When was graphite added to black powder?

[Joel/Calgary]

I had found similar information but didn't have the wherewithall to do all that typing, didn't know if anyone else would be all that interested. I am.

I'm not a fast typist, but I have learned the joys of copy-and-paste, possibly with subsequent editing.

Glad I could be of service. I just get motivated when I see something I know to be (or at least think I remember to be) wrong, plus I've gotten better at regular web-searches over the years.

Regards,
Joel

 

[David W.]

I always thought the "g" stood simply for sporting grade powder, NOT glazing. "A" grade powder is blasting powder, "g" grade powder is for firearms.

As far as using graphite to lessen the attraction of moisture, I have some Swiss that has been sitting around for several years with no clumping. It has attrated no moisture or degraded in potency. It gets fairly humid here in Tennessee.

Maybe I am getting educated here, maybe not. Black powder in its normal state is not that hydroscopic. After firing, the reminates are hydroscopic. That is why the bore must be cleaned soon after firing. A rifle can be left loaded for years without rusting. A fired rifle left uncleaned over night is asking for trouble.

to the best of my knowledge, graphite is used only to help polish the grains during the tumbling process.

I should stop trying to think. It gets me into trouble all too often!

 

[Larry Pletcher]

The Laflin and Rand site, which Joel mentioned, is a treasure for anyone who wants to educate themselves about BP manufacture and use.

Contents page of Bill Knight's writing

Parts 1-9 in the top section answer many of the topics that we apparently have guessed at for years. This is a must read.

Other sections deal with the various Goex types and the BP imports. A quick look at this site will show why this is so important.

Bill is a Black Powder National Treasure. His work simply can't be lost. I'd suggest that this be archived somewhere. I have 2 CDs containing this information. Bill also sent this to a couple others but I don't know who.

Joel, the Laflin and Rand site contain most, but not all, of the CDs contents. There are additional parts dealing with BP subs. I'll let you know when I get it sorted out.

Regards,
Pletch

 

[flintriflesmith]

I'm not sure how early the "glazing" of powder started but it is mentioned in the 1739 ad from the Pensylvania Gazette:

Collection: The Pennsylvania Gazette
Publication: The Pennsylvania Gazette
Date: July 5, 1739
Title: JUST IMPORTED, And to be SOLD by DANIEL CHESTON, at John Bid
JUST IMPORTED, And to be SOLD by DANIEL CHESTON, at John Biddle's, next Door to the Indian King in Market Street: EXCEEDING good Scotch Snuff, Cutlery Ware, Dutch Gun Flints, drop Shot,, mould ditto, and bar Lead, (Fly ye Plovers!) Gun Powder glazed and unglazed in twelve Pound Caggs, Lamb Gloves white and colour'd, Pins, &c. Also, right Herefordshire SYDER, from the red streak Tree in the Strand, and Bristol BEER.

 

[HWH]

In an article in the current (July/August) edition of Muzzleloader, author Mike Nesbitt also uses the 1857 date. Interestingly he does so while writing about a non-graphited powder called Battle Powder available from Jack's Powder Keg. Mike mentions that some shooters claim the non-graphited powder burns cleaner.

 

[Larry Pletcher]

. . . . .

to the best of my knowledge, graphite is used only to help polish the grains during the tumbling process.

According to Bill graphite is added to improve pourability, to prevent clumping. It is not connected at all to the level of polish.
Regards,
Pletch

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

In all of my research for the Ferguson Rifle I learned the Ferguson rifle used a German triple glazed powder ( eight times more expensive than musket powder ) The British Tower Rifles and the Jaeger rifles also used this high grade powder.
I hear there are no surviving records of how this powder was made.
:thumbsup:

 

[Larry Pletcher]

In all of my research for the Ferguson Rifle I learned the Ferguson rifle used a German triple glazed powder ( eight times more expensive than musket powder ) The British Tower Rifles and the Jaeger rifles also used this high grade powder.
I hear there are no surviving records of how this powder was made.
:thumbsup:

Part 5 (page 51) Topic "Polishing Powder"

Link

Bill describes Glazing or polishing as a tumbling process where the granules are placed in a barrel. During a 6 hour cycle he mentions that the density of the powder increases. In his example the density increased from .90 g/cc to 1.10 g/cc. This increase in density may be the goal of the triple glazing that you mention.

It's worth your time to read Part 5 at the link above.

Regards,
Pletch

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

Thanks Pletch, I had to read a few of the links before I got back! I guess the procedure was the same in the 18th century only preformed by more primitive means. It was nice to be able to read about the powders I have been using for years. I remember when the quality of Elephant powder went down the tubes in the late 90s.

 

[notascrename]

U.S. ordinance manual of 1862 describes glazing to polish powder grains but makes no mention of graphite. Maybe they didn't think military powder would be around long enough to have a problem with clumping.It also describes rolling powder barrels yearly when stored.

 

[Jay Templin]

Polishing powder with graphite during tumbling started in the middle of the seventeenth century.
Jay

 

[new2bp]

Much of it used to be available in two different collections on the Thunder Ridge Muzzleloading and Schuetzen.net websites, but these were both eventually lost when the original sites were closed.

Haven't checked the schuetzen.net but TRM is available on the Wayback Machine -

https://web.archive.org/web/20060204004640/http://www.thunder-ridge-muzzleloading.com/