I would say this should be required reading for the people who "save money" by making their own Gun Powder, a hazardous act at least and stupid beyond belief.
these are professional operations and they still come apart with frightening regularity.
Powder is cheap and life is short enough, why shorten it?
Yr' Obt' Svt'
Bunk
Bunk
I kind of resent your "stupid beyond belief" remark .... the hazardness of making BP is related to quantity involved and to stupidity of the people involved (workforce)
1) quantity - most of the "fools" you direct your remarks at are doing quarter or half pound batches - yet the edicated boys who buy powder are quite content to buy in 25 pound case lots and to decant from an opened pound can - how is this any less hazardous???
2) stupidity - I didnt read all the factory stories but have studied a couple ----so some disgruntled idiot goes into the corning house (or packing house ? twas one or tother) to fix a busted light switch - too lazy or dumb to turn off the power first - shorts out the switch with his screwdriver - and commences the blowup of the Moosic plant - the incredible part of the story was he had enough time to run out of the building before it all blew to hell. Management had a major part in this - they were under pressure financially and pressurising the workforce.
So yeah like a lot of potentially hazardous things its entirely dose related. (a sip of whiskey will warm yr innards - the whole bottle will kill ya)