Blue touch-paper

A bundle of such tubes is then inverted such that an explosive charge consisting of fine grain gunpowder and mealed gunpowder can be loaded in. After this a length of Bickford-type safety fuse is glued into the top of each loaded tube. Finally a mealed powder primer and blue touch-paper are applied to the fuse end. 

A blue touch-paper is applied to the end of the spiral and the central disc drilled to accept a nail or a pin. It is important that anything used to pin the wheel to a post is a good fit in the pivot hole because a tight fit will inhibit rotation, whereas a loose fit will allow the wheel to tip forwards and perhaps catch on the post. 

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

In lighting a firework we are going back at least 1000 years. The potassium nitrate in the blue touch-paper or the match burns in much the... 

Bundles of miniature candles packed into circular or square boxes are known as cakes for obvious reasons. They are the simplest of fireworks to set up because one merely places them on level ground, on a waterproof sheet if necessary. However, the fuse that connects all of the tubes runs in a spiral inside the base of the box, and the end that terminates on the outside wall of the box can be difficult to locate (especially in the dark) and be rather slow in operation. Some tens of seconds might elapse before the first tube ignites, but do not be tempted to return to the firework once the fuse is lit. As always. It is a matter of light the blue touch-paper and retire immediately . 

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