1235 replies to this topic

[UltraMagnus]

hi, first post here. I am trying to find a source for a couple of chemicals that I came across in instructions in a old (1948, to be precise) magic (as in smoke and mirrors, type magic, not magick) book. does anyone know of a source in the UK for white phosphorus and/or carbon disulphide? i have been doing some googling etc and have come up with nothing.

thanks in advance!

[dr thrust]

hi, don't think you'll be getting any white phosphorus any time soon its used in military weapons/ smokes and has to be kept under water to stop it reacting to the oxygen in our atmosphere, those old books are great but can be full of dangerous formula and inaccurate methods

Edited by chris m, 14 May 2008 - 06:29 PM.

[portfire]

hi, don't think you'll be getting any white phosphorus any time soon its used in military weapons/ smokes and has to be kept under water to stop it reacting to the oxygen in our atmosphere, those old books are great but sadly things change over time

I'll second that. I doubt you'll get either of them. As chris said, these books are great to read, but back then, they would quite often use chemicals of such a reactive nature to achieve the effects they wanted. These days the same effects can be achieved with much safer materials

What was the effect your after?

[dr thrust]

sorry dean i just edited my post both of those chems are as bad as you can get! id say he's after a smoke formula? , i think you should invest in some more up to date reading

Edited by chris m, 14 May 2008 - 10:33 PM.

[Arthur Brown]

Those two chems will get you visits from men in suits unless the supplier has reason to believe your use for them is within normal lab work.

[Frozentech]

Those are the chems used for an old trick with a "kerchief" ( actually tissue paper ) where it's pulled from concealment, and when waved sharply in the air, flashes into flame and vanishes.

[concept]

Hi all just a quick one, http://www.camlab.co.uk/, has an extensive selection of Chems including red p, however their prices are very high for example £47 for 500g of potassium perc.

Thanks Doug

[dr thrust]

i wonder why all these places have such a big mark up on there chemicals? overheads i guess? saying that tho, there barium sulfate doesn't look to bad at £13 for 500g ive been after some for a while now to try out strobe stars and 500g would last me a long time or can it be found cheaper

[ridley]

Ahh Phosphorus, that takes me back. On my third day of teacher training, following a scheme of work drawn up by the head of science, I was doing a demo with some phosphorus.

Accidently it ignited and flicked itself across the desk toward the pupils, in a panic (and wanting to keep the little darlings from any danger) I brushed it back across the desk with my hand, oops.

Now with my hand on fire I brushed the phosphurus off with the only thing handy, a tissue, which I put in the bin. mmm now I had a burnt/burning hand and and a bin fire.

I did manage to sort it all out quite quickly, how I do not know. But by now to lab was really full of smoke and I could hear people outside asking what the smell was. So to explain the situation I opened the door only to be faced by the head teacher and the governors on a look about. Oops. She was really good about it though, she just made a comment about how I must be doing a chemistry lesson.

Hurt like hell though burnt almost to the bone, I still have scars.

Needless to say that particular demo got removed from the SOW PDQ.

Ridley

ps the kids loved it, wanted to see the demo again. Even other classes heard about it and wanted to see "the demo"

[Arthur Brown]

White/yellow phosphorus is a military weapon material used for setting troops on fire - literally! It may go against the Geneva Convention. The way to deal with it is to pick it out with a knife, taking whatever flesh necessary to get all the P out.

Red Phos is a narcotics precursor. So unless you have proven lawful use you will be visited by men in suits or body armour.

There are reputedly ways of changing the form of phosphorus so unexplained possession of either is a BAD idea


If a formulation says phosphorus, look for another one!

[portfire]

White/yellow phosphorus is a military weapon material used for setting troops on fire - literally! It may go against the Geneva Convention. The way to deal with it is to pick it out with a knife, taking whatever flesh necessary to get all the P out.

Red Phos is a narcotics precursor. So unless you have proven lawful use you will be visited by men in suits or body armour.

There are reputedly ways of changing the form of phosphorus so unexplained possession of either is a BAD idea


If a formulation says phosphorus, look for another one!

Indeed!!

UltraMagnus- You said you googled it, if you did, then you would have seen the automatic image results it comes up with ? Why on earth!! anyone who wants this chemical is beyond me

Edited by portfire, 16 May 2008 - 07:44 PM.

[ridley]

Hi,

Iam running out of rubbing alcohol, Isopropyl alcohol, and cannot for the life of me remember where I got it from last time. Where do you get yours?

Ridley

[cooperman435]

I can get 99% IPA at about £25 per 5l if thats of use?

[UltraMagnus]

thanks for the advice, as i said, i got it from an old book, the recipe was for a peice of paper that would explode on.... well, anything really. I actually realised how dangerous half the things in it was after another "trick" was to simulate swallowing moulten iron by making an allow using lead. so yeah, i think i will be giving that trick a miss.

I do have another question though, this time hopefully far more mundane and less likely to get me arrested as a terrorist . does anyone know of a UK source of Lithium Chloride and Potassium Chloride? (to make red fire and lilac fire when mixed with metylated spirits)

thanks in advance!

portfire: just because a chemical can be used for evil, doesn't mean that is its only possible use.... i am you could find far more horrific images related to gunpowder

Edited by UltraMagnus, 19 June 2008 - 10:17 PM.

[Arthur Brown]

The thing to watch is that many formulae of old use chemicals which now would get you carefully watched by the men in suits or uniforms. Some chems are too poisonous to be on the market, some chems have obvious uses in terrorist plots or illegal .durg manufacture. If you are known as a research chemist, getting compounds will be cheap and easy, If you are not then it will not be easy to buy anything hazardous,