vonmesser

Nitre can be obtained "naturally" in 2 diffeent ways. It has been referred to as "Privy gold boiled down" and "dung-hill gems". Method 1 is to boil down urine until you get a white crusty flake (according to legend, urine from wine drinkers is best) Method 2 is to scrape the white flakes and crystals from dried excrement (usually from cows). My personal recommendation is to obtain it from a chemical; supply store. Go in person and let them know you are only after a small amount (ounce or so) for a display, and they may just give you what you need for free.

So I walked into a junk shop the other day and there was this nifty display of a German aeroplane bomb and 2 1 pound anti-aircraft shells, a First Class Iron Cross, a ring with the kaiserkronen on it, 4 belt buckles (3 with Gott Mit Uns) and some other stuff. "Kool" said I. and bought it. After getting home and starting to snip the bent coat hanger wires holding the things together I noticed that the bottoms of the shells were intact. "Krapski" sayeth I, "Methinks these might be live ordnance". After packing the stuff into plastic peanuts and placing it in the trunk of the car, I drove to Fort Lewis, and discovered that there is no EOD on base. However, I remembered that there was EOD on McCord Air Force Base, a bit further north. I walked into the McCord EOD shop and said "Hey, Sarge, I've got something I'd like you to take a look at" And the sergeant said "######. I don't like any conversation that starts out this way." To make the long story short 1. It was not a German aeroplane bomb - it was a French 60mm mortar It had a live fuze It had live detonating charge They could not dearm it They had to detonate it. 2. The 1-pounders had live primers and propellent in them The heads had been emptied of explosive and fuzes They were able to de-prime and empty the shells I do have some real nice x-rays of the ordnance that might have decorated my wall (with pieces of me)