Quick Match Deception

[displayfireworks1]

First off, thanks to Pyrojoe for enlightening us about this gray quick match. Someone in the industry better come up with a name for this half ass gray quick match. I am going to tell you right now "Regulated" and "Non-Regulated" is not going to fly. Who wants to bet the price of that gray stuff coming out of China is cheaper. I don't like it, it needs addressed and exposed.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAvKZQL1EU0
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http://www.pyrotalk.com/bulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=1904&stc=1

[Grumps]

The gray product is a perchlorate based match. It probably should not be used where it can come into contact with sulfur. I came across it a few years ago, and have used it to quick fuse cakes together. If you Google "perchlorate quickmatch" you'll find more information about it, it seems to be less forgiving than genuine black powder based match in regards to being able to pass fire to visco fuse.

[displayfireworks1]

The more I look at this Quick Match the worse it looks. I hit some of it with a hammer today and it did go off, then again I hit some of the regular quick match and it went off also. What is the reason someone made this stuff?
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http://www.pyrotalk.com/bulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=1906&stc=1
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http://www.pyrotalk.com/bulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=1907&stc=1
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http://www.pyrotalk.com/bulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=1908&stc=1
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZ1JN8GFcmE

[PyroJoeNEPA]

The perchlorate can [so far] be marketed as a 1.4g product because "it does not contain black powder".
It is only a matter of time until this gets caught up in the whirlwind of the bureaucratic alphabets that want to protect us from ourselves.
I have seen it on a bunch of shells the last two years--rather not mention the brand in the open forum.
I don't know what the cost factor is for the Chinese--if one is less expensive to produce than the other???
Certainly the black match is the safer of the two.

[displayfireworks1]

If someone is trying to sell quick match to non-licensed users I can see what the objective is. To use it on a display shell that is already a 1.3 product irrespective of the fusing, what could the rationale be for that application? The second part I don't like is , it is probably being marketed and priced as standard quick match.
For a reference I looked at the AFSL Standards for Display Fireworks. It defines Quick Match
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1-2.34 Quickmatch Fuse (Instantaneous
fuse/Leader): Blackmatch Fuse that is encased in
a loose fitting paper or plastic sheath to make it
burn extremely rapidly
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It would be interesting the hear from someone from outside of United States about this, this ah, Piccolo Pete fuse or whatever it should be called. I don't like it.

[displayfireworks1]

More quick match deception, this may have charcoal or something added to make it look blacker in color.
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http://www.pyrotalk.com/bulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=1910&stc=1
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http://www.pyrotalk.com/bulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=1911&stc=1

[displayfireworks1]

From youtube.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3wVguELPaw
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This video has been sent to me by Antonio Scarpato. It shows the extreme sensitivity of some recent type of Chinese quickmatch used in professional fireworks. The composition in the quickmatch used in this video is potassium perchlorate + benzoate based, with nitrocellulose as a binder, that Chinese factories seem to have invented to increase productivity. This is obviously not your regular back match !

Italian pyros suspect it to be the cause of factory explosions that occurred during the last past months, such as Schiattarella and Bruscella.

If you think you have this type of quickmatch on your fireworks items, take extreme caution while handling them. And most importantly, NEVER PROCEED TO ANY MECHANICAL ACTION ON THIS QUICKMATCH: no cutting, stapling, crimping, etc... Use your fireworks as they come out of the box: light them by using the visco fuse or the electric match port.

[displayfireworks1]

I released a video about this perchlorate quick match on my youtube channel. Here is a new picture I received. This one may have charcoal added to it. I does not look like real black match to me. This person reports the match is burining so fast he is having errors trying to get it to light Visco.
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http://www.pyrotalk.com/bulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=1916&stc=1

[displayfireworks1]

More examples from UK Facebook.
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https://www.facebook.com/bill.corbett.161/videos/1532755080071584/
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Still waiting to hear some official explanation for using the product instead of regular black match quick match

[Bigjohnson]

Sure hope this black/quick match won't be connected to any shells

[displayfireworks1]

The more I think about it and reflect back. This stuff has been around for a while. I remember seeing some strange fuse on some Flower King product if I remember correctly, it was one of my Fireworks on the Farm videos. Now I have to also suspect this fuse was used on the product in my video with the bad finale. As I slowly keep posting pictures of it, you can see different levels of refinement and quality varies. If anyone has pictures of this stuff email them to me and I will post. pyrotalk@gmail.com. Maybe we can all learn something.

[PyroJoeNEPA]

Sure hope this black/quick match won't be connected to any shells

I hate to be the bearer of bad news---but it is used as leaders on several different brand shells. Has been for a couple years. The big issue is if you wanted to use it to fuse up cakes --it is so "violent" it can blow by the visco without passing fire...or a rack of 1.4 shells--it would be an issue.
The picture of the gold/brown stuff in post #6 was pieces that were cut to make finale chains. They worked fine for that. Just good to know what material you are cutting into though.

[displayfireworks1]

I would like to know if any 1.3 product that has this type of perchlorate fuse also carries a AFSL inspection sticker?
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I received another picture
http://www.pyrotalk.com/bulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=1918&stc=1

[displayfireworks1]

Here is a copy and paste comment from my video on youtube in regard to the quick match deception. Is his analysis and recommended testing valid? Comment from pyrotalk members are welcome. If what he is saying is valid, I may get some methylene blue.
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Hi, I'm a hobbyist chemist. Let me take a moment to address some of the things here from the knowledge I have on creating kclo4 (potassium perchlorate) and kclo3 (potassium chlorate).

Let me clarify some confusion here.

-kclo4 is very safe in comparison to kclo3 (potassium chlorate). Kclo3 is much more prone to accidental discharge by friction and shock. Thus most likely the reason for the version you are deeming to be a little more unsafe not actually the case. Its also probably the reason for safety factors. Regulations preventing the sale and distribution to consumers here in the US.

-Now you saw the video of the man smack the fuse with a hammer and it ignited. This was NOT kclo4, it was in fact more likely to be kclo3. Now we know over seas regulations are a bit more free to do whatever. But let me assure you kclo4 will not do that at such an ease.

-The only real difference between these two chemicals is safety. Actual reactions of the two are in fact almost identical. (minus kclo3 being prone to accidental combustion)

-As far as discoloration goes. Its more likely the grey fuse that lacks a higher concentration of charcoal. Maybe in fact has a higher concentration of kclo4 which is a decent thought considering it is much safer.

Now, there is no way for me to be 100% sure unless I actually had both fuse types and ran some tests. But I will give you an idea for an easy test to detect if it contains a type of perchlorate substance.

-Take each type of fuse, place them in separate cups of cold water. (make sure you're only dealing with approx 50ml of water)
-Use a few drops of methlyene blue in each solution. If the blue turns purple at all. It will indicate a perchlorate substance. Obviously chlorate will not react with and the solution will remain blue and eventually disappear.

Hope this helps, any question?

Oh I forgot to add. A faster reaction does not mean any difference between kclo3 and kclo4. It simply means ratios are different. Usually mixtures with large amounts of oxidizing agents will have an ultra fast reaction. Take black powder for instance. Consisting of %75 potassium nitrate. If you even dropped that percentage to %50. You would see a HUGE difference In reactions. I'm more than happy to run a couple samples through the good ole ball mill and show you the difference between large amounts of oxidizers and lower. Now of course some oxidizers are stronger than others. But make no mistake this isn't an issue of type of oxidizer rather than ratio. After all I think the only way to get an even stronger reaction with a certain oxidizer but of course would be a safety hazard. Would be using potassium permanganate. Again this would cause easy combustion from friction. Oh of you put those fuses in water and they turn purple on their own. This would in fact indicate potassium permanganate. Again I speak from experience creating and actually having all these different substances stored. Ugh, I forgot to also add. The only other substances I think would cause a literal faster reaction but would be highly explosive. Would be any double or triple nitrated substances. (TNT and so on)
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[displayfireworks1]

I am receiving emails about this Perchlorate Match. The reports are not good. I was sent unlisted videos of the match still in the protective paper igniting when hit with a hammer. Another report attributes an accident from a technician loading a 6 inch shell into a mortar and dropping the shell at the half way loading point and the shell went off. I have permission to post part of an email I received from outside of United States. I will post it here.
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This mixture of KClO4 with Therephthalates and Benzoates is therefore three times as sensitive as primary explosives. Primary explosives are not allowed to be shipped,
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I went to Liuyang to get a clue. Answer is quite simple: Blackpowder is more expensive and during the hot summer it is prohibited to work with. The KClO4 is always available, so is the bathtub, water, Benzoates and a mixer
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Chinese people claim to fulfill American requests with that stuff
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Phthalates may be the ingredient referenced , it appears to be a solvent and plasticizer, most likely to used to hold it all together. The fear is that once the regulatory of Europe areas in particular learn of it, they may issue a restriction on its use. Interesting how the industry still tries to protect itself even with obvious danger.

[PyroJoeNEPA]

I found post # 14 to be very informative. I found a relatively inexpensive source for methelyne blue in solution form. Will be ordering some soon. Although the post goes into detail outlining the chlorate/perchlorate issue, the main point is still the fact that regardless of which one it is, it is not black match!
I believe I mentioned in a different thread a while back that I have a friend in Italythat is a "master shell builder" that goes to Mexico once or twice a year to make shells for them to use in some of their festivals there. He told me they only use Potassium Chlorate in their formulas because it is so much cheaper to buy than Potassium Perchlorate. Very dangerous & he does not like using it & has been trying to get them to switch over to the Perchlorate. It is all about $$$$ unfortunately.
The above post was very interesting also.

[displayfireworks1]

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The more you look at this type of quick match, the worse it looks.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv5Fne5-eqA

[displayfireworks1]

I received an anecdotal report that around 15 to 20 years ago a similar quick match was imported from South America Brazil area into United States. There were reports at that time of the match going off during stapling onto lance work. Instructions were given to the workers not to use scissors or staple the match. Eventually the match returned back to the traditional black match. The person giving me the report was not able to tell me what chemicals were used in the match at that time. Considering this came from Brazil, I doubt it was a traditional whistle mix. Not sure what it may have been but I am suspecting Potassium Chlorate mixture. Please feel free to comment or if you wish i can accept comments off board like this one at pyrotalk@gmail.com.

[RalphieJ]

With all of that being said, does anyone have about 100' or so that they'd like to unload?