Touchpaper

From PyroGuide

Touchpaper is basically tissue paper that has been soaked in a potassium nitrate solution. The potassium nitrate allows the tissue paper to burn without an external oxygen supply, i.e. it will burn a lot more easily without going out. Touchpaper is great for testing compositions, and for creating a fuse at times when you need an open ended tube, but don't want the composition to fall out - for example in smoke bombs.

[edit] Materials

Potassium nitrate

Hot Water

Tissue paper or Paper Towel

(Optional: Hair Dryer)

[edit] Construction

Dissolve the potassium nitrate in the hot water. You can experiment with the ratios, about 2-3 teaspoons in 250ml of water is about right. You'll then want to dunk the tissue paper in the solution, for this is best to use a flat tray and soak no more than 2-3 sheets at a time. Remember that tissue paper becomes heavy and will tear easily when wet, it's best to keep about an inch of one end dry, and keep hold of this end.

I dry my touchpaper with a hair dryer normally... This could possibly cause ignition if you heated the paper too long. You will know when the touchpaper is dry because it causes tissue paper and paper towel to have a crunchy texture compared to its soggy wet texture. Hanging the touchpaper to dry is not advised because it can cause the potassium nitrate to be distributed unevenly. For testing compositions (i.e. black powder), put a small pile of the composition you want to test on a sheet of touchpaper, light the touchpaper and retire. To use as a fuse, simply wrap it around the end of your tube, secure it with tape, and twist the end.