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suggestion: where to get KNO3



In case people are having problems acquiring reagent-grade potassium
nitrate via mail order sources, I thought I'd make a suggestion.
Perversely, KNO3 (not reagent grade, though) is probably easier to find in
the country than in a city, because feed stores often carry it in bulk or
50 pound bags. Farmers use it for fertilizer, and for making ANFO for
blowing stumps.

I called pharmacies, garden stores, etc, looking for KNO3, and nobody had
it. The local feed store on the other hand had it on hand in 55 gallon
drums, and were happy to sell me a pound from the one they had open. BTW,
keep this stuff in an airtight container; it clumps up in humid conditions.

I am surprised that a chemical supply house wouldn't want to ship potassium
nitrate. You can buy gunpowder and even primers (far, far more dangerous
than saltpeter) and have it shipped, albeit with significant HAZMAT
shipping fees - with which a chemical supply firm should be very familiar.

 -matt
  packing to move, and hating it