mercury. This is somewhat difficult since Fulminic acid is very
unstable and cannot be purchased. I did some research and figured out a
way to make it without fulminic acid. You add 2 parts nitric acid to 2
parts alcohol to 1 part mercury. This is theoretical (I have not yet tried
it) so please, if you try this, do it in very* small amounts and tell me
the results. B. Nitrogen Triiodide Nitrogen Triiodide is a very powerful
and very shock sensitive explosive. Never store it and be careful when
you're around it- sound, air movements, and other tiny things could set
it off. Materials- 2-3g Iodine 15ml conc. ammonia 8 sheets filter paper
50ml beaker feather mounted on a two meter pole ear plugs tape spatula
stirring rod Add 2-3g Iodine to 15ml ammonia in the 50ml beaker. Stir,
let stand for 5 minutes. DO THE FOLLOWING WITHIN 5 MINUTES! Retain the
solid, decant the liquid (pour off the liquid but keep the brown solid...).
Scrape the brown residue of Nitrogen Triiodide onto a stack of four sheets
of filter paper. Divide solid into four parts, putting each on a separate
sheet of dry filter paper. Tape in position, leave to dry undisturbed for
AT LEAST 30 minutes (preferably longer). To detonate, touch with feather.
(WEAR EAR PLUGS WHEN DETONATING OR COVER EARS- IT IS VERY LOUD!) C. Cellulose
Nitrate (Guncotton) Commonly known as Smokeless powder, Nitrocellulose
is exactly that- it does not give off smoke when it burns. Materials- 70ml
concentrated sulfuric acid 30ml concentrated nitric acid 5g absorbent cotton
250ml 1M sodium bicarbonate 250ml beaker ice bath tongs paper towels Place
250ml beaker in the ice bath, add 70ml sulfuric acid, 30 ml nitric acid.
Divide cotton into .7g pieces. With tongs, immerse each piece in the acid
solution for 1 minute. Next, rinse each piece in 3 successive baths of
500ml ater. Use fresh water for each piece. Then immerse in 250ml 1M sodium
bicarbonate. If it bubbles, rinse in water once more until no bubbling
occurs. Squeeze dry and spread on paper towels to dry overnight. D. Nitroglycerin
Nitroglycerin is a *VERY* dangerous shock sensitive explosive. It is used
in making dynamite, among other things. I am not sure as to the proportions
and amounts of chemicals to be used, so I shall use estimates. Materials-
70ml conc. sulfuric acid 30ml conc. nitric acid 10 ml glycerin ice bath
150ml beaker Put the 150ml beaker in the ice bath and make sure that it
is very cold. Slowly add the 70ml sulfuric and 30ml nitric acids to the
beaker, trying to maintain a low temperature. When the temperature starts
to level off, add about 10ml glycerin. If it turns brown or looks funny,
**RUN LIKE HELL**. When Nitroglycerin turns brown, that means it's ready
to explode... If it stays clear and all works well, keep the temperature
as low as you can and let it sit for a few hours. You then should have
some Nitroglycerin, probably mixed with nitric and sulfuric acids. When
you set it off, you must not be nearby. Nitroglycerin can fill 10,000 times
its original area with expanding gases. This means that if you have 10ml's
of Nitroglycerin in there, it will produce some 100,000ml's of gases. To
make it into dynamite, the Nitroglycerin must be absorbed into something
like wood pulp or diamaeceous earth (spelled something like that). _______________________________________________________________________________
Part D: Other stuff _______________________________________________________________________________
A. Peroxyacetone Peroxyacetone is extremely flammable and has been reported
to be shock sensitive. Materials- 4ml Acetone 4ml 30% Hydrogen Peroxide
4 drops conc. hydrochloric acid 150mm test tube Add 4ml acetone and 4ml
hydrogen peroxide to the test tube. Then add 4 drops concentrated hydrochloric
acid. In 10-20 minutes a white solid should begin to appear. If no change
is observed, warm the test tube in a water bath at 40 celsius. Allow the
reaction to continue for two hours. Swirl the slurry and filter it. Leave
out on filter paper to dry for at least two hours. To ignite, light a candle
tied to a meter stick and light it (while staying at least a meter away).
B. Smoke smoke smoke... The following reaction should produce a fair amount
of smoke. Since this reaction is not all that dangerous you can use larger
amounts if necessary for larger amounts of smoke. 6g zinc powder 1g sulfur
powder Insert a red hot wire into the pile, step back. A lot of smoke should
be created. _______________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Sixteen: Stars, Flares, and Color Mixtures _______________________________________________________________________________
This is serious stuff, and can be really dangerous if you don't treat it
seriously. For you kids out there who watch too many cartoons, remember
that if a part of your body gets blown away in the REAL world, it STAYS
blown away. If you can't treat this stuff with respect, don't screw around
with it. Each part will start with a set of safety rules. Don't skip over
them. Read 'em and MEMORIZE 'em!! At the beginning, there will be a set
of general rules that always apply. Then there will be some things that
you HAVE TO KNOW about the materials you will be using and making this
time. Read it thoroughly before starting anything. Pyrotechnic preparations
and explosives are, by their very nature, unstable, and subject to ignition
by explosion or heat, shock, or friction. A clear understanding of their
dangerous properties and due care in the handling of ingredients or finished
products is necessary if accidents are to be avoided. Always observe all
possible precautions, particularly the following: 1. Mix only small batches
at one time. This means a few grams, or at most, an ounce or so. Don't
go for big mixes -- they only make for bigger accidents. The power of an
explosive cubes itself with every ounce. (9 Ounces is 729 times as powerful
as one ounce.) 2. When weighing chemicals, use a clean piece of paper on
the scale pan for each item. Then discard the used paper into a bucket
of water before weighing the next ingredient. 3. Be a safe worker. Dispose
of any chemicals spilled on the workbench or equipment between weighings.
Don't keep open containers of chemicals on your table, since accidental
spillage or mixing may occur. When finished with a container, close it,
and replace it on the storage shelf. Use only clean equipment. 4. Where
chemicals are to be ground, grind them separately, NEVER TOGETHER. Thoroughly
wash and clean equipment before grinding another ingredient. 5. Mixing
of batches should be done outdoors, away from flammable structures, such
as buildings, barns, garages, etc. Mixes should also be made in NON METALLIC
containers to avoid sparks. Glass also should not be used since it will
shatter in case of an accident. Handy small containers can be made by cutting
off the top of a plastic bottle three or four inches from the bottom. Some
mixes may most conveniently be made by placing the ingredients in a plastic
bottle and rolling around until the mixture is uniform. In all cases, point
the open end of the container away from yourself. Never hold your body
or face over the container. Any stirring should be done with a wooden paddle
or stick to avoid sparks or static. Powdered or ground materials may also
be mixed by placing them on a large sheet of paper on a flat surface and
then rolling them across the sheet by lifting the sides and corners one
at a time. 6. Never ram or tamp mixes into paper or cardboard tubes. Pour
the material in and gently tap or shake the tube to settle the contents
down. 7. Store ingredients and finished mixes where they will not be a
fire hazard away from heat and flame. Finished preparations may be stored
in plastic bottles which will not shatter in case of an accident. Since
many of the ingredients and mixes are poisonous, they should be stored
out of reach of children or pets, preferably locked away. 8. Be sure threads
of screw top containers and caps are thoroughly cleaned. This applies also
to containers with stoppers of rubber or cork and to all other types of
closures. Traces of mixture caught between the container and closure may
be ignited by the friction of opening or closing the container. Throughout
any procedure, WORK WITH CLEAN CONDITIONS. 9. ALWAYS WEAR A FACE SHIELD
OR AT LEAST SHATTERPROOF SAFETY GLASSES. Any careful worker does when handling
dangerous materials. Be sure lenses and frames are not flammable. 10. Always
wear a dust respirator when handling chemicals in dust form. These small
particles gather in your lungs and stay there. They may cause serious illnesses
later on in life. 11. Always wear gloves when working with chemicals. 12.
Always wear a waterproof lab apron. 13. If you must work indoors, have
a good ventilation system. 14. Never smoke anywhere near where you are
working. 15. Make sure there are NO open flames present, and NO MOTORS
(they produce sparks inside.) No hot water heaters, furnaces, or pilot
lights in stoves!! Sparks have been known to very readily explode dust
floating in the air. 16. ALWAYS work with someone. Two heads are better
than one. 17. Have a source of water READILY available. (Fire extinguisher,
hose, etc.) 18. Never, under any circumstances, use any metal to load chemicals
or put chemicals in. Fireworks with metal casings are worse to handle than
a live hand grenade. Never use any metal container or can. This includes
the very dangerous CO2 cartridges. Many people have been KILLED because
of flying fragments from metal casings. Again, please do not use metal
in any circumstance. 19. Always be thoroughly familiar with the chemicals
you are using. Some information will be included in each bit, but look
for whatever extra information you can. Materials that were once thought
to be safe can later be found out to be dangerous stuff. 20. Wash your
hands and face thoroughly after using chemicals. Don't forget to wash your
EARS AND YOUR NOSE. 21. If any device you've built fails to work, leave
it alone. After a half hour or so, you may try to bury it, but never try
to unload or reuse any dud. 22. If dust particles start to form in the
air, stop what you are doing and leave until it settles. 23. Read the entire
file before trying to do anything. 24. NEVER strike any mixture containing
Chlorates, Nitrates, Perchlorates, Permanganates, Bichromates, or powdered
metals don't drop them, or even handle them roughly. These rules may all
look like a lot of silly nonsense, but let's look at one example. When
the move "The Wizard of OZ" was made, the actress who played the good witch
was severely burned when one of the exploding special effects got out of
hand. The actress who played the bad witch got really messed up by the
green coloring used on her face, and the original actor who played the
Tin Man got his lungs destroyed by the aluminum dust used to color his
face. The actor we know of as the tin man was actually a replacement. The
point is, these chemicals were being used under the direction of people
a lot more knowledgeable of chemicals than you are, and terrible accidents
still happened. Don't take this stuff lightly. We will be using the following
materials this time. Get familiar with them. Some can be highly dangerous.
Aluminum Dust (and powder) Al An element used for brilliancy in the fine
powder form. It can be purchased as a fine silvery or gray powder. All
grades from technical to superpure (99.9%) can be used. It is dangerous
to inhale the dust. The dust is also flammable, by itself. In coarser forms,
like powder, it is less dangerous. Antimony Sulfide Sb S 2 3 Also known
as "Black" Antimony Sulfide. (There is also a "Red" form, which is useless
to us.) This is used to sharpen the report of firecrackers, salutes, etc.,
or to add color to a fire. The technical, black, powder is suitable. Avoid
contact with the skin. Dermatitis or worse will be the result. Barium Chlorate
Ba(ClO ) * H O 3 2 2 Available as a white powder. It is poisonous, as are
all Barium salts. It is used both as an oxidizer and color imparter. It
is as powerful as Potassium Chlorate and should be handled with the same
care. Melting point is 414 degrees. Barium Nitrate Ba(NO ) 3 2 Poisonous.
Used as an oxidizer and colorizer. The uses and precautions are the same
as with a mixture containing Potassium Nitrate. Charcoal C A form of the
element carbon. Used in fireworks and explosives as a reducing agent. It
can be purchased as a dust on up to a coarse powder. Use dust form, unless
otherwise specified. The softwood variety is best, and it should be black,
not brown. Copper Acetoarsenite (CuO) As O Cu(C H O ) 3 2 3 2 3 2 2 The
popular name for this is Paris Green. It is also called King's Green or
Vienna Green. It has been used as an insecticide, and is available as a
technical grade, poisonous, emerald green powder. It is used in fireworks
to add color. Careful with this stuff. It contains arsenic. Copper Chloride
CuCl 2 A color imparter. As with all copper salts, this is poisonous. Copper
Sulfate CuSO *5H O 4 2 Known as Blue Vitriol, this poisonous compound is
available as blue crystals or blue powder. Can be purchased in some drugstores
and some agricultural supply stores. Used as a colorizer. Dextrin This
can be purchased as a white or yellow powder. It is a good cheap glue for
binding cases and stars in fireworks. Lampblack C This is another form
of the element carbon. It is a very finely powdered black dust (soot, actually)
resulting from the burning of crude oils. It is used for special effects
in fireworks. Lead Chloride PbCl 3 Available as a white, crystalline, poisonous
powder, which melts at 501 degrees. As with all lead salts, it is not only
poisonous, but the poison accumulates in the body, so a lot of small, otherwise
harmless doses can be as bad as one large dose. Mercurous Chloride HgCl
Also known as calomel or Mercury Monochloride. This powder will brighten
an otherwise dull colored mixture. Sometimes it is replaced by Hexachlorobenzene
for the same purpose. This is non poisonous ONLY if it is 100% pure. Never
confuse this chemical with Mercuric Chloride, which is poisonous in any
purity. Potassium Chlorate KClO 3 This, perhaps, is the most widely used
chemical in fireworks. Before it was known, mixtures were never spectacular
in performance. It opened the door to what fireworks are today. It is a
poisonous, white powder that is used as an oxidizer. Never ram or strike
a mixture containing Potassium Chlorate. Do not store mixtures containing
this chemical for any length of time, as they may explode spontaneously.
Potassium Dichromate K Cr O 2 2 7 Also known as Potassium Bichromate. The
commercial grade is used in fireworks and matches. The bright orange crystals
are poisonous. Potassium Nitrate KNO 3 Commonly called Saltpeter. This
chemical is an oxidizer which decomposes at 400 degrees. It is well known
as a component of gunpowder and is also used in other firework pieces.
Available as a white powder. Potassium Perchlorate KClO 4 Much more stable
than its chlorate brother, this chemical is a white or slightly pink powder.
It can often substitute for Potassium Chlorate to make the mixture safer.
It will not yield its oxygen as easily, but to make up for this, it gives
off more oxygen. It is also poisonous. Red Gum Rosin similar to shellac
and can often replace it in many fireworks formulas. Red Gum is obtained
from barks of trees. Shellac Powder An organic rosin made from the secretions
of insects which live in India. The exact effect it produces in fireworks
is not obtainable from other gums. The common mixture of shellac and alcohol
sold in hardware stores should be avoided. Purchase the powdered variety,
which is orange in color. Sodium Oxalate Na C O 2 2 4 Used in making yellow
fires. Available as a fine dust, which you should avoid breathing. Strontium
Carbonate SrCO 3 Known in the natural state as Strontianite, this chemical
is used for adding a red color to fires. It comes as a white powder, in
a pure, technical, or natural state. Strontium Nitrate Sr(NO ) 3 2 By far
the most common chemical used to produce red in flares, stars and fires.
Available in the technical grade as a white powder. It does double duty
as an oxidizer, but has a disadvantage in that it will absorb some water
from the air. Strontium Sulfate SrSO 4 Since this chemical does not absorb
water as readily as the nitrate, it is often used when the powder is to
be stored. In its natural state it is known as Celestine, which is comparable
to the technical grade used in fireworks. Sulfur S A yellow element that
acts as a reducing agent. It burns at 250 degrees, giving off choking fumes.
Purchase the yellow, finely powdered form only. Other forms are useless
without a lot of extra and otherwise unnecessary effort to powder it. Zinc
Dust Zn Of all the forms of zinc available, only the dust form is in any
way suitable. As a dust, it has the fineness of flour. Should be either
of the technical or high purity grade. Avoid breathing the dust, which
can cause lung damage. Used in certain star mixtures, and with sulfur,
as a rocket fuel. _______________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Seventeen: The Chemistry of Pyrotechnics _______________________________________________________________________________
Most pyrotechnic mixtures follow a very simple set of chemical rules. We'll
go over those now. Most mixtures contain an oxidizing agent, which usually
produces oxygen used to burn the mixture, and a reducing agent, which burns
to produce hot gasses. In addition, there can be coloring agents to impart
a color to the fire, binders, which hold the mixture in a solid lump, and
regulators that speed up or slow down the speed at which the mixture burns.
These are not all the possibilities, but they cover most all cases. Oxidizing
agents, such as nitrates, chlorates, and perchlorates provide the oxygen.
They usually consist of a metal ion and the actual oxidizing radical. For
example, Potassium Nitrate contains a metal ion (Potassium) and the oxidizing
radical (the Nitrate). Instead of potassium, we could instead substitute
other metals, like sodium, barium, or strontium, and the chemical would
still supply oxygen to the burning mixture. But some are less desirable.
Sodium Nitrate, for example, will absorb moisture out of the air, and this
will make it harder to control the speed at which the mixture will burn.
In the following examples, we'll use the letter "X" to show the presence
of a generic metal ion. Note that Nitrates are stingy with the oxygen that
they give up. They only give one third of what they have. Some Some Nitrate
Nitrite Oxygen 2XNO ---> 2XN0 + O 3 2 2 Chlorates are very generous, on
the other hand. They give up all the oxygen they have. Furthermore, they
give it up more easily. It takes less heat, or less shock to get that oxygen
loose. Mixtures using chlorates burn more spectacularly, because a smaller
volume of the mix needs to be wasted on the oxidizer, and the ease with
which the oxygen is supplied makes it burn faster. But the mixture is also
MUCH more sensitive to shock. Some Some Chlorate Chloride Oxygen 2XClO
---> 2XCl + 3O 3 2 Perchlorates round out our usual set of oxidizing tools.
Perchlorates contain even more oxygen than Chlorates, and also give it
all up. However, they are not as sensitive as the Chlorates, so they make
mixtures that are "safer". That is, they're less likely to explode if you
drop or strike them. Some Some Perchlorate Chloride Oxygen XClO ---> XCl
+ 2O 4 2 Reducing agents, like sulfur and charcoal (carbon) simply burn
the oxygen to produce sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide. It's usually best
to include a mixture of the two in a pyrotechnic mixture, as they burn
at different speeds and temperatures, and the proper combination will help
control the speed of combustion. Also, when extra fast burning speed is
needed, like in rockets and firecrackers, metal powder is often added.
The finer the powder, the faster the burning rate. The proportions change
the speed, as well. Magnesium powder or dust is often used for speed. Aluminum
dust works, but not as well. Zinc dust is used in some cases. Powdered
metal, (not dust) particularly aluminum or iron, are often used to produce
a mixture that shoots out sparks as it burns. In rare cases, it is desirable
to slow down the burning speed. In this case, corn meal is often used.
It burns, so acts as a reducing agent, but it doesn't burn very well. Coloring
agents are very interesting. It's long been known that various metals produce
different colored flames when burned in a fire. The reasons are buried
in the realm of quantum physics, but the results are what matters, and
we can present them here. Note that if we use an oxidizing agent that contains
a colorizing metal, it can do a double job. It can produce oxygen and color.
Barium -Barium salts give a pleasant green color. Barium Nitrate is most
often used. Strontium -Strontium salts give a strong red color. Strontium
Nitrate is a very convenient material for red. Sodium -Sodium salts give
an intense yellow color. So intense in fact that any sodium compounds in
a mixture will usually wash out other colorizers. As has been said, Sodium
Nitrate absorbs moisture from the air, and so is not really suitable to
impart color. Instead, Sodium Oxalate is usually used. This does not absorb
lots of water, but has the disadvantage of being very poisonous. Copper
-Copper salts are used to give a blue color. Blue is the most difficult
color to produce, and it's usually not too spectacular. Usually Copper
Acetoarsenite (Paris Green) is used. This compound contains arsenic, and
is very poisonous. Since it still doesn't produce a very memorable blue,
it's often used with mercurous chloride, which enhances the color, but
is also poisonous, and expensive, to boot. Potassium -Potassium salts will
give a delicate purple color, if they're very pure. The cheaper lab grades
of potassium nitrate often contain traces of sodium, which completely obscure
the purple color. In order to get the purple coloring, very pure grades
must be used, and you must be very careful to mix it in very clean vessels,
and scoop it from the supply jar with a very clean scoop. The color is
certainly worth the effort, if you can get it. Some mixtures that burn
in colors also contain binders, that hold the mixture together in a solid
lump. These lumps are usually referred to as stars. The balls fired from
a roman candle or the colorful showers sprayed from aerial bombs are examples
of stars. Depending on the mixture, the binder is either a starch called
dextrin or finely powdered orange shellac. A shellac-like material called
red gum is also used on occasion. In some mixtures, the shellac powder
also helps produce a nice color. Shellac mixtures are moistened with alcohol
to get them to stick together. Dextrin mixtures are moistened with water.
If the colored mixture is to be used as a flare, it's just packed into
a thin paper tube. If it's to be fired from a roman candle, it's usually
extruded from a heavy tube by pushing it out with a dowel, and the pieces
are cut off as the proper length pops out. Stars fired from an aerial bomb
are usually made by rolling the moist mixture flat, and cutting it with
a knife into small cubes. Stars that are extruded are often called "pumped
stars" those that are rolled out are "cut stars". The following are formulas
for mixtures that burn with various colors. Parts are by weight. Red Potassium
Chlorate 9 Sulfur 2 Lampblack 1 Strontium Nitrate 9 bind with shellac dissolved
in alcohol Blue Potassium Chlorate 9 This one is inferior Copper Acetoarsenite
2 Potassium Chlorate 12 Mercurous Chloride 1 Copper Sulfate 6 Sulfur 2
Lead Chloride 1 bind with dextrin Sulfur 4 in water bind with dextrin in
water Green Barium Chlorate 8 Barium Nitrate 3 Lampblack 1 Potassium Chlorate
4 Shellac Powder 1 Shellac Powder 1 bind with alcohol Dextrin 1/4 Bind
with alcohol Yellow Potassium Chlorate 8 Potassium Chlorate 8 Sodium Oxalate
3 Sodium Oxalate 4 Lampblack 2 Shellac Powder 2 Bind with shellac in Dextrin
1 alcohol or dextrin Bind with alcohol in water White Potassium Nitrate
6 Sulfur 1 Antimony Sulfide 2 bind with dextrin in water Orange Strontium
Nitrate 36 Sodium Oxalate 8 Potassium Chlorate 5 Shellac Powder 5 Sulfur
3 Bind with alcohol Purple (ingredients must be very pure) Potassium Chlorate
36 This one has more of a lilac color Strontium Sulfate 10 Potassium Chlorate
38 Copper Sulfate 5 Strontium Carbonate 18 Lead Chloride 2 Copper Chloride
4 Charcoal 2 Lead Chloride 2 Sulfur 12 Sulfur 14 Bind with dextrin in Bind
with dextrin in water water Brilliant White Potassium Perchlorate 12 Aluminum
Dust 4 Dextrin 1 Bind with water Golden Twinkler Stars - Falls through
the air and burns in an on and off manner. The effect is spectacular. A
pumped or cut star. Potassium Nitrate 18 Sulfur 3 Lampblack 3 Aluminum
Powder 3 Antimony Sulfide 3 Sodium Oxalate 4 Dextrin 2 Bind with water
Zinc Spreader Stars - Shoot out pieces of burning zinc and charcoal. These
stars are much heavier than usual, and require larger charges if they're
to be fired from a tube. Zinc Dust 72 Potassium Chlorate 15 Potassium Dichromate
12 Granular Charcoal 12 Dextrin 2 bind with water Electric Stars - Stars
that contain aluminum powder Potassium Nitrate 15 Potassium Chlorate 60
Aluminum, fine 2 Barium Nitrate 5 Aluminum, medium 1 Aluminum, fine 9 Black
Powder 2 Aluminum, medium 4 Antimony Sulfide 3 Aluminum, coarse 3 Sulfur
4 Charcoal 2 bind with dextrin in Dextrin 5 water bind with red gum in
water Potassium Perchlorate 6 Barium Nitrate 1 Potassium Perchlorate 4
Aluminum 20 Aluminum, medium 2 Dextrin 1 Dextrin 1 bind with shellac in
bind with shellac in alcohol alcohol Simpler Zinc Spreaders Potassium Nitrate
14 Potassium Chlorate 5 Zinc Dust 40 Potassium Dichromate 4 Charcoal 7
Charcoal, medium 4 Sulfur 4 Zinc Dust 24 bind with dextrin in bind with
dextrin in water water Willow Tree Stars - Use large amounts of lampblack
-- too much to burn fully. Gives a willow tree effect. Potassium Chlorate
10 Potassium Nitrate 5 Sulfur 1 Lampblack 18 bind with dextrin in water
As always, don't forget that it's just plain stupid to go buying all these
materials from one chemical supply house. When you buy it all as a group,
they know what you plan to do with it, and they keep records. If anyone
goes investigating the source of homemade fireworks and checks with your
supplier, there will be a lead straight to you. Be sure to cover your tracks.