[DL] Explosives and Fedoras (was: A whole passel o' questions...)

["Heivilin, Jim" <banzai@missouri.edu>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tim Denee [mailto:gilkison@ihug.co.nz]
> Subject: [DL] A whole passel o' questions...
> 
> I have a few questions about some of the finer points of deadlands.
> 
I'll take a poke at the ones I have info/opinions on (others are snipped).

> 2) What's a fedora look like?
> 
Indiana Jones wore a fedora.  

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/6300214060.01.LZZZZZZZ.gif


> 3) What, exactly, is a blasting cap used for? I have a loose 
> idea, but would like an exact definition.
> 
(I spent 13 years as a Combat Engineer for the Army so I've seen a little of
this)
TNT (Tri Nitro Toluene) requires an ignition "device".  A blasting cap is a
small metal tube (about as big around as a #2 wooden pencil, about three
inches long) filled with a more sensitive explosive (in the 1870s it was
usually black powder IIRC - oops, I was wrong, see below).  Modern blasting
caps can be electrically detonated (a spark gap in the wires inside ignite
the cap IIRC) or time fuse (burning causes ignition).  I don't recall
(offhand) when electric caps became common. 

Here's a little more from Encyclopaedia Britannica (online)
========================
blasting cap
also called DETONATOR, device that initiates the detonation of a charge of a
high explosive by subjecting it to percussion by a shock wave. In strict
usage, the term detonator refers to an easily ignited low explosive that
produces the shock wave, and the term primer, or priming composition,
denotes a substance that produces a sudden burst of flame to ignite the
detonator. The primer may be set off by the brief application of heat (from
a burning fuse or an electrically heated wire), by friction, or by
mechanical shock (like the impact of the firing pin of a gun). 


Depending on the preferred method of initiating the explosion, the blasting
cap may contain a primer alone or both a primer and a detonator. 
========================
Blasting caps

Nobel's original fuse-type blasting cap remained virtually unchanged for
many years, except for the substitution of 90-10 and 80-20 mixtures of
mercury fulminate and potassium chlorate for the pure fulminate. This did
not affect the performance materially and provided a substantial economy.
Mercury fulminate is an example of an explosive that can be both primary and
secondary. In its more compressed form it is a high density base charge;
less compressed, a low density primer charge. Hexanitromannitol
(nitromannite) functions in the same manner and is used that way in a very
successful blasting cap. 

Extensive work was carried out on replacements for the costly mercury
fulminate; by 1930 little of it remained in use, and by the 1970s it had
disappeared from commercial use. Experience has shown that the cheaper
replacements are actually superior. 

The dominant base-charge materials are now pentaerythritol tetranitrate
(PETN) and cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX). These are as strong as
nitroglycerin, quite safe to manufacture and handle, and relatively
inexpensive. In addition to low density nitromannite, diazodinitrophenol,
lead styphnate, and lead azide are widely used as ignition-primer charges.
One other departure from Nobel's blasting cap is the fact that aluminum has
now almost entirely replaced copper as the material used for the shell. 
========================

So you take your TNT, cut a length of fuse, insert the end of the fuse into
the open end of the blasting cap, crimp the cap onto the fuse (so it doesn't
fall off), use the crimping pliers (one end is sort of spike shaped) to poke
a hole in one end of the TNT and insert the cap into the TNT.  Light the
fuse and walk away.  Shortly thereafter ... BOOM!

> 4) What the general way to use Nitro? How much shaking does 
> it take to blow up?
> 
I don't know that much about Nitro.  It isn't used much anymore because of
it's sensitivity.  My gut feeling is watch "The War Wagon" with John Wayne
and Kirk Douglas.  I've always used how they treat the nitro in that as
pretty close to reality.  (but that's just my opinion)

> 6) I know how long a yard is, but I have some trouble visualizing it,
> (seeing as I've grown up with the metric system). Could you 
A yard is 36 inches.  A meter is pretty close to 39 inches.  Three inches is
about 7.62 cm.  

> 8) A whip has a damage value. Does this mean it does damage 
> AND entangles, or that it can do one or the other? What 
> about bola(s?)?
> 
My guess is it either hits or wraps around depending on how it's used but
I'd go with something one of the Rules Gurus say.  

Hope some of this helps.  

Jim H.