have a common master (building entrance keys are a common exception). Take apart
some locks from different places that should have common masters, measure the
different pin lengths in each, and find lengths in common. Experiment. Then get into
those places you're *really* curious about.
Control keys are fun, too. These keys allow the user to remove the lock's core, and are
generally masters. (A pair of needle nose pliers or similar tool can then be used to open
the lock, if desired.)
SLIPPING A LOCK
The best material we've found for slips so far is soft sheet copper. It is quite flexible, so
it can be worked into jambs easily, and can be pre-bent as needed. In the plane of the
sheet, however, it is fairly strong, and pulls nicely. Of course, if they're flexible enough,
credit cards, student Ids, etc., work just fine on locks that have been made slippable if
the door jamb is wide enough. Wonderfully subtle, quick, and delightfully effective. Don't
leave home without one.
(Ill. #1)
The sheet should then be folded to produce an L, J, or U shaped device that looks like
this:
________________________________________
/________________________________________|
| |
| | L-shaped
| |
| |
|_|
(Ill. #2)
_____________________________
/ ___________________________|
| |
| | J-shaped
| |
| |________
\________|
(Ill. #3)
_____________________
/ ___________________|
| |
| |
| | U-shaped
| |
| |____________________
\____________________|
We hasten to add here that many or most colleges and universities have very strict
policies about unauthorized possession of keys. At most, it is at least grounds for
expulsion, even without filing criminal charges. Don't get caught with keys! ! The homemade
ones are particularly obvious, as they don't have the usual stamps and marks that the
locksmiths put on to name and number the keys.]
We should also point out that if you make a nuisance of yourself, there are various nasty
things that can be done to catch you and/or slow you down. For instance, by putting special
pin mechanisms in, locks can be made to trap any key used to open them. If you lose one
this way, what can I say? At least don't leave fingerprints on it. Or make sure they're
someone else's. Too much mischief can also tempt the powers that be to rekey.
187.Chemical Equivalent List II by Exodus
Anyone can get many chemicals from hardware stores, supermarkets, and drug stores to
get the materials to make explosives or other dangerous compounds. A would-be terrorist
would merely need a station wagon and some money to acquire many of the chemicals
named here.
ChemicalUsed InAvailable at
Alcohol, EthylAlcoholic BeveragesLiquor Stores Solvents:
95% min for bothHardware StoresAmmoniaCLEAR Household AmmoniaSupermarkets or 7-
ElevenAmmonium NirateInstant-Cold PaksDrug Stores FertilizersMedical Supply
StoresNitrous OxidePressurizing Whip CreamParty Supply Stores Poppers (like COý
ctgs.)Head
ShopsMagnesiumFirestartersSurplus
or
Camping
StoresLecithinVitaminsPharmacies or Drug StoresMineral OilCooking,
LaxativeSupermarket or Drug StoresMercuryMercury ThermometersSupermarkets
Hardware StoresSulfuric AcidUncharged Car BatteriesAutomotive StoresGlycerine
Pharmacies or Drug StoresSulfurGardeningGarden or Hardware StoreCharcoalCharcoal
GrillsSupermarkets Gardening StoresSodium NitrateFertilizerGardening StoresCellulose
(Cotton)First AidDrug Stores Medical Supply StoresStrontium NitrateRoad FlaresSurplus
or Auto StoresFuel OilKerosene StovesSurplus or Camping StoresBottled GasPropane
StovesSurplus Camping StoresPotassium PermanganateWater PurificationPurification
PlantsHexamine or MethenamineHexamine StovesSurplus or Camping StoresNitric Acid
*Cleaning PrintingPrinting Shops PlatesPhotography StoresIodine +Disinfectant
(tinture)Pharmacy, OSCOSodium PerchlorateSolidox PelletsHardware Stores Cutting
Torches (IMPURE)
* Nitric acid is very difficult to find nowadays. It is usually stolen by bomb makers, or
made by the process described in a later section. A desired concentration for making
explosives about 70%.
+ The iodine sold in drug stores is usually not the pure crystalline form that is desired for
producing ammonium triiodide crystals. To obtain the pure form, it must usually be
acquired by a doctor's prescription, but this can be expensive. Once again, theft is the
means that terrorists result to.
188.Nitroglycerin II by Exodus
Nitroglycerin is one of the most sensitive explosives, if it is not the most sensitive.
Although it is possible to make it safely, it is difficult. Many a young anarchist has been
killed or seriously injured while trying to make the stuff. When Nobel's factories make it,
many people were killed by the all-to-frequent factory explosions. Usually, as soon as it is
made, it is converted into a safer substance, such as dynamite. An idiot who attempts to
make nitroglycerin would use the following procedure:
MATERIAL:
Distilled Water
Table Salt
Sodium Bicarbonate
Concentrated Nitric Acid (13 mL)
Concentrated Sulfuric Acid (39 mL)
Glycerin
EQUIPMENT:
Eye-Dropper
100 mL Beaker
200-300 mL Beakers (2)
Ice Bath Container (A plastic bucket serves well)
Centigrade Thermometer
Blue Litmus Paper
Place 150 mL of distilled water into one of the 200-300 mL beakers.
In the other 200-300 mL beaker, place 150 mL of distilled water and about a spoonful of
sodium bicarbonate, and stir them until the sodium bicarbonate dissolves. Do not put so
much sodium bicarbonate in the water so that some remains undissolved.
Create an ice bath by half filling the ice bath container with ice, and adding table salt.
This will cause the ice to melt, lowering the overall temperature.
Place the 100 mL beaker into the ice bath, and pour the 13 mL of concentrated nitric acid
into the 100 mL beaker. Be sure that the beaker will not spill into the ice bath, and
that the ice bath will not overflow into the beaker when more materials are added to
it. Be sure to have a large enough ice bath container to add more ice. Bring the
temperature of the acid down to about 20øC or less.
When the nitric acid is as cold as stated above, slowly and carefully add the 39 mL of
concentrated sulfuric acid to the nitric acid. Mix the two acids together, and cool the
mixed acids to 10øC. It is a good idea to start another ice bath to do this.
With the eyedropper, slowly put the glycerin into the mixed acids, one drop at a time.
Hold the thermometer along the top of the mixture where the mixed acids and
glycerin meet.
DO NOT ALLOW THE TEMPERATURE TO GET ABOVE 30ø CENTIGRADE
IF THE TEMPERATURE RISES ABOVE THIS TEMPERATURE, WATCH OUT !
The glycerin will start to nitrate immediately, and the temperature will immediately begin
to rise. Add glycerin until there is a thin layer of glycerin on top of the mixed acids.
It is always safest to make any explosive in small quantities.
Stir the mixed acids and glycerin for the first ten minutes of nitration, adding ice and salt
to the ice bath to keep the temperature of the solution in the 100 mL beaker well
below 30øC. Usually, the nitroglycerin will form on the top of the mixed acid solution,
and the concentrated sulfuric acid will absorb the water produced by the reaction.
When the reaction is over, and when the nitroglycerin is well below 30øC, slowly and
carefully pour the solution of nitroglycerin and mixed acid into the distilled water in
the beaker in step 1. The nitroglycerin should settle to the bottom of the beaker, and
the water-acid solution on top can be poured off and disposed of. Drain as much of the
acid- water solution as possible without disturbing the nitroglycerin.
Carefully remove the nitroglycerin with a clean eye-dropper, and place it into the beaker in
step 2. The sodium bicarbonate solution will eliminate much of the acid, which will
make the nitroglycerin more stable, and less likely to explode for no reason, which it
can do. Test the nitroglycerin with the litmus paper until the litmus stays blue. Repeat
this step if necessary, and use new sodium bicarbonate solutions as in step 2.
When the nitroglycerin is as acid-free as possible, store it in a clean container in a safe
place. The best place to store nitroglycerin is far away from anything living, or from
anything of any value. Nitroglycerin can explode for no apparent reason, even if it is
stored in a secure cool place.
189.Cellulose Nitrate by Exodus
I used to make nitrocellulose, though. It was not guncotton grade, because I didn't have
petroleum (H2SO4 with dissolved SO3); nevertheless it worked. At first I got my H2SO4
from a little shop in downtown Philadelphia, which sold soda-acid fire extinguisher refills.
Not only was the acid concentrated, cheap and plentiful, it came with enough carbonate to
clean up. I'd add KNO3 and a little water (OK, I'd add the acid to the water - but there
was so little water, what was added to what made little difference. It spattered
concentrated H2SO4 either way). Later on, when I could purchase the acids, I believe I
used 3 parts H2SO4 to 1 part HNO3. For cotton, I'd use cotton wool or cotton cloth.
Runaway nitration was commonplace, but it is usually not so disastrous with nitrocellulose
as it is with nitroglycerin. For some reason, I tried washing the cotton cloth in a solution
of lye, and rinsing it well in distilled water. I let the cloth dry and then nitrated it. (Did I
read this somewhere?) When that product was nitrated, I never got a runaway reaction.
By the way, water quenched the runaway reaction of cellulose.
The product was washed thoroughly and allowed to dry. It dissolved (or turned into mush)
in acetone. It dissolved in alcohol/ether.
WARNINGS
All usual warnings regarding strong acids apply. H2SO4 likes to spatter. When it falls on
the skin, it destroys tissue - often painfully. It dissolves all manner of clothing. Nitric also
destroys skin, turning it bright yellow in the process. Nitric is an oxidant - it can start
fires. Both agents will happily blind you if you get them in your eyes. Other warnings also
apply. Not for the novice.
Nitrocellulose decomposes very slowly on storage if it isn't stabilized. The decomposition
is autocatalyzing, and can result in spontaneous explosion if the material is kept confined
over time. The process is much faster if the material is not washed well enough.
Nitrocellulose powders contain stabilizers such as diphenyl amine or ethyl centralite. DO
NOT ALLOW THESE TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH NITRIC ACID! ! A small amount
of either substance will capture the small amounts of nitrogen oxides that result from
decomposition. They therefore inhibit the autocatalysis. NC eventually will decompose in
any case.
Again, this is inherently dangerous and illegal in certain areas. I got away with it. You may
kill yourself and others if you try it.
Commercially produced Nitrocellulose is stabilized by:
Spinning it in a large centrifuge to remove the remaining acid, which is recycled.
Immersion in a large quantity of fresh water.
Boiling it in acidulated water and washing it thoroughly with fresh water.
If the NC is to be used as smokeless powder it is boiled in a soda solution, then rinsed in
fresh water.
The purer the acid used (lower water content) the more complete the nitration will be, and
the more powerful the nitrocellulose produced.
There are actually three forms of cellulose nitrate, only one of which is useful for
pyrotechnic purposes. The mononitrate and dinitrate are not explosive, and are produced
by incomplete nitration. If nitration is allowed to proceed to complete the explosive
trinatrate is formed.
(Ill. 3.22.2)
CH OH CH ONO
| 2 | 2 2
| |
C-----O HNO C-----O
/H \ 3 /H \
-CH CH-O- --> -CH CH-O-
\H H/ H SO \H H/
C-----C 2 4 C-----C
| | | |
OH OH ONO ONO
2 2
CELLULOSE CELLULOSE TRINITRATE