Blackpowder fireworks

Table 1.6 Some significant discoveries in the history of incendiaries, fireworks, blackpowder and explosives...

First fire pyrotechnic compositions are used to ignite other compositions which are less sensitive to initiation. An example of a first fire composition used in fireworks is blackpowder. The blackpowder is moistened with water containing dextrin and poured on to the top of the firework composition as shown in Figure 8.3. 

The fuse or blue touch-paper ignites the blackpowder which in turn ignites the main firework composition. Other types of first fire composi-... 

In fireworks, blackpowder is still used as the first fire. 

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