Quick Match

Part of Gunpowder and Explosives

Making quick match for near-instantaneous fire transmission across distances.

Why This Matters

Quick match is a specialized fuse that transmits fire at extraordinary speed — 10 meters per second or faster when enclosed in a tube. While slow match carries a smoldering ember at a few centimeters per hour, and safety fuse burns at about a centimeter per second, quick match flashes fire across its entire length almost instantaneously. This makes it indispensable for two critical applications in blasting.

First, quick match allows simultaneous detonation of multiple charges. When you need an entire quarry face to break at once, or when a ring of charges in a tunnel must fire together for the rock to collapse inward rather than just crack, quick match connects all the charges so they fire within a fraction of a second of each other.

Second, quick match serves as the link between a measured safety fuse and a charge that is too far inside a bore hole for the safety fuse to reach directly. The safety fuse provides the timed delay; the quick match provides the final, instant ignition.

In a rebuilding civilization, quick match means your limited gunpowder supply can be used in coordinated blasts rather than isolated pops — the difference between professional quarrying and wasteful, dangerous amateur work.

How Quick Match Works

The Physics of Rapid Propagation

Quick match consists of a cotton or linen cord thickly coated with gunpowder paste. In open air, this coated cord burns rapidly — about 1-2 meters per second — as the flame front ignites the powder coating ahead of it.

But the real magic happens when the coated cord is enclosed in a paper or fabric tube. Inside the tube, the hot gases and flame produced by the burning powder have nowhere to escape except forward along the tube. This creates a jet of superheated gas that races ahead of the combustion front, pre-heating and igniting the powder coating far ahead of the actual flame. The result is propagation speeds of 10-30 meters per second — effectively instantaneous for any practical blasting application.

Without tube: Fast fuse (1-2 m/s) With tube: Quick match (10-30 m/s)

The tube is what makes quick match “quick.” Without it, you have fast-burning fuse cord, which is useful but not the same thing.

Materials

Cotton or Linen Cord

• Diameter: 3-5 mm
• Construction: Three-ply twisted or loosely braided
• Must be clean and absorbent — free of oils, wax, or sizing
• If only thick rope is available, separate it into individual strands

Gunpowder Paste

The paste composition:

Component	Proportion	Notes
Meal powder (finely ground gunpowder)	85-90%	Must be impalpably fine — no granules
Water	10-15%	Just enough to make a thick paste
Binder (optional)	2-5%	Gum arabic, hide glue, or dextrin dissolved in the water

Preparation:

1. Grind corned or mixed gunpowder to the finest possible meal using a mortar and pestle
2. Dissolve the binder in warm water if using one
3. Add water to the meal powder gradually, stirring with a wooden spatula
4. Target consistency: thick paint that coats a dipped stick evenly without dripping
5. Use immediately — the paste begins to dry and stiffen within an hour

Safety

Gunpowder paste is less sensitive than dry powder but can still ignite from impact or friction. Mix it on a clean surface away from any heat source. Use only wooden or copper tools.

Tube Material

For enclosing the coated cord:

• Paper: The traditional choice. Use any available paper — writing paper, brown wrapping paper, even bark paper. It must be flexible enough to wrap around the cord.
• Cotton fabric: Thin, tightly woven cotton cut into strips 2-3 cm wide
• Parchment or vellum: Excellent if available; more moisture-resistant than paper
• Thin leather: Cut into narrow strips; works but is heavier than needed

Manufacturing Process

Step 1: Prepare the Workspace

• Work outdoors on a clean, flat surface (a long wooden table or board)
• Keep water nearby for fire suppression
• Have all materials laid out and ready before starting
• No open flames in the work area

Step 2: Coat the Cord

Dipping method:

1. Pour gunpowder paste into a long, shallow trough (a split bamboo section, a hollowed board, or a clay channel)
2. Draw the cord through the trough slowly, ensuring it picks up a thick, even coating
3. Pass the cord through twice if the first coating is thin

Spreading method:

1. Lay the cord flat on a board
2. Spread gunpowder paste over it with a wooden spatula, working it into the fibers
3. Turn the cord over and coat the other side
4. Roll the cord between your palms to even the coating

The finished coating should be 1-2 mm thick all around the cord. Thicker is more reliable but uses more powder.

Step 3: First Drying

Hang the coated cord in a warm, well-ventilated area (not in direct sunlight) until it is dry to the touch but still slightly flexible. This takes 2-6 hours depending on humidity and temperature.

Do not allow the cord to become completely rigid at this stage — it needs to remain flexible enough to be enclosed in the tube.

Step 4: Enclose in Tube

Paper tube method (traditional):

1. Cut paper into strips approximately 3-4 cm wide and as long as practical (30-50 cm per strip)
2. Lay the semi-dry coated cord along one edge of the paper strip
3. Roll the paper tightly around the cord, forming a tube with the cord at the center
4. The paper should overlap itself by at least one full wrap
5. Seal the paper edge with paste (gunpowder paste, flour paste, or gum arabic)
6. Overlap successive paper strips by 2-3 cm and seal each joint

Wrapping method:

1. Cut cotton fabric into strips 2 cm wide
2. Wind the fabric strip spirally around the coated cord, overlapping each turn by half the strip width
3. Secure the end with a dab of paste

Step 5: Final Drying

Hang the completed quick match straight (no coils or bends) and allow to dry completely. This takes 12-24 hours. The finished product should be:

• Stiff but not brittle
• Uniform in diameter along its length
• Firm when squeezed — the tube should not collapse easily

Testing

Test Every Batch

Quick match that fails to propagate can cause a misfire. Always test a sample from each batch.

Propagation Test

1. Cut a 2-meter length of quick match
2. Suspend it horizontally or lay it on non-flammable ground
3. Light one end with slow match held at arm’s length
4. Observe: the fire should flash to the other end effectively instantly (faster than you can track visually)
5. If the fire propagates slowly or stops partway, the batch has a problem

Connection Test

1. Connect a 30 cm piece of quick match to a small pile (5 g) of corned powder
2. Light the far end of the quick match
3. The powder should ignite within a fraction of a second of the quick match reaching it
4. If there is a delay, the junction between quick match and charge needs better contact

Failure Diagnosis

Symptom	Cause	Fix
Fire crawls rather than flashes	Tube is too loose or has air gaps	Wrap more tightly; ensure tube is sealed
Fire stops partway	Gap in powder coating or wet spot	Recoat the cord more thoroughly; ensure complete drying
Fire propagates but does not ignite charge	Poor junction between quick match and powder	Ensure direct contact; add priming powder at junction
Quick match ignites spontaneously	Too dry, static buildup, or rough handling	Handle gently; store in sealed containers

Using Quick Match in Blasting

Connecting Multiple Charges

To fire multiple bore holes simultaneously:

1. Load each bore hole with its charge and insert a short (15-20 cm) piece of safety fuse into each
2. Connect the outer ends of all safety fuses to a single trunk line of quick match
3. When the trunk quick match fires, it ignites all the safety fuses simultaneously
4. The short safety fuses provide a fraction of a second of delay to ensure each charge is fully initiated

Alternatively, for truly simultaneous firing:

1. Run quick match directly into each bore hole charge (no safety fuse)
2. Connect all quick match leads to a single trunk
3. Use a safety fuse lead to the trunk to provide retreat time
4. All charges fire within milliseconds of each other

Junction Construction

Where quick match leads branch from a trunk line:

1. Split the trunk tube open at the branch point
2. Lay the branch quick match cord directly against the trunk cord
3. Bind them together with thread
4. Re-wrap the junction with paper, sealing it with paste
5. The junction must have direct powder-to-powder contact between trunk and branch

Storage

Quick match is more sensitive than safety fuse and requires careful storage:

• Store in sealed wooden or metal containers, wrapped in cloth to prevent abrasion
• Keep completely dry — moisture penetrates the paper tube and degrades the powder coating
• Store away from heat, flame, and static sources
• Shelf life: 3-6 months if kept dry; inspect and test before use after extended storage
• Do not coil tightly — sharp bends can crack the powder coating and create propagation breaks