Thomas,

When I was doing archaeological conservation I had, well not exactly
the pleasure, of removing the black powder from an 18th century hand
grenade. It was done very carefully in a water bath with non-ferrous
tools.

I would never recommend that any explosive be stored within the walls
of a cultural institution. What if a fire occurs and no one can get to
that ordinance? Do you think that the fire department would eagerly
run in? As a matter of fact on inspections of the collections and
conservation buildings where I have worked we were required to provide
a list of all flamable chemicals and their locations. And I am sure
that there are regulations about having live rounds in workplaces and
public areas like exhibitions.

I agree with you that the old shells, etc. should not be destroyed.
But if you insist on keepling live rounds and ordinance around it
should be stored in a certified explosion bunker away from people.
Remember, all it takes is static electricty and a small spark.

Cheers!
Dave

David Harvey
Conservator
Los Angeles, CA

On 12/14/07, Thomas Kavanagh <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> Greetings from Alaska!
>
> Several museums up here have old explosives of various kinds in their
> collections.  Where might we find expertise in assessing the risk of
> these items and possibly de-fusing them without losing the historic
> artifact? Anyone have a story to tell about their own artifacts?
>
>
> Soon after I was hired as Curator of Collections at another museum, I made
> an unguided walk thru of the collections area.
>
> Looking across several aisles of shelving I saw something that caught my
> eye: a round ball. Even at a maybe forty foot distance, I said to myself, "I
> know what that is."
>
> I went over and looked at it. The tag read, "stone ball."
>
> "Hah!" I said.
>
> I went to look at the accession records. It was from an old, ca 1900,
> accession, which had only been fully described in the 1970s. Specifically,
> it was described as a "stone ball with brass ring."
>
> I asked if there was a magnet around.
>
> The magnet stuck.
>
> 'Tweren't no "stone" ball.
>
> I looked down the .5 in  center hole in that brass ring. "Something's in
> there," I said.
>
> I measured the diameter: ca. 6.2 inches.
>
> hmmm; just as I thought.
>
> What we had there was a Civil War era 12 pdr [pounder] shell or case shot.
>
> [A ca. 6 inch diameter solid iron sphere, like a shot put, weights 12 lbs.
> Even when they were cast hollow and filled with plain gun powder (shell) or
> powder and other stuff ('case' or 'shrapnel') and thus weighed somewhat
> different than 12 lbs, they were still called 12 pdr.)]
>
> But I also knew from 30 years dealing with black powder (and CW artillery)
> that, unless it was exposed to a direct spark, it was safe.
>
> Despite what others on this list have said, black powder does not
> disintegrate into some highly explosive compund as does nitroglicerine.
> Black powder is a *mechanical* mixture - not a chemical mixture - of carbon,
> sulphur, and saltpetre. Depending upon whatever bonding agent is used, over
> time, those elements will separate out, disengage, and indeed become less,
> rather than more, problematic over time.
>
> I know that the standard response of most fire departments and other
> hazardous  materials people is to "neutralize" such ordnance: i.e. blow it
> up. This does, however, destroy its historical value.
>
> Like the live Confederate Shenkel shell I bought at an Albuquerque flea
> market in 1985 for my own collection, both shells remain whole.
>
> My advice: isolate them. Know where they are. If a fire emergency should
> happen, have them on the top of your list for evacuation.
>
> But don't let those guys blow 'em up. They like to do that.
>
> tk =========================================================
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