5 replies to this topic

[BrightStar]

Like many pyros and chemists on the forum, I've sometimes wondered about what might happen if I suddenly found myself transported to the past. The survival strategy might be to set myself up as a monk, scholar or alchemist and advise my masters on the preparation of black powder and other energetics.

This post was partly triggered by Michael Crichton's 'Timeline' (a good read BTW), in which a history professor finds himself in just such a position. Crichton's description of BP manufacture is remarkably good - to the extent that the stranded professor has to be careful not to corn the BP as this was only done from 1450 onwards...

One question that resonated though was that of making Greek Fire, a supposedly in-extinguishable mix of spontaneously igniting liquid pyrogen.

How would forum members survive finding themselves stranded in the Middle Ages, and how would you make BP and 'Greek Fire' ???

Edited by BrightStar, 25 April 2007 - 05:18 AM.

[richard2]

I too am fond of learning about the historical aspects of chemistry. This interest has mainly stemmed from learning about inorganic synthesis relevant to pyro but has now branched out into most areas of chemistry.

Two books you may be interested in are: Caveman Chemistry by K M Dunn and From Caveman to Chemist by H W Salzberg. I found the first one particularly interesting and it gives you some ok experiments to try.

Regards

Rich

[BrightStar]

Two books you may be interested in are: Caveman Chemistry by K M Dunn and From Caveman to Chemist by H W Salzberg. I found the first one particularly interesting and it gives you some ok experiments to try.

Thanks richard2 - I'll certainly look them up... I'm hoping that some of our forum members can share some of their creative thoughts...

Would you guys have your servants scraping the crust off the walls of cattle sheds for saltpetre, or try using slaked lime as an ignitor for that sticky pitch / meal mix to coat your flaming arrows with?

Edited by BrightStar, 25 April 2007 - 08:47 PM.

[dr thrust]

start "weeing" on the floor's a good start

[seymour]

Go to the nitrate beds of the Dead Sea with a few carts and come back with them loaded. On the way stop by at one of the volcanic islands off Italy and load up on sulphur. You would only have to be the head of a principality to finance such an expidition.

[lew]

Teach them about nuclear fission and be burned as a witch!!