Re: Jap torpedo detonator?????
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Peloton</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The Japanese used a lot of Picric Acid in their artillery, etc...it gets very unstable over time. If you are not positive that thing is empty, don't touch it, don't hit it, don't speak to it harshly. (seriously)
Call you local military EOD or Police/Sheriff Bomb Squad and have them x-ray it for you. If it's not empty, they'll render it safe (and it'll go away, sorry). If it is, you'll have a nice souvenier and won't poke your eye out.
</div></div>
Picric acid is dangerous when it dries out.
From wiki:
Modern safety precautions recommend storing picric acid wet. Dry picric acid is relatively sensitive to shock and friction, so laboratories that use it store it in bottles under a layer of water, rendering it safe. Glass or plastic bottles are required, as picric acid can easily form metal picrate salts that are even more sensitive and hazardous than the acid itself. Industrially, picric acid is especially hazardous because it is volatile and slowly sublimes even at room temperature. Over time, the buildup of picrates on exposed metal surfaces can constitute a grave hazard.[8]
Bomb disposal units are often called to dispose of picric acid if it has dried out.
Picric Acid
