Shock and BP

[Gene L]

I mean shock from percussion (not a cap.) I feel sure this topic has been covered before but can't find it on Search.

I once saw a guy pound BP granules on an anvil to disprove a common belief that shock would detonate BP. It didn't. Flat on flat steel, so no spark.

From what I've been able to gather, only heat will detonate it. Like from steel shavings from a frizen or a chemical percussion cap that produces fire.

Is this wrong?

 

[Black Hand]

Percussion will not cause Black Powder to ignite unless the instrument of percussion strikes something else and creates a spark hot enough to ignite Black Powder....

 

[Gene L]

That's what I thought. Thanks.

 

[Black Hand]

I believe they use ball-mills to break up the powder cake before the granules are sorted by size.

 

[Gene L]

Wooden wheel rollers, they used to use...not steel or iron.

 

[Lonegun1894]

I use lead balls in a rock tumbler. :youcrazy:

 

[tenngun]

A hammer blow on an anvil may do it. It has to be just a right angle right area right force of the hit. Shooting anvils used to be done with sledge hammers. Sudden compression of the grains can get it up to temp. However steel hamer on steel anvil could make a spark and the flame could have nothing to do with compression.
The safety problem with black powder compared to fake powders is the fact that black lights off at almost half the temp that pyrodex lights off.

 

[Kansas Jake]

Shooting anvils? Many years ago the community I lived in would have a big 4 or July celebration. The festivities started at sunrise with the firing of the anvils. In that case the person doing it placed one anvil upside down on top of another anvil with a steel ring in between. The ring was filled with black powder and was set off with a fuse in a vent hole in the ring. It made a heck of a boom and was used instead of having a cannon.

I would suspect that black powder would ignite if confined and hit with enough pressure in the same way that a diesel engine runs.

 

[Black Hand]

I hear much speculation, however no evidence has been presented to support the supposition that a blow will ignite black powder.... :hmm:

 

[nhmoose]

Shooting anvils? Many years ago the community I lived in would have a big 4 or July celebration. The festivities started at sunrise with the firing of the anvils. In that case the person doing it placed one anvil upside down on top of another anvil with a steel ring in between. The ring was filled with black powder and was set off with a fuse in a vent hole in the ring. It made a heck of a boom and was used instead of having a cannon.

I would suspect that black powder would ignite if confined and hit with enough pressure in the same way that a diesel engine runs.

Uh!! op:

Been beat on before

 

[tenngun]

I hear much speculation, however no evidence has been presented to support the supposition that a blow will ignite black powder.... :hmm:

You would have to use something non sparking to try. Brass on brass maybe. Hammer on anvil could cause a spark, or break off a piece of hammer and stick it in your eye. Some Id-jet on YouTube will no doubt give it a try

 

[rusty]

I think if it were sparks that set it off,it would have to be a real shower of sparks

 

[Twisted_1in66]

That analogy doesn't really work because heat from a glo-plug is what ignites diesel fuel once it reaches the high enough compression. Diesel fuel won't ignite by compression alone without a heat source. Compression makes it easier to ignite, but the glo-plug is the source of heat that ignites it.

Twisted_1in66 :thumbsup:
Dan

 

[rodwha]

Glow plugs only get the chambers up to heat when cold. Once heated compression is the only thing that ignites the diesel fuel.

Link:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_engine

It's why a Diesel engine needs a moment to start since the cylinders are cold and the glow plugs need to heat up enough unlike a gasoline powered engine that cranks up at the turn of the ignition.

 

[kurts]

glow plug is used to heat pre chamber the compression is what sets the OIL to fire, it's not what you stated.

 

[Zonie]

Now that we've got our diesel engine running, let's get back to igniting black powder. :grin:

 

[Mean Gene]

ff

 

[bpd303]

I think if it were sparks that set it off,it would have to be a real shower of sparks

It only takes one hot spark to set off blackpowder.

 

[Gene L]

But apparently not an electrical spark. I guess they're not hot enough. Go figure.

 

[Twisted_1in66]

Actually not in response to Gene L but to more than a couple prior...message below...

:surrender:

:grin:
Twisted_1in66 :thumbsup:
Dan