For a while I've been making salutes by filling up a plastic cigar tube with whistling pete powder, sticking a fuse in so it lights it in the middle, and wrapping the shit out if it with duct tape. So far I've never put it in a confined space - that is to say, I've never blown anything up with them. I've always lit them out in the open, laying on concrete or wood, so I don't even get to see the crator (if there would be a crator). In fact, I've never even stuck around to look at the "blast site" (I do it in a safe area, but sometimes cops show up, so I have to leave right away). These things are loud enough to make my ears ring from at least 50' away, but I don't have much experience with explosives so I'm not sure how powerful something like this is.

So, my question: From what I have described of these little salutes, how much damage would you estimate one of these things doing? For instance, if I held one in my hand, would it just bruise/shread my skin, blow off a finger, blow off my hand, etc...

I'm mainly wondering how much trouble I'll be in if I somehow fuck up one day. Oh, and is potassium perchlorate:aluminum powder 70:30 more powerful than this powder? If so, how much more, on my scale of body-part removal?

Unfortunately a salute like those you described is difficult to get inside your frontal lobe area to give you a nice lobotomy so you'll be a quiet little man for the rest of your life

Seriously, the first part of your post seems (quite) resonable, but then you just HAVE to say something stupid...So others will notice you!...X-(

<<<So, my question: From what I have described of these little salutes, how much damage would you estimate one of these things doing? For instance, if I held one in my hand, would it just bruise/shread my skin, blow off a finger, blow off my hand, etc...

I'm mainly wondering how much trouble I'll be in if I somehow fuck up one day. Oh, and is potassium perchlorate:aluminum powder 70:30 more powerful than this powder? If so, how much more, on my scale of body-part removal?>>

This is not funny.

From what you discribed it sounds like it would take off a couple of fingers easily. 70/30 flash will be alot more powerful, and would turn your hand into hamburger. *Mental image...Ick!*

anthracis, theres nothing wrong with someone being curious about what their getting Themselves into, its actualy quite natural.

[This message has been edited by john_doe_pyro (edited 07-15-2003).]

quote:Originally posted by anthracis:

Unfortunately a salute like those you described is difficult to get inside your frontal lobe area to give you a nice lobotomy so you'll be a quiet little man for the rest of your life

Seriously, the first part of your post seems (quite) resonable, but then you just HAVE to say something stupid...So others will notice you!...X-(

This is not funny.

I don't understand what you're upset about... If you mean the part where I said "Sounds kewlish, lemme explain", I just didn't want people to read my title and think "Oh, some noob with crappy firecrackers wants to see if he can kill someone", and ignore the thread. I didn't do it for attention, I did it so people would assume that I was asking a dumb kewlish question. Nothing in there was supposed to be funny, I don't know what you mean.

Well, right, maybe it is just curiosity you manifested...I am upset because you're talking about losing fingers and limbs and other parts of your body...and it happens that I really know how it is to have a hand blown out. I've made a mistake last year and I kept a big "salute" in my hand while lighting it...the fuse burned very fast and before I had the time to throw it away it almost destroyed my right hand...It is a stupid mistake I'll pay for my entire life. As I don't want others to get hurt like this, I must drawn attention towards the importance of common sense when using dangerous stuff: don't light anything while holding it in your hand or near your body/your face, don't mess around with highly unstable chemicals, test your homemade fuses before using them etc. etc.

So take care until it's not too late!

quote:Originally posted by anthracis:

Well, right, maybe it is just curiosity you manifested...I am upset because you're talking about losing fingers and limbs and other parts of your body...and it happens that I really know how it is to have a hand blown out. I've made a mistake last year and I kept a big "salute" in my hand while lighting it...the fuse burned very fast and before I had the time to throw it away it almost destroyed my right hand...It is a stupid mistake I'll pay for my entire life. As I don't want others to get hurt like this, I must drawn attention towards the importance of common sense when using dangerous stuff: don't light anything while holding it in your hand or near your body/your face, don't mess around with highly unstable chemicals, test your homemade fuses before using them etc. etc.

So take care until it's not too late!

That's exactly why I was asking, because I don't want to lose a hand or a finger or any other piece of me.

Just assume that anything with more than 1g of powder is capably of causing some serious and permanant injury to your hand.

Dont be stupid and you'll be fine, b4 you light off anything think of the consequences of how your lighting it/detonating/putting it in. Impatientce is what will get you. ive done a few stupid things in pyro because of impatience. And dont make any HE's yet... dear god dont make any HE's.... For your safety!