Formulas For The Straight Dynamite Series
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        Probably one of the single greatest breakthroughs in explosives came
by accident, when Nobel discovered a primitive form of dynamite. One of the 
primary ingredients of dynamite is nitroglycerin, which has great explosive
power, although it has the disadvantage of being ultrasensitive to heat and   
shock. What dynamite does is to combine the high explosive power of nitro with
a stabilizing agent, to render it powerful but safely usable. Nobel developed 
what is called today the straight dynamite series, which is nothing more than 
nitro and a stabilizing agent. The most common straight dynamite formulas
follow (nitroglycerin will be referred to as NG):

[1> NG                  32              [10> NG                 26
    sodium nitrate      28                   potassium nitrate  33
    woodmeal            10                   woodmeal           41
    ammonium oxalate    29
    guncotton            1              [11> NG                 15
                                             sodium nitrate     62.9
[2> NG                  24                   woodmeal           21.2
    potassium nitrate    9                   sodium carbonate     .9
    sodium nitrate      56                 
    woodmeal             9              [12> NG                 35
    ammonium oxalate     2                   sodium nitrate     37
                                             woodmeal           27
[3> NG                  35.5                 ammonium oxalate    1
    potassium nitrate   44.5
    woodmeal             6              [13> NG                 32
    guncotton            2.5                 potassium nitrate  27
    vaseline             5.5                 woodmeal           10
    powdered charcoal    6                   ammonium oxalate   30
                                             guncotton           1
[4> NG                  25
    potassium nitrate   26              [14> NG                 33
    woodmeal            34                   woodmeal           10.3
    barium nitrate       5                   ammonium oxalate   29
    starch              10                   guncotton            .7
                                             potassium perchloride 27
[5> NG                  57              
    potassium nitrate   19              [15> NG                 40
    woodmeal             9                   sodium nitrate     45
    ammonium oxalate    12                   woodmeal           15
    guncotton            3
                                        [16> NG                 47
[6> NG                  18                   starch             50
    sodium nitrate      70                   guncotton           3
    woodmeal             5.5
    potassium chloride   4.5            [17> NG                 30
    chalk                2                   sodium nitrate     22.3
                                             woodmeal           40.5
[7> NG                  26                   potassium chloride  7.2
    woodmeal            40
    barium nitrate      32              [18> NG                 50
    sodium carbonate     2                   sodium nitrate     32.6
                                             woodmeal           17
[8> NG                  44                   ammonium oxalate     .4
    woodmeal            12
    anhydrous sodium sulfate 44         [19> NG                 23
                                             potassium nitrate  27.5
[9> NG                  24                   woodmeal           37
    potassium nitrate   32.5                 ammonium oxalate    8
    woodmeal            33.5                 barium nitrate      4
    ammonium oxalate    10                   calcium carbonate    .5

        The figures given in the right column are percentage parts, adding
up to a sum of 100%. Percentage parts are always based on a weight ratio
rather than volume. When preparing any high-explosive formulas, be sure you
know what you are doing. Have the correct equipment, and the correct
chemicals. Many of these chemicals are sold under brand names, which are more
familiar than their chemical names, but, before assuming anything, read the
ingredients, and take nothing for granted.
        These formulas listed above are for straight dynamite. Straight
dynamite is a very primitive form of what we know today as dynamite. Later
ammonium nitrate was added to the dynamite. This substance produced a 
greater explosive action, but less velocity. The intensification of the
explosive action results because ammonium nitrate furnishes more oxygen for
the dynamite. Ammonium nitrate has not only been used in dynamite, but also
in many other different explosive compounds, including nitroglycerin, 
picric acid, and coal dust. Ammonium nitrate when mixed with these substances 
creates the cheapest form of high explosive known to man.

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