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The Mad Monk on Black Powder


John Boy

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Bill Knight, aka The Mad Monk or Dutch Bill, the most knowledgeable person in the US about black powder.

He compiled and made available these selected detailed articles from his personal files ... to be found no where else

* Black Powder Manufacture in 9 Parts:

* Goex

* Imported Black Powders

* Smokey Substitutes

http://www.laflinandrand.com/page3.htm

 

Bill was my initial mentor about original gunpowder and has been over the years through many communications, an added source about my knowledge of the powder

 

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I just got started with BP and I looked at the download of KIK and don't have a clue of what all the info means.Lots of info but GREEK to me.

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Bill Knight was also my mentor and although I had a lay person's knowledge of the powder, I was in the dark about the important information that one should know if they want to research this remarkable product and it's history.

Bill is the most knowledgeable person that I ever had the pleasure of talking with. Yes, the information can seem like Greek to those who first read it. It is however the most information on all aspects of BP to be found in one place.

Bill sent me a cd with all of the info and I read it for days. That is why I purchased a microscope to observe the different powders and their grain makeup.

If you are interested in history and science, then read the information as it will open up the mysteries of BP for you. Later Fairshake

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A veritable treasure trove - thanks! :)

 

I found the substitutes doc particularly interesting. It was around 2000 that I tried out Clean Shot in my .32 squirrel rifle. I could not get it to ignite at all on it's own and even when I used real black in the pan, it was still only about 50% reliable at best. I remember the ads for Clear Shot, but I had already given up on Clean Shot and did not even bother with Clear Shot. I THINK Venskoske carried it when it was available, but I'm not sure of that. Contrary to what they were saying about sugar-based Clear Shot, vitamin C-based Clean Shot left no hard fouling and really did rinse right out with water, so it's a shame that it was so hard to ignite. After going through a pound if it, I decided that it was only fit for use by the percussion crowd.

 

I wish that document were updated to include all of the newer substitutes such as APP and Black MZ. I use APP in my shotgun loads, but I hear that Black MZ throws sparks and flame like the real thing. I haven't a clue how either of them are made or their ingredients. For now, I'm sticking with the real thing in cartridges and all of my front-stuffers. Even if Black MZ turns out to be the Holy Grail, I doubt that they will make it in Cannon grade or 2Fa, so I'll always use the real thing in my swivel gun. :)

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Bill is up in age and not into researching the BP as he once did. The last time I spoke with him, he was into cross country bike riding with a group of others who think that a 50 mile bicycle ride is a morning warm up.

John Boy may have more recent information, I'm not sure but when I received my CD copy several years ago, I put it in my gun safe so that it would not be broken or misplaced.

Bill is also a huge fan of shooting the front stuffers and stays busy with his many interest.

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Bill is up in age and not into researching the BP as he once did. The last time I spoke with him, he was into cross country bike riding with a group of others who think that a 50 mile bicycle ride is a morning warm up.

John Boy may have more recent information, I'm not sure but when I received my CD copy several years ago, I put it in my gun safe so that it would not be broken or misplaced.

Bill is also a huge fan of shooting the front stuffers and stays busy with his many interest.

 

If that's a "burned" CD, you might want to make a backup of it. Unlike factory CD's (which have pits impressed in foil and will basically last forever as long as you take good care of it), RW CD's use a dye that the laser "burns" to alter the color of the dye to provide binary bits of data. This dye supposedly fades over time and I've read that it has an expected lifetime of only about 15 years.

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Bill - his wife and their friends do the long distance bike riding now. In the evening, his part time job is a guard at a plant in reading to keep his mind occupied.

I doubt that Bill do any extensive testing on the new faux powders and Goex's Ole E.

In retro-spec - he has pretty much covered the water front so once one gains a knowledge base about the good powders ... they can fill in the dots for the new ones that come on the market. Which are few and far between

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Bill - his wife and their friends do the long distance bike riding now. In the evening, his part time job is a guard at a plant in reading to keep his mind occupied.

I doubt that Bill do any extensive testing on the new faux powders and Goex's Ole E.

In retro-spec - he has pretty much covered the water front so once one gains a knowledge base about the good powders ... they can fill in the dots for the new ones that come on the market. Which are few and far between

 

I guess I was confused as I thought this Bill Knight was the owner of Knight Rifles who make all those Evil Black Muzzleloaders.

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