NAME –Straight Dynamite 50%

COMMON NAME – Ditching Dynamite

TYPE – High explosive mixture

DATE OF DISCOVERY – 1867

DATE FIRST USED AS AN EXPLOSIVE – 1869

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN – Sweden

COMPOSITION – 49% Nitroglycerine, 34.4% Sodium nitrate, 14.6% Wood pulp, 1.1% Calcium carbonate (antiacid), 0.9% Moisture

DENSITY – 1.32 g per ml

NORMAL STATE – Crumbly, plastic mass when taken from wrapping.

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE/COLOR – Reddish-yellow to brownish yellow

INITIATION – No. 6 Commercial blasting cap

SENSITIVITY –Friction and impact sensitive, burns when ignited, 100% detonation when struck by 7.62mm (30 cal) rifle bullet

STABILITY – 1 year shelf life, container must be regularly turned over, rotated monthly, to prevent separation of nitroglycerine

DETONATION VELOCITY – 5,150 m/s (16,896 fps)

RE FACTOR (BRISANCE) [TNT=1.0] – 1.03

TOXICITY – Very toxic to touch with the bare skin, ingestion can be fatal, poisonous fumes when detonated

IGNITION POINT – 180^o to 182^o C.(356^o to 360^o F.) Explodes if confined

FREEZING POINT – 10^o C.(14^o F.)

SOLUBILITY – Insoluble in water, resistant to immersion for up to 24 hours

APPLICATIONS – PRINCIPLE USES – General demolitions, mining, and earth-moving

     This explosive is as close as is presently made to the original Nobel’s dynamite formula of Nitroglycerine absorbed into an inactive base, diatomaceous earth (a porous materials made up of the skeletons of ocean diatoms). That original formulation of dynamite was invented in 1867. It was quickly supplanted by the new Straight Dynamite in 1869. The “dope” or base material that the Nitroglycerine is absorbed into is more properly chemically balanced in Straight Dynamite, which is still employed around the world.