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For brilliant white stars try: Barium nitrate – 24 lbs. #809 Aluminum – 8 lbs. Saltpetre – 3 lbs. Sulphur – 2 lbs. Dextrine – 2 lbs. Sieve all but the aluminum through 40 mesh individually. Blend these ingredients by hand and sieve them through 20 mesh onto the aluminum. Blend this mixture by hand and sieve together 3 X through 20 mesh. You may cut or pump this mixture. Dampen with water. It is hard to ignite and requires heavy priming. It works most reliably when made as pillbox stars. This is the traditional “luce forte” or “sbistante.” If you wish a yellow analogue, replace the saltpetre with a like quantity of cryolite. Do NOT use sodium oxalate or bicarb., since upon dampening the mixture will form the hygroscopic nitrate of sodium by double decomposition with that of the barium, and your stars will not dry. This yellow is called in Italian “giallo abbagliante.” The Italo-American makers catalogued these effects as “white mag” and “gold mag” even though they contain no magnesium. Mike Swisher (from rec.pyro)
