How to Make Black Powder

Last Updated: February 13, 2023 References Approved

Black powder is a simple mixture of powdered potassium nitrate or saltpeter, charcoal and sulfur. But simply mixing the ingredients together is not going to give you the results you are looking for. Follow these instructions on making black powder--just be careful as you are working with explosives. Whether your motivation is to save a little bit of money or the satisfaction of being able to make your own, you can certainly make your own black powder at home.

Things You Should Know

Measure your dry ingredients so you have 75 parts potassium nitrate, 15 parts charcoal, and 10 parts sulfur.
Mix every 1/2 cup (100 g) of potassium nitrate with 1/4 cup (40 mL) of water. Stir in the charcoal and sulfur afterward.
Add isopropyl alcohol to your mixture, chill it in the refrigerator, and strain it through a cheesecloth.
Dry and break up the powder before transferring it to a plastic container in a cool, dry, area.

Steps

1
Purchase the items you can. This is one of those instances where the better quality the ingredients you have, the better quality product you will produce. The saltpeter and the sulfur can be found in most drugstores.
2
Make your charcoal.^{[1]
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Research source} Willow, birch, fir, oak, beech ash, pine, and spruce, when charred properly, are good woods to choose when selecting wood for your charcoal. Place the wood chips in a large pot with a lid or a 55 gallon (208 liter) barrel with a lid, just make sure there is a little open area (a crack where the lid meets the container or a small hole) so some steam can escape. Build a fire under your container. When steam begins to exit the container, light the wood inside and reclose the lid. Let the fires burn out and wait for everything to cool. What is left inside your container is your charcoal.
3
Grind your ingredients separately. Use a mortar and pestle or hand mill to grind the potassium nitrate. Set it aside. Grind the charcoal. Set it aside. Grind the sulfur into a powder as well, and then set it aside. It is very important to grind everything individually. You may also choose to use a ball mill. If this is the case, place your crushed charcoal and your sulfur in the mill, and run the mill for several hours. Once ground to a fine powder, remove from the mill.^{[2]
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4
Chill 2 1/2 cups (or 600 ml) of isopropyl or denatured alcohol for every 100 grams (3.5 oz) of charcoal/sulfur mix you have.
5
Measure your ingredients. The components of black powder used to be measured by weight. This has been calculated out, nowadays, as 75 parts potassium nitrate, 15 parts charcoal and 10 parts sulfur (or 25% charcoal/sulfur mix).^{[3]
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6
Prepare your nitrate. Measure 1/4 cup (or 40 ml) of water for every 100 grams (3.5 oz) (about a 1/2 cup) of potassium nitrate in an old pan. Add your potassium nitrate. Bring to a boil. Stir continuously. Add little bits of water at intervals until the potassium nitrate is completely dissolved.
7
Add the charcoal/sulfur mix to your pot of boiling potassium nitrate. Stir until all ingredients are completely combined.
8
Take your chilled alcohol and your hot mixture outside. Add the hot mixture to your isopropyl alcohol. Stir together.
9
Chill this new mixture. The more quickly you can chill this to 0 °C (32 °F), the better.
10
Filter the mixture through cheesecloth or an old cloth. This will remove all the liquid from the solution. Throw out the liquid that got filtered out.
11
Lay the mix out on a piece of paper to dry in the sun.
12
Press the mixture through a sieve while it is still slightly damp. Spread it out on your paper again and allow it to dry some more.
13
Run the powder through the sieve or a series of mesh screens a few more times to get it completely broken up.^{[4]
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14
Store your black powder in a cool, dry place in plastic containers. Make sure to choose a place that is out of the reach of children.^{[5]
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Community Q&A

Question

What are the safety precautions concerning black powder?

Community Answer

Glasses wouldn't hurt, but definitely wear gloves. Make it in a room with low wind flow and NO candles or propane heaters.
Question

How is it more dangerous than true gunpowder?

Community Answer

If you are referring to white gunpowder as true gunpowder, there is no clear difference in power. Both are dangerous, but white gunpowder is a lot harder to make and emits less smoke.
Question

How much money will it cost to get the materials?

Community Answer

If you buy lab grade chemicals, it will cost you $8/500g. Each. The total would be about $24- $30.

Warnings

Black Powder is explosive and hazardous. Please observe safety procedures and follow all applicable laws. Black Powder is a true explosive, not simply flammable. As such it is even more dangerous than true gunpowder (nitrocellulose).

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