Expert: Admiral N - 6/10/2006

Question
Hey you rock and i was wondering how to make an awsome itching powder?
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Followup To

Question -
I want to create a huge smoke grenade for my freinds 4th of july party. I want it to be huge and last a while. and i was wondering if you could tell me how to make one. Please and thank you cha. peace out

Answer -
Sorry it took a while, the email didn't go through...

I assume you're just going to light it off to make smoke, not something to throw and smoke [actual grenade].  I would suggest using salt peter [potassium nitrate] and sugar.  The problem with this is that obtaining salt peter can be difficult, unless you know of a chemical shop locally, or want to buy online.  On ebay there are many people selling salt peter/KNO3/potassium nitrate.  All you need is that, and regular sugar.  The mixtute you're going to make is 3/2 or 5/3 salt peter/sugar.  This mean, for every 3 or 5 cups of salt peter, you need 2 or 3 cups of sugar.  If you use equal amounts of the ingredients, the bomb will be harder to light and burn slowly.  Get a pan that you don't mind getting somewhat messed up, because it might stick to it when you're done.  Apply a low heat on a range to the pan, with your mixture in it.  Use a spoon and continually stroke long and slowly; if you see the sugar starting to melt around the edge, lower the heat some.  The mixture will melt and become a chocolate/carmel color.  Continue this until its all liquified.  When it is, take it off the heat and pour it into/on aluminum foil.  If you want, you can line a jello [or other] mold with foil to get a shape.  Let this cool down and harden.  When it is, you can peel it out of the foil.  Now it's ready to light.  Just use a flame to ignite the bomb, and it will burn with a purple flame, and produce smoke.  If you want to you can add other chemicals to get different colors, write me back if you want to know what for what color.    Seeing as you want a really big, long one for a party, you could make several batches and pour it onto the same foil, and have 1 thing to light.  I really can't say how much to make; I would suggest making a small batch and testing it.  I hope this helps.  Feel free to ask a followup question.  ~Admiral N

Answer
Glad I could help.  As for itching powder, I haven't ever used or made any.  But I searched, and found a few different ways, most [and the best] described at www.everything2.com.  You can search their site for this page, I'll give you my 2 favs, and what not to do.  The first is Rose Hips, which you can get from a Dog Rose plant.  It says to strip off the flesh, open the berry, then take out some 'fiber-covered seeds'.  It says it works better if the seeds are allowed to dry before use; thats one powder.  The second is from a plane tree, which has thin light colored bark.  It has little 'helicopters', balls with a leaf that twirl when they fall.  Apparently you can get some fluffy something from around the casing of the ball part of the leaf.  Lastly, is fiberglass; which is not a good idea, because it can cut them also, or get under their skin.  I would strongly suggest against this.  Again, this is just from searching.  I hope I was of help.  ~Admiral N