U.S. Army Special Forces Guide to Unconventional Warfare

by Department of the Army

  Homemade Black Powder Igniter

  Black powder may be used for igniting napalm, flammable solvents in open containers, paper, loose rags, straw, excelsior and other tinder type materials. If it is not available already mixed, it can be prepared as follows:

  MATERIALS: Potassium (or sodium) nitrate, powdered charcoal. powdered sulfur, powder

  PREPARATION:

  1. Into a clean, dry jar or can put 7 spoonfuls of potassium or sodium nitrate, 2 spoonfuls of powdered charcoal, and 1 spoonful of powdered sulfur. The ingredients must be at least as fine as granulated sugar. If they must be ground, GRIND EACH SEPATATELY. Never grind the mixed ingredients—they may ignite or explode.

  2. Cap the can or jar tightly and shake and tumble it until the ingredients are completely mixed.

  The mixture will be effective for months if kept tightly sealed and dry. Sodium nitrate in particular has a tendency to absorb moisture.

  To use the gunpowder, pile 2 or 3 spoonfuls on top of any solid incendiary material which is to be ignited. For igniting liquids in open containers, wrap 2 or 3 spoonfuls in a piece of paper and suspend it just above the liquid.

  Gunpowder is best ignited by safety fuse. It burns very quickly and with a great deal of heat, so allow sufficient time delay for safe withdrawal from the vicinity.

  Match Head Igniter

  A good ignition material for incendiaries can be obtained from the heads of safety matches, which are available almost any place. The composition must be removed from the heads of many of them to get a sufficient quantity of igniter material. It will ignite napalm, wax and sawdust, paper, and other flammables.

  MATERIALS: Safety matches.

  PREPARATION:

  Remove the match head composition by scraping with a knife or crushing with pliers. Collect several spoonfuls of it and store in a moisture-tight container.

  Put at least 2 spoonfuls on the material to be ignited. To ignite liquids, such as solvents or napalm, wrap several spoonfuls in a piece of paper and hang this just over the fluid, or place nearby. If fluids dampen the mixture it may not ignite.

  Ignition can be by time fuse, fircracker fuse, a spark, or concentrated sulfuric acid.

  Time Fuse Fire Starter

  Several igniters or first fire mixes can be set off by a spark from time fuse. Others require a stronger flame. Time fuse, plus matches, can be combined to improve this more intense initial flame.

  MATERIALS: Time (safety) fuse, safety matches, string or tape.

  PREPARATION:

  1. About ¼ inch from the end of a piece of time fuse cut a notch with a sharp knife so that the powder train is exposed.

  2. Around the fuse at this point tape or tie several matches so that their heads are in contact with each other and at least one match head is directly over the notch. See Figure 59.

  When the fuse burns down, a spark from the notch ignites the one match head, which flares and ignites the others. this fire starter can be inserted into an igniter mix or used alone to light crumped paper or excelsior. Another application, nonelectric firing of the 3.5” rocket, is described earlier.

  Homemade Napalm

  Napalm is the best incendiary to use against most flammable targets. It will readily ignite paper, straw, flammable solvents, or wooden structures.

  MATERIALS: Gasoline or fuel oil, nondetergent soap (bar, flakes, or powder).

  PREPARATION:

  1. Use about equal parts of soap and oil. If bar soap is used, slice it into small chips. If both gasoline and fuel oil are available, use both in equal parts.

  2. Heat the fuel in an open container, preferably one with a handle, out of doors. Try to avoid creating sparks or having a high open flame, but if the fuel should catch on fire extinguish it by placing a board or piece of tin over the container.

  3. Gasoline, in particular, will begin to bubble very quickly. When it does, remove from the fire and gradually add the soap, stirring continuously, until the soap is completely dissolved and a thin pasty liquid results. If necessary return the mixture to the fire, but as a safety measure it is best not to stir while the container is on the fire.

  4. When the desired consistency is reached allow the mixture to cool.

  5. Napalm also can be mixed by a cold method, although it may take hours to thicken. This should be done by alternately adding very small amounts of soap chips or powder and gasoline or fuel oil and stirring until the mixture reaches a thin jelly-like consistency. It is best to start with about a cupful of soap, add part of a cup of solvent and stir that until smooth before gradually adding the remaining ingredients. Continuous stirring is not required. In fact, it is advisable just to let the mixture and the mixer rest from time to time and give the soap a chance to dissolve.

  Fig. 59—Time Fuse Fire Starter

  Fig. 60—Molotov Cocktail

  Napalm will keep well if stored in a tightly sealed container. It can be ignited with a match or any of the first fire mixtures described previously. The ignition packet should be placed adjacent to or just over the napalm, otherwise the petroleum may soak it and prevent its burning.

  When napalm is used on easily ignitible materials (such as loosely piled paper, rags, or hay) it should be spread out so it will start a large area burning at once. Tightly baled paper or rags should be loosened first, because they do not burn well. If used directly against wooden structures or other large articles which are diffcult to ignite, the napalm should be concentrated in sufficient quantity to provide a hot, long lasting blaze. If about a half dozen pieces of charcoal are put into and around the napalm the heat output is considerably increased.

  Napalm makes an excellent “Molotov cocktail.” Just fill any glass bottle with a small neck with the napalm and cram a twisted strip of cloth into the mouth of the bottle as a stopper. See Figure 60. When ready to use, pull about 4 to 6 inches of the rag stopper out of the bottle. Light the napalm-soaked rag with a match and, when the rag is burning well, throw the bottle at the target. When the bottle breaks napalm spashes over the target and is ignited by the burning rag.

  Paraffin-Sawdust Incendiary

  Paraffin-sawdust is almost as effective as napalm against combustible targets, but it is slower in starting. It is solid when cool and thus is more easily carried and used than liquid napalm. In addition, it can be stored indefinitely without special care.

  MATERIALS: Dry sawdust, paraffin, beeswax, or candle wax.

  PREPARATION:

  1. Melt the wax, remove the container from the fire and stir in a roughly equal amount of sawdust.

  2. Continue to stir the cooling mixture until it becomes almost solid, then remove from the container and let it cool and solidify further.

  Lumps of the mixture the size of a fist are easiest to manage. The chunks of incendiary may be carried to the target in a paper bag or other wrapper. Any igniter that will set fire to the paper wrapper will ignite the wax and sawdust.

  A similar incendiary can be made by dipping sheets of newspaper into melted wax and allowing them to cool. These papers may then be crumpled up and used in the same manner as the paraffin-sawdust, although they will not burn as hot and persistently.

  Sawdust, Moth Flakes, and Oil Incendiary

  This incendiary is very good for use against all kinds of wooden structures, including heavy beams and timbers. It also works well on paper, rags, straw, excelsior, and other tinder type materials. It will start fires in open containers of flammable liquids, piles of coal, coke, or lumber, and on baled rags and paper. It is not effective against metal.

  MATERIALS: Dry sawdust, moth flakes (naphthalene), fuel oil (kerosene or diesel oil).

  PREPARATION:

  1. Place equal parts of sawdust, moth flakes, and oil into a container and stir until the mixture is the consistency of mush.

  2. Store it in any container that will retain the oil fumes.

  An easy, effective way to use this mixture is to put about a quart of it in a paper bag and place the bag on the target material.
The bag can be lit with a match and the mixture will ignite quite readily. It burns as well as napalm. If a longer delay time is required, use one of the igniter mixes described earlier along with time fuse or other delay device. The time fuse alone, however, will not ignite the incendiary mix.

  Where very large wood beams are to be burned, an additional amount of the incendiary will be required. Two or three quarts is enough to destroy almost any target against which the technique would be effective.

  For the greatest effect on wooden structures, the mixture should be in a pile, never spread out in a thin layer. It should be placed beneath the target material, if possible, so the flames will spread upward. In a packing box or room, a corner is a good place to start the fire.

  Thermate Incendiary

  Thermate is similar to commercial thermit, used in welding, except that it also contains an oxidizer, making it easier to ignite. Thermate will readily burn paper, rags, excelsior, straw, and other tinder type materials. However, its main use in sabotage operations is against motors, gears, lathes, or other metal targets—to weld moving parts together, warp precision machined surfaces, and so on. Since it burns with a brief, almost explosive action, it is not recommended for burning wooden structures or other materials where persistent heat is required.

  A good source of ready-made thermate is the U.S. military AN M-14 Incendiary Grenade. To remove the thermate, first pry out the fuse assembly with crimpers or other nonsparking implement. See Figure 61. The reddish-brown caked substance on top of the contents of the grenade is a first fire mixture and it is spark sensitive. This should be broken up and the grayish powder beneath, which is the thermate, can be poured out.

  Thermate also can be made from aluminum or magnesium powder and a chemical oxidizing agent, as described below:

  MATERIALS: Aluminum filings, powder or flakes, or magnesium filings or powder, plus any one of the following chemicals: potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate, barium nitrate, potassium dichromate, sodium dichromate, or potassium permanganate. Although aluminum and magnesium are equally effective, thermate made from magnesium is easier to ignite. Flake aluminum, which is the extremely fine variety used in paints, is excellent. In any case, both the metal and chemical ingredients should be no coarser than granulated sugar.

  PREPARATION:

  1. Fill a quart size (or larger) container about 2/3 full of equal parts of the metal powder and the oxidizing agent.

  2. Cover with a tight lid, then roll and tumble the container until the contents are completely mixed.

  3. If flake aluminum is the metal used, fill the container ½ full of the aluminum then add oxidizing agent until the container is ¾ full. Mix as described above.

  Thermate in a sealed container can be stored for months. To use, put 1 or 2 pounds of the mixture in a paper bag and place it on the target in such a way that when it burns the red hot molten material will run down and attack the vital parts.

  Chlorate-sugar and aluminum-sulfur igniters are best for setting off thermate, particularly if the thermate contains aluminum powder, which is more difficult to ignite.

  Thermate also is used in the improvised dust initiator and the external POL charges described later.

  Fig. 61—Defusing Thermate Grenade