Boyhood Bombs

[anotheoldgit]

When I was a boy we would go to the chemist and buy potash tablets and some sulpher powder. We would crush a tablet and mix it with some sulpher powder, get two 3/4 inch bolts with one matching nut. Screw one bolt 1/2 way into the nut, put the mixture in the cavity of the nut, and then screw the other bolt into this cavity. When you threw this device onto it's bolt head onto the ground or against a wall, the explosion was quite impressive, and after a few reloads it would finally strip the threads. I bet you can't buy these tablets now.

[Loosehead]

Not sure what you are asking here, if anything!

[anotheoldgit]

Just can you buy these tablets now ? I think that your head that I once commented on being firmly on your shoulders is finally working loose, Loosehead.

[Loosehead]

Sorry I wasn't sure whether "I bet you can't but these tablets now" translated into: can you buy these tablest now? Or: do you think you should be able to buy these tablets now? Or even: Was it wise that young boys could make explosives from ingredients from the local chemist?

You see the predicament!

[Tim123]

By 'potash' I assume that you mean nitrate of potash aka potassium nitrate aka saltpeter/saltpetre. It's a controlled substance now (probably because of your childhood exploits), so you can't get it from chemists any more.

[theprof]

These tablets were formerly used as a treatment for sore throats - you had to suck them in the same way as lozenges. There were also some other medicinal uses for them.

As far as I'm aware, the tablets were removed from the British Pharmaceutical Codex/British Pharmacopiae some years ago as there are much more effective tratments available.

Excess potash (potassium) is poisonous to the human body - the amount the body contains is carefully regulated. An excess of potasium can cause serious kidney damage and hyperkalaemia which may result in heart failure and even cardiac arrrest. The primary cause of fatalities following excess potassium ingestion though is the presence of excess Methaemoglobin in the blood, which prevents the blood transporting oxygen.

These potash tablets were loaded with an almost pure form of a certain potassium salt and as I understand it, people with sore throats used to suck loads of them each day years ago.

[theprof]

Tim123:

The tablets contained potassium chlorate not potassium nitrate.

Nevertheless, I've done a quick check and the chlorate, like the nitrate, is now a scheduled chemical and you can no longer purchase it at pharmacies for the same reasons.

[brachiopod]

Bet your thread set some bells tinkling at GCHQ, oldgit !! You'll probably find out the old bill are on their way round right now, as your question probably constitutes 'promotion of terrorism'. !!

Know what you mean though. I used to ram it into short pieces of copper tubing and insert a magnesium fuse !!

For more of a 'smoke grenade' effect - it was saltpetre and sugar.

[theprof]

Oops seems I've made a boo-boo.

When I mentioned Methaemoglobin above, I meant to say that Methaemoglobin formation arises as a result of ingestion of chlorate salts (not Potassium) and the chlorates are the primary cause of fatalities here.

I was trying too hard at the time to avoid specifying the precise potassium salt concerned for reasons similar to brachiopod's thinking. My mind was elsewhere. Ironically, Tim123 forced me to come clean.

Apologies!

[Mortartube]

These tablets were indeed Potassium Chlorate based. An old retired pharmacist (long since passed away), relayed the story of a customer of his who had a packet of these tablets in his pocket with a box of matches.

The matches ignited as he was walking down the street, most likely because of the proximity of Potassium Chlorate, Sulphur and Phosporous and friction from his walking action. Not the most stable combination.

Crikey Brachiopod, how many fingers have you got left. I used to work in a firework factory and I was never keen on using chlorates.

[willyboy]

Right, I've got these two large bolts and a nut which is screwed half way onto one of them. Can l use some spare nitro glycerine i've got lying around instead as l can't seem to buy these tablets anywhere?