Am I Getting Better at Senko Hanabi? (Spoiler: Yes!)

Got back in the lab to experiment more with these awesome Japanese fireworks. I experimented with the charcoal, the black powder amounts, the types of paper and many other things. If you want to watch some eastern sparklers, you've come to the right place.
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WARNING! As I've said many times, do not try this stuff without the supervision of a trained professional! Regular fireworks are dangerous enough, much less D.I.Y. fireworks. Even though the amounts in senko hanbai are tiny (so much so that they are held during Japanese ceremonies) that will give little comfort if you blow off your fingers.
Credit where credit is due: NightHawkinLight has a great video on senko hanabi. (I have a bunch of other ones too, after you watch his.)
• How To Make Senko Hana...
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[@Nighthawkinlight]

Just did a search for senko hanabi to see what else was out there and found your series. Very cool! And nicely done

[@GuillotinedChemistry]

Since this video I found some new research... Working on a better follow-up. I have to get away from grading papers long enough to finish my work. 😀 Love your channel and what you did with the party streamers. Thank you for the feedback!

[@Nighthawkinlight]

Was it the research on spark generation out of the university of Tokyo? Working on a video about that myself now. You may be interested in my most recent video. I'm impressed with your results using powder laced up the whole length of the paper.

[@GuillotinedChemistry]

I'll have to find out the name on the paper. Might be from University of Tokyo. Thanks for letting me know about your new video. I'm going to watch it tonight... How wonderful to have a chance to work with a master and so kind of you to share it with the rest of us.

[@GuillotinedChemistry]

@@Nighthawkinlight also, the laced paper was a good try, but as I'm sure you could tell, I was trying to use to much. I bought some of the proper gamp-shi paper and was able to get away with a lot less.

[@KAYLEBHD]

NightHawkInLight hey I discover cigarette papers also work really well for senko maybe even better than the ones in your video I could upload a video if you like

[@FarleyHillBilly]

I remember reading a newspaper article about a teacher blowing his hand off and injuring bystanders when making gunpowder. The investigation determined that he was grinding all three ingredients together, you are supposed to grind the oxidiser on it''s own. His excuse was that there wasn't much of it and he didn't think it would matter.

[@GuillotinedChemistry]

Wow, I'd love to read that article. You're right, it is definitely safer to grind potassium nitrate ( or any oxidizer) by itself. Ancedotaly, I've never experienced anything close to ignition with the small amount (less than a gram) and using charcoal as the fuel. Honestly, the mortar and pestle mixes more than it grinds. But even with strong grinding I've never ignited with these amounts and these ingredients. And I've been working with this mixture for over a decade. Maybe much larger amounts and and definitely different fuels could lead to a more dangerous result. I'll have to look into that. Much appreciated and let me know if you find that article. Thanks again!

[@KAYLEBHD]

Guillotined Chemistry you don’t have nothing to worry about senko henabi composition is relatively safe grinding even if it was to ignite it burn slow so it has 0 chance of blowing up just a tip also if you want a successful senko use cigarette papers put a little amount of powder at the end only about 1cm long of powder don’t go all the way up the paper like in this video I found cigarette papers to be very successful with out much work

[@nishanhovsepian605]

I think I read somewhere that Japanese paper has Sodium Bicarbonate in it, its a glitter enhancer in other effects. The very end has a fraction of a mg of magnesium metal at the very end.

[@GuillotinedChemistry]

I've seen something about adding some magnesium powder for a little zing at the end. Also, I feel like some people have experimented with sodium bicarbonate for a yellow color. The paper used for real senko hanabi is a special type of washi paper... stay tuned.

[@Ucceah]

i was jsut gonna suggest washi paper too. allthough not for it's chemistry, but because crepe paper is far too thick. it looks like fine, transparent (doobie) rolling pepers, next to a piece of tissue, in comparison.

[@lunevermeil1400]

Try a slower burn and collect the lamp black which accumulates from the smoke. You'll get a finer carbon soot.

[@GuillotinedChemistry]

Check out my newest video (Senko Hanabi: The most enchanting firework you've never seen)... I do a better job of collecting the lamp black in a very similar method! :)

[@davidbeyers8042]

I saw a video where they made lampblack by burning pine fat wood. I suggest all Senko Hanabi enthusiasts here in the US have a contest to see who makes the best.

[@GuillotinedChemistry]

I made lampblack in a very similar way to what you mentioned. Check out my American Senior video... I haven't done much with senko this past year due to all the work needed to modify my class for the pandemic, but I'm starting to get the urge to tinker around again. Not sure I'd even make it to the semi finals of a us contest. 😂

[@weaponizedkarma252]

incorporation might make a difference

[@GuillotinedChemistry]

Tell me more...

[@weaponizedkarma252]

@@GuillotinedChemistry forgot the definition included solvents like alcohol, I was thinking of the water method of mixing, slow and steady grinding while wet

[@GuillotinedChemistry]

Ok, yeah I'm still tempted to experiment more with solvents. Plus a lot of home enthusiasts use a ball mill grinder. I'm working on some new stuff, but I've been swamped at work so very little forward momentum right now... ☹️