Difference between Needle & Pyro Antimony Trisulfide?

[jwitt]

I'm wondering what the difference is between "Chinese Needle" and "Dark Pyro" antimony trisulfide. My guess is that the pyro grade is milled to a finer consistency. What about application? Are the two more or less interchangeable in glitters, stars, etc? (Not interested in sensitizing flash...I don't see why anyone would need to do so?!?!)

[TSO]

I've wondered the same thing about these two items. From what I've seen in formulas here and elsewhere the chinese needle variation has more applications in comets, glitters, etc. I suppose you could go with needles and mill it down if needed...but I would not do it with out all appropiate ventilation and safety gear as its MSDS shows it to be pretty toxic.

[Twotails]

From my understanding(as I bought both) Needle is used in glitters, and dark for flash compsitions. my understanding is there used as fule, and each kind has a specific use(not quite sure thought) i dont think they can be substituted for each other. a member with more experiance may be able to tell you more, although i can say a facemask, or resperator is reccommended as they are toxic(to my knowlege)

[Ralph]

either can work fairly interchangeably in glitters though the needles were proffered due to requiring less processing and being more pure (as the needles cant really be cut with anything) as for use in dark flash it must be dark pyro

[Bonny]

Here are 2 quotes by 2 very reputable pyros (from Passfire)

 

" I'm gonna stick my neck out on this, because I'm flying the face of tradition, and contradicting some old practicioners with strong beliefs about antimony trisulfide.

I maintain that the -325 mesh powder is sufficient for everything, and that the ''needles'' version does not perform as well or as cost-effectively in most formulations.

Contratry to some older texts, I have not found any glitter formulation that benefits from the use of the coarser needles form. "

 

 

" I think the old preference for needle antimony arose from the ease with which its purity could be assessed by eyeball. If it had bits of sparkling crystalline lustre amidst the black (this is what gave it the old German name Spießglanz), it was of relatively high purity. The fines are easier to adulterate because they are too fine to show crystalline luster. In bygone days I believe that material of lesser quality was put into the fines.

 

If you have mil-spec quality material I agree that the particle size makes little or no difference, particularly with 'modern' tremalon compositions using atomized aluminums. With the older compositions based on white aluminum and containing lots of antimony, there may be something to the old prejudices."