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The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
Foreword
This book is for the people of the United States of
America. It is not written for the members of fringe politi-
cal groups, such as The Weathermen, or The Minutemen.
Those radical groups don’t need this book. They already
know everything that’s in here. If the real people of Amer-
ica, the silent majority, are going to survive, they must edu-
cate themselves. That is the purpose of this book.
In this day and age, ignorance is not only inexcusable,
it is criminal and perhaps fatal. The Anarchist Cookbook is
not a revolutionary work in itself, just as a gun cannot
shoot, but I have a sincere hope that it may stir some stag-
nant brain cells into action. If the people of the United
States do not protect themselves against the fascists, capi-
talists, and communists, they will not be around much
longer. Do I sound like an alarmist? Follow the process of
disintegration: from the most immediate capitalist pollu-
tion; through the rising inflation, which is creating an at-
mosphere ripe for communism; to the final repression of
the people by the fascists in power:
Maybe I use the term revolution too frequently in this
book, without really defining it. I will do so here. I do not
particularly like any form of government but, if the major-
ity of the people seem to think that they are incapable of
governing themselves and want a government, then I think
the principles the United States was born with are about
the best there are. So now revolution comes to mean re-
vitalization, bringing America back to where she was two
hundred years ago. This is the first time I’ve thought of my-
self as a reactionary.
I believe that the people in power — not only political
power, but also economic and social power — will not non-
violently give up that power to the people. Power is not a
material possession that can be given, it is the ability to act.
Power must be taken, it is never given.
I hope that, by the time the two hundredth anniversary
of The First American Revolution rolls around, we will be
able to look back at the sixties and early seventies as a
dark era in the great history of a free nation.
Introduction
The human race, throughout its long history, has always
tried to uncover the meaning or essence of certain ideas or
concepts according to their particular frames of reference.
This is also true of the twentieth century, but man is travel-
ing so fast and his frame of reference is becoming so large
that it is almost impossible to keep up with it. Throughout
history, persons have attempted to redefine and put dated
definitions to currently prevalent questions: This also has
become increasingly difficult in this age of massive tech-
nological discoveries coupled with a perpetual information
and propaganda bombardment by the media. So I feel that
an attempt on my part to redefine anarchy in terms of the
twentieth century would be a pointless task. Such a pastime
is best left to the politicians and the academicians.
This is not the age of slender men in black capes lurking
in alleyways with round bombs, just as it is not the age of
political discussions in a Munich beer hall. This is a truly
unique age, where the individual has become the supreme
agent of anarchist theory, without his even being aware of
it. Anarchy can no longer be defined as freedom from op-
pression or lack of governmental control. It has gone fur-
ther than that. It has become, especially in the young
people today, a state of mind, an essence of being. It can
be expressed as “doing their own thing,” or maybe just
simply having the choice to do or not to do.
Anarchy or anarchistic theory is the only ideology that is
in the least bit optimistic. It places the full weight of re-
sponsibility where it should be — on the shoulders of all the
people, not just the select few. Its basic premise relies on
an unshakable faith in human nature, and the primary
goodness of the human race.
Today, young people are not blind idealists. They are
perhaps the most rational and practical generation this '
country has ever seen. There is no great movement com-
parable to the Russian or French revolutions. There are
just a great many individuals working as entities unto
themselves, to create a new world order. Today has
brought forth a great revival of anarchy in all fields: poli-
tics, arts, music, education, and even to a small degree in
business. Although this surge of individualism is present,
you won’t find too many people willing to call it anarchy.
But that’s just terminology.
An anarchist is not necessarily a revolutionary, although
it is more common than not that a person who has at-
tempted to rid himself of exterior controls, for the purpose
of developing his own philosophy, will find himself oppres-
sed. This oppression may lead the individual to formulate
ideas of insurrection and revolution.
This book is for anarchists — those who feel able to dis-
cipline themselves — on all the subjects (from drugs, to
weapons, to explosives) that are currently illegal and sup-
pressed in this country. It is my firm belief that the only
laws an individual can truly respect and obey are those he
instills in himself. This is not a revolutionary book in any
traditional sense, but its premise is the sanctity of human
dignity. If this human individual dignity and pride cannot
be attained in the existing social order, there is only one
choice for a real man, and that is revolution.
There will never be a traditional revolution in this coun-
try, in the sense of the Russian or French revolutions. The
revolution in this country has already started. It is a multi-
faceted battle on many different fronts. It is a battle politic-
ally between the young freedom fighters in Chicago and the
stagnant system, represented by arthritic old men making
laws they do not understand, and making wars they have
no feeling for. It is a battle between the poor blacks and
the rich employers. It is a battle between the artists and
the censors. It is a battle between the Black Panthers and
30
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the police. It is a battle between the welfare mother and
the bureaucracy of the city, and surprisingly enough it en-
compasses the yearly battle between the taxpayer and the
Internal Revenue Service. All these battles are but part of a
larger war, being fought to liberate the minds and bodies of
the people who feel freedom is the most important concept
in their lives.
If I could come out in this book and advocate complete
revolution and the violent overthrow of the United States
of America, without being thrown in jail, I would not have
written The Anarchist Cookbook, and there would be no
need for it.
Read this book, but keep in mind that the topics written
about here are illegal and constitutes a threat. Also, more
importantly, almost all the recipes are dangerous, especially
to the individual who plays around with them without
knowing what he is doing. Use care, caution, and common
sense. This book is not for children or morons.
chapter one:
Freedom will cure most things. . . .
A. S. Neill, Summerhill
Drugs are not central to anarchy, have nothing to do
with politics, and may be considered the opposite of revolution, since their use tends to create apathy. I believe basic-
ally that this country is going through two revolutions: On
one hand there is the political struggle, and on the other
we are witnessing a cultural renaissance. The use of drugs
comes under the birth of a new culture. After all the
political battles have been fought and won, then will come
the most difficult time of all. This is the time when the en-
tire population — black and white, right and left — must
move together to form a new society. This new society is
being written about, talked about, planned by everyone. It
will have to be a type of society completely devoid of the
repression that is so present today. It will have to be based
on respect, since the churches have a monopoly on trust.
The use of drugs in this new culture will be free. There
will be no more political arrests for pot or acid, for who
will arrest whom? There will be no more black kids in jail,
oil trumped-up charges, for there will be no more jails.
“Pot is central to the revolution. It weakens social con-
ditioning and helps create a whole new state of mind. The
slogans of the revolution are going to be pot, freedom,
license. The bolsheviks of the revolution will be long-
haired pot smokers.” A quote from Jerry Rubin, who was
sentenced early in 1970 to over five years for effectively
speaking his mind.
Certain drugs affect the mind and allow the individual,
for the first time, to see the world freely, without enforced
values and rituals. For the first time the person can see
clearly the real inequities and the farcical absurdities. The
antiquated drug laws and the archaic lawmakers have given
us an underground. Now it is our job to make good use of
it.
Pot
Pot, grass, or marihuana is available anywhere in the
country, as the black market is widespread and thriving
very well. Marihuana goes under a whole slew of names,
such as Acapulco gold, Panama red, Vietnam green, and
New York white. All of these names depict the potency
and place of natural origin. Mexican and Vietnamese mari-
huana are probably the best on the American market. Mid-
dle Eastern grass is also highly prized, but not so readily
available. There is no way of knowing what you are buy-
ing. without first trying it, as most grasses look alike and
smell very similar regardless of potency. The most inter-
esting of all the different types of grasses is New York
white, as it is a natural growth of high potency in a large
metropolitan city. It is often found in vacant lots, growing
by the side of alleys, and in schoolyards; but, strangely
enough, the place where it has cropped up in abundance is
in the sewers. The Department of Health and Sanitation
have attempted to explain this phenomenon in several published reports. They have stated that the practice by illegal
users of dumping marihuana seeds down the toilet, to pre-
vent arrests, has resulted in massive subterranean growths.
These growths were held directly responsible for many
floods and blocked sewers. Apparently, according to the re-
port, the conditions in the sewers are ideal for the growth
of marihuana. It is damp and warm, and there is enough
32 /
debris lying around to make good fertilizer. The sewer
plants usually reach a height of between 1 2 and 1 5 feet and
are bleached white because of the lack of sunlight. This
could answer a lot of questions — such as what the rats
were doing in the middle of the Park Avenue mall.
There are many different methods of growing grass, and
it seems that everyone has just discovered the best fertilizer.
I could not relay all of the methods in five books, so I
have settled for two techniques which have proven ex-
tremely successful for me.
First Method
Most seeds are fertile, but the best are from Mexico.
Never in any circumstances throw seeds away, since mari-
huana is a weed and will grow almost anywhere. The first
step is to soak your seeds overnight in clean, lukewarm
water. Your container should be a standard planter box. If
this is not available, a plastic dish tray about two inches
deep will serve just as well. Fill the container with washed
fine sand and shredded sphagnum moss. If this is not readi-
ly available, you can use regular soil. The soil should be
packed firmly, and watered well so that the excess water is
allowed to run off. Dig furrows the full length of the con-
tainer about one-half-inch deep. Now you are ready to
sow your seeds. Do so every inch. Fill in each furrow with
soil, sand, moss, and water. Cover the container with a
clear plastic sheet, and place it in a warm location where
there are at least six hours of sunlight a day. The plants
now remain on their own until they develop their first
true leaves.
Even if the material mentioned above is not available,
almost the same degree of success can be accomplished by
placing the seeds on several layers of water-soaked paper
towels. Now cover the seeds with a plastic sheet just as
above, and expose to sunlight.
In about one week, signs of life should start to appear.
Within two weeks, definite little leaves should be present.
This is the time to transplant. The plot you intend to use
for your transplant should be carefully prepared. Manure
should be used for at least one week in advance of the
actual transplant. The soil should be similar to the original
soil used in the germinating box. All other weeds, in the
general area of your plot, should be pulled up to allow
your plant as much freedom of growth as possible.
The original germinating box should be watered the day
before you are going to transplant, so as to make the move
easier on the plants, and cut root damage to a minimum.
The plants should be placed in holes two to three inches
deep, depending on the size of the plant. The earth around
the plant should be loose, and, if possible, some earthworms
should be added. If there is a lack of sunlight, a simple ring
of tin foil around the plant can be very helpful. The first
few days are the most critical after the actual transplant.
If the plants survive the shock, there should be no reason
why they shouldn’t grow into healthy, fully grown plants
(which means, in certain climates, fifteen to twenty feet
high).
Care:
Very little care is needed after this stage, with the excep-
tion of fertilization. For fertilizers, one can use manure,
soluble nitrogen, nitrate of soda, sulfate of ammonia, or
rotting garbage (which has always been popular). To pro-
duce a stronger plant, one can clip off the lower leaves; do
this only when the plant reaches a height of at least three
feet. The ground surrounding your plant should be kept
clear of other weeds but, strangely enough, insects ignore
marihuana and do no harm.
Harvesting:
As a rule, it is better to wait until the plants have gone
to seed before they are cut, but, if you’re greedy, you can
kill the goose that laid the golden egg. The best agent for
drying is the sun, but if you live in the city it could prove
embarrassing and dangerous to have five- or ten-foot mari-
huana trees on your fire escape — in this case a sun lamp
can be used. When using the sun, drying usually takes
about two weeks. With a sun lamp, the pot is smokable
after only three or four days. When drying is done, separ-
ate the leaves and crush them. This will be the finest
smoke, unless you have a female plant. If so, save the blos-
soms for the most potent smoke there is. The stems and
twigs can be chopped up and smoked in a pipe, or sold to a
friend.
Grass is basically a weed and can be grown anywhere,
including indoors with artificial light. A sun lamp works
well from a distance of two to three feet. For an interest-
ing experiment, use infra-red light on part of your crop
and a sun lamp on the other part, then compare. A bathtub
or cement mixer is an ideal planter for the city dweller.
Second Method
This method is slightly more complicated than the last,
but has achieved really good results.
DRUGS
/ 33
First of all, you need a germinating box. This is con-
structed as follows: Take one wooden milk crate and cut
away the sides to six inches from its bottom (check the
bottom diagram in Figure 1 ) . Cover the opening with clear
plastic, leaving one flap open. Nail a strip of wood across
the top and fix to it a sixty-watt light bulb. Now you have
your germinating box. You will need Kitty Litter and mil-
organite. Take one. part manure or milorganite and mix
with five parts Kitty Litter, and fill the germinating box
with two or three inches of this mixture and saturate with
water. Now, place seeds, 20 to 30 per square inch, on top
of the soil and cover with a quarter inch of milorganite and
Kitty Litter. Keep the sixty-watt light bulb on twenty-four
hours a day. When the seeds have broken the surface, use
the bulb only as a supplement for regular sunlight.
The plants should be grown in the germinating box for
one month, and then transplanted. To transplant, select a
spot with reasonably fertile soil, and of course reasonably
safe from being discovered. When this is done, dig a hole
about one foot deep and as wide as necessary. Leave each
seedling room enough to grow; in other words, don’t crowd
them together.
To help stimulate growth, use peat, milorganite, manure,
or any of the fertilizers mentioned in the first method, be-
fore planting. After planting, water your plants, and use
about a cup of hydrated lime per square yard of your plot.
Marihuana usually takes four to eight months to mature,
but it does adapt amazingly well to almost any growing
season. You can usually tell the female plant, as it will be the
smaller of the two. It should be treated with special care.
To cure your crop, the ideal method is to hang the plants
upside down in a barn or similar structure, where the ven-
tilation is good. Now let the crop take its time. If you are
in a hurry for some reason, and do not have a barn avail-
able, you can dry your crop in the oven at a temperature
below 200 degrees. A sun lamp can also be used as in the
first method.
Grading marihuana goes as follows: The most potent
type of all is the female blossom tips (the sticky cluster of
small leaves and seeds just at the tip of the female plant) .
The small female inside upper leaves are also very potent.
They are often found covered with resin and are con-
sidered the second grade. The third grade of marihuana is
the upper female leaves, which are potent but not as much
as the first two grades. The fourth and final grade is made
up of the male blossoms and all the male leaves on the
upper half of the stem.
If you decide against growing your own pot, for one
reason or another, you still should have no difficulty in ob-
taining grass. When buying grass, or anything illegal, there
are several important things to remember. First, and prob-
ably most important, is not to buy on the street, and in no
circumstances buy from a stranger. Believe it or not, the
cops are paying out millions of dollars a year to keep plain-
clothesmen wandering around the streets trying to bust
people. There is another reason that buying on the street
is a bad scene: You don’t get a chance to try the stuff be-
fore you buy it. The chances will be very good that when
you get home, you will find that you have bought some of
the best-tasting parsley or oregano that you have ever
smoked.
Cooking with pot
Many people after cleaning their grass throw away the
seeds, stems, and twigs. I would highly recommend that
you save these, as there are many recipes for these odds
and ends. A tasty hot drink that resembles tea can be
made very simple by tying up all the waste from your stash
into a muslin ball or into a piece of cheesecloth. Use the
quantity you have on hand, as the quantity will determine
the strength and potency. Now, drop the cheesecloth con-
taining the grass into a kettle of water, and bring the water
to a boil. Allow the kettle to boil for a few minutes, and
then remove it from the flame and let it steep for another
five minutes with the grass still inside. After this, the drink
is ready. Just add sugar and lemon to taste.
If you decide against growing pot, and want to eat your
seeds, there is an interesting recipe for “seed pancakes.”
It is prepared by lightly toasting a quarter of a cup of
seeds into a large frying pan. Now, take the seeds from
the frying pan and add them to a mixture of one cup of
pancake mix, one egg, a quarter cup of milk, and one table-
spoon of butter. Beat this mixture until it is smooth and
creamy. Heat a frying pan with a small amount of butter,
then pour in pancake batter. Turn the pancakes as they
start to look done, or when the edges begin to turn brown.
Repeat procedure until all the batter is used. Serve pan-
cakes with butter, maple syrup, and honey.
For a stimulating drink (sounds like all the rest of the
cookbooks) place eight ounces milk, a few spoonfuls
sugar, a tablespoon malted milk, half a banana, a half
tablespoon grass, and three betel nuts in a blender. Keep
34 /
the anarchist cookbook
Container showing Vi -inch
furrows
Fiprc 1. Methods for growing marihuana.
36
the blender working full speed for a few minutes, then
strain and serve.
If you like candy, it’s very simple Jo make some using pot.
Take a quarter cup of powdered grass and add water until it
equals a full cup. Mix this with four cups sugar and two and
a half cups corn syrup. Now heat in a large pot to 310 de-
grees, and add red food coloring and mint flavoring. Remove
the pot from the stove, and allow the mixture to cool a little,
before pouring it onto wax paper. When the candy’s cool,
cut it into squares and eat.
One of the most common recipes for cooking with pot is
spaghetti. This recipe doesn’t take too much special pre-
paration: Just when you add your oregano, add at the same
time a quarter cup grass, and allow it to simmer with the
sauce. Be sure to use well-cleaned grass, unless you can
get into eating twigs and stems. Another way of serving pot
with spaghetti is to grind it up very fine and mix it with
some ground cheese. Then sprinkle the cheese-pot mixture
over the sauce just before eating.
Dessert is probably the most important stage of the
meal, since it will be the last thing your guests remember
before they pass out all over your table. For an interesting
dessert, grind a quarter ounce of grass very finely, and add
enough water so it forms a paste. Now separately dissolve
one and a half cups sugar into two cups milk. Add to this
your pot paste and one lemon rind grated. Beat in a half
cup heavy cream, until the mixture is firm and thick. Now
pour the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze. Just before
you’re ready to serve, rebeat the frozen mush until it be-
comes light and fluffy.
Since everyone else has a private recipe for an aphro-
disiac, why shouldn’t I put one in here? I’ve heard people
tell me, in all seriousness, that they believe the only true
aphrodisiac is a case of beer in the back seat of a ’56
Chevy. Well, if you’re not into that, you might as well try
this recipe, because it’s got to work better than a case of
beer. Pound one tablespoon unground mace, two cantha-
rides beetles, one teaspoon fresh red saffron, and one tea-
spoon of the best quality grass you can find. Pound all the
ingredients together until they form a powder. Now add
one pint of water and heat to boiling point. After boiling
for a few minutes, reduce the heat and simmer for 45 min-
utes or so, until the liquid is reduced to about a quarter of
a cup. This can be served as a drink or over brown rice. I
have not tried this recipe, as I have been unable to locate
any cantharides.
On the following pages are some additional recipes for
cooking with pot.
Acapulco Green
3 ripe avocados 3 tablespoons wine
Vi cup chopped onions vinegar
2 teaspoons chili powder Vi cup chopped grass
Mix the vinegar, grass, and chili powder together and let
the mixture stand for one hour. Then add avocados and
onions and mash all together. It can be served with tacos
or as a dip.
Pot Soup
1 can condensed beef Vi can water
broth 3 tablespoons chopped
3 tablespoons grass watercress
3 tablespoons lemon
juice
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil
over medium heat. Place in refrigerator for two to three
hours, reheat, and serve.
Pork and Beans and Pot
1 large can (1 lb., 13 Vi cup light molasses
oz.) pork and beans Vi teaspoon hickory salt
Vi cup grass 3 pineapple rings
4 slices bacon
Mix together in a casserole, cover top with pineapple and
bacon, bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. Serves
about six.
The Meat Ball
1 lb. hamburger Vi cup bread crumbs
Vi cup chopped onions 3 tablespoons grass
1 can cream of 3 tablespoons India
mushroom soup relish
Mix it all up and shape into meat balls. Brown in frying
pan and drain. Place in a casserole with soup and Vi cup
water, cover and cook over low heat for about thirty min-
utes. Feeds about four people.
Spaghetti Sauce \
1 can ( 6 oz. ) tomato
paste
2 tablespoons olive oil
Vi cup chopped onions
Vi cup chopped grass
1 pinch pepper
1 can (6 oz.) water
Vi clove minced garlic
1 bay leaf
1 pinch thyme
Vi teaspoon salt
DRUGS / 37
Mix in a large pot, cover and simmer with frequent stirring
for two hours. Serve over spaghetti.
Pot Loaf
1 packet onion soup mix 2 lbs. ground beef
1 (16 oz.) can whole 1 egg
peeled tomatoes 4 slices bread, crumbed
14 cup chopped grass
Mix all ingredients and shape into a loaf. Bake for one
hour in 400-degree oven. Serves about six.
Chili Bean Pot
2 lbs. pinto beans Vi clove garlic
1 lb. bacon, cut into 1 cup chopped grass
two-inch sections Vi cup mushrooms
2 cups red wine
4 tablespoons chili
powder
Soak beans overnight in water. In a large pot pour boiling
water over beans and simmer for at least an hour, adding
more water to keep beans covered. Now add all other in-
gredients and continue to simmer for another three hours.
Salt to taste. Serves about ten.
Bird Stuffing
5 cups rye bread crumbs V6 cup chopped onions
2 tablespoons poultry 3 tablespoons melted
seasoning butter
Vi cup each of raisins and Vi cup chopped grass
almonds 2 tablespoons red wine
Vi cup celery
Mix it all together, then stuff it in.
Apple Pot
4 apples (cored) 4 cherries
Vi cup brown sugar Vi cup chopped grass
Vi cup water 2 tablespoons cinnamon
Powder the grass in a blender, then mix grass with sugar
and water. Stuff cores with this paste. Sprinkle apples with
cinnamon, and top with a cherry. Bake for 25 minutes at
350 degrees.
Pot Brownies
Vi cup flour 1 egg (beaten)
3 tablespoons shortening 1 tablespoon water
' 2 tablespoons honey Vi cup grass
pinch of salt 1 square melted
Vi teaspoon baking chocolate
powder 1 teaspoon vanilla
Vi cup sugar Vi cup chopped nuts
2 tablespoons corn syrup
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together. Mix shorten-
ing, sugar, honey, syrup, and egg. Then blend in chocolate
and other ingredients, mix well. Spread in an eight-inch
pan and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
Banana Bread
Vi cup shortening 1 cup mashed bananas
2 eggs 2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon lemon juice Vi cup chopped grass
3 teaspoons baking Vi teaspoon salt
powder 1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup sugar
Mix the shortening and sugar, beat eggs, and add to mix-
ture. Separately mix bananas with lemon juice and add to
the first mixture. Sift flour, salt, and baking powder to-
gether, then mix all ingredients together. Bake for 1V4
hours at 375 degrees.
Sesame Seed Cookies
3 oz. ground roast 14 cup honey
sesame seeds Vi teaspoon ground
3 tablespoons ground ginger
almonds 14 teaspoon cinnamon
14 teaspoon nutmeg 14 oz. grass
Toast the grass until slightly brown and then crush it in a
mortar. Mix crushed grass with all other ingredients, in a
skillet. Place skillet over low flame and add 1 tablespoon of
salt butter. Allow it to cook. When cool, roll mixture into
little balls and dip them into the sesame seeds.
If you happen to be in the country at a place where
pot is being grown, here’s one of the greatest recipes you
can try. Pick a medium-sized leaf off the marihuana plant
and dip it into a cup of drawn butter, add salt, and eat.
Hashish, or hash, is nothing more than the essence of the
marihuana plant extracted and hardened into a block.
Hash is usually smoked in a pipe, although there are many
recipes that employ it as an ingredient.
I have heard people say that hash has a different effect
38
than marihuana. This is not true, in the sense that there is
no difference between the two, with the exception being
that hash is a good deal stronger. The most amazing thing
about hashish is the price on the black market. An ounce
of hash usually sells for anywhere between $60 and $100,
depending on supply and demand. I say the price is amaz-
ing because, with one kilo (2.2 lbs.) of grass, a person can
easily make seven or eight ounces of hash. The usual price
for a kilo of grass is about $150, whereas seven ounces of
hash might bring $700.
The process for extracting the essence of marihuana is
a simple one, but it requires the utmost care. You need a
kilo of grass to begin with, and a screen to sift it through. A
kilo of grass usually comes in a block, compressed to-
gether, so break down the block and gently put it through
the screen. Remove all the dirt and foreign objects, but do
not take out the stems. The seeds should also be taken
out, as they are much too greasy for good hash. Now that
you have separated the kilo and sifted it, place it in a large
pot and cover with rubbing alcohol (about one and a half
gallons per kilo). Now boil the mixture for about three
hours. Be sure to use a hot plate or electric stove rather
than gas, as alcohol is highly inflammable, and should
never be exposed to a naked flame. After three hours,
strain liquids out of the pot and store in a plastic container
labeled “solution 1 .” Now take the mush you have left and
repeat the boiling with fresh alcohol for another three
hours. After two alcohol extractions, each time using fresh
alcohol, follow the same procedure but substitute water for
alcohol. The water must be boiled at a higher temperature
than the alcohol, but for only one hour. This boiling pro-
cedure with water should be performed twice. Once these
procedures have been performed, strain off the liquids
again and store in another container, and label “solution
2.” Now reduce volumes of both solutions by boiling in
separate pots, turn down the heat as each solution begins
to thicken. When each solution is reasonably thickened,
combine them and boil a little more on the hot plate. At
this point the solution should have the consistency of
modeling clay. Now heat a cupful of turpentine, and add to
the mush. Be extra careful with the turpentine, as even the
vapors are inflammable. Add 2 ozs. of pine resin and
stir pot for ten minutes, under low heat. Now pour mush
into a baking tin, two or three inches deep, and heat in the
oven for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. After this you should
have some really good hash but, if the hash is still greasy
after this last step, just leave it in the oven for another ten
minutes or so until it dries out. Be careful not to burn the
hash.
This last recipe is for the extraction of hashish from
marihuana, but in the Middle Eastern countries, where
they can afford it, there is another method for the prepara-
tion of hash. When the hemp or marihuana plants are dry-
ing, they are hung upside down in a room lined with bur-
lap. As the plants dry, the resin and smaller leaves fall onto
the burlap. When, after a few weeks, the burlap is taken
up, the material covering it is the finest-quality marihuana
extraction possible. This substance is taken and boiled,
then compressed together to form a hard solid.
Hash can be smoked either in a pipe or by mixing it
with tobacco in a cigarette. Traditionally, hashish has been
smoked in a hookah or water pipe, which is nothing more
than a large pipe that takes the smoke and cools it by run-
ning it through water. The hookah is more than just a pipe
in many Middle Eastern countries, since it has more than
one hose, and more than one smoker can participate at a
time. I have heard that substituting wine or flavored brandy
for the water is a fantastic way to get there.
Figure 3. Hookah.
Cooking trith hash
Hash is also an excellent way to enhance your cooking.
It has had a long history in the kitchen, going all the way
back to the early civilizations around the Ganges River. It
is also noted that many famous personalities throughout
history had experiences with hashish. Marco Polo on his
return to Italy mentioned frequently in his diary a strange
substance that put a man in a drunkenlike stupor, yet it was
unlike anything he had experienced before.
DRUGS / 39
Hash Cookies
4 cups sifted flour V 2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking V 2 cup butter
powder % cup honey
4 eggs
Mix baking powder, salt, and flour together in a bowl, then
add to this the eggs and honey. Work the mixture with your
hands until it forms a dough. Roll the dough out and cut
into three-inch squares. Now put dough aside and work on
the filling.
V 2 cup honey
1 whole grated nutmeg
Vs oz. powdered hash
1 cup chopped figs
Vi cup ground walnuts
V 2 cup chopped dates
V 2 cup raisins
1 teaspoon ground
ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
V 2 cup ground almonds
Put all the ingredients into a pan and mix with V 2 cup
water. Heat until fruits are softened and water has evapor-
ated. Pour mixture into a skillet, add three tablespoons
butter, and heat for five minutes. The filling is now ready.
Place a heaping tablespoon of filling on each piece of pas-
try. Fold up the edges of the pastry, to keep the filling in,
and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. This recipe
usually makes between two and three dozen cookies.
3 eggs
2 oz. sifted flour
V * can cooked peas
Vi cup chopped chicken
livers
Vz chopped onion
Hash Soup
1 teaspoon powdered
hashish
2 oz. small noodles
4 tablespoons canned
tomato paste
V 2 cup chopped turnip
Take a large pot and grease the bottom with V 4 cup olive
jil. Place in the pot the half chopped onions, chicken livers,
md turnip. Cook for a half hour over low heat. Now add
1 pint and a half of water, three tablespoons butter, four
ablespoons tomato paste, the peas, and the noodles. Mix
lour with a cup of water and make a paste. Stir paste and
towdered hash into the pot. Add salt and pepper, and boil
or 15 minutes, stirring constantly. As soon as the soup
; off the fire, add the eggs and serve immediately.
Hash Brown Bananas
4 bananas
.2 teaspoons powdered
hash
2 slices bacon
4 tablespoons brown
sugar
Cut the bananas into a skillet and fry until slightly brown.
Do not overcook. At the same time, fry the bacon in the
same pan, for it adds an interesting flavor to the bananas.
Mix the powdered hash with the brown sugar. Then wrap
each fried banana with a strip of bacon, and serve with
hash and brown sugar sprinkled on top.
Hashish Brownies
V 2 teaspoon salt
% cup cake flour
1 cup sugar
3 oz. unsweetened
chocolate
V 2 teaspoon baking
powder
3 eggs
V 2 cup sweet butter
5 grams powdered hash
Melt the chocolate and butter together, then add sugar and
hash. The mixture must be beaten until it is creamy. Sift
flour, baking powder, and salt together, and then add to
mixture. Pour the mixture into a cookie tray and bake for
thirty minutes at 375 degrees. When cool, cut brownies
into small squares and top with chopped nuts.
LSD
I think, of all the drugs on the black market today, LSD
is the most interesting and the strangest. It is the most re-
cent major drug to come to life in the psychedelic subcul-
ture. Huxley experimented with mescaline many years be-
fore psychedelics reached their mass-market proportions,
but this experimentation was not with the same frame of
mind as these drugs are handled today. Probably the great-
granddaddy to the whole psychedelic community was An-
tonin Artaud, who personally experimented with peyote in
Mexico. The difference between Huxley’s and Artaud’s
experimentation was that Huxley managed to keep his
experiences under laboratory controls, which he set up
himself, whereas Artaud allowed his experiences to become
part of his life. Artaud was changed by his encounters with
peyote, but is this bad? A dirty shirt is also changed when
it is washed. Through this change, Artaud was able to see
and understand ideas and concepts on a different level.
He was able to tear apart rationalizations, without regard
for contemporary methods of organization, or even con-
temporary versions of truth. Artaud found, in his own way,
his own truth and his own structure of values. They locked
him up. . . .
I died at Rodez under electroshock.
I died. Legally and medically died.
Electroshock coma lasts fifteen minutes. A half an hour
or more and then the patient breathes.
Now one hour after the shock, I still had not awakened
and had stopped breathing. Surprised at my abnormal
rigidity, an attendant had gone to get the physician in
charge, who, after examining me with a stethoscope, found
no more signs of life in me.
This passage is taken from The Artaud Anthology,
published by City Lights Publishers. I find it extremely
difficult to throw this off as the ravings of a madman for, if
that be true, then there can be no truth, only madness and
sanity, logic and illogic. If one then accepts the acceptable,
he finds a narrow channel is clear, but the presence of il-
logic and the so-called insanities will always pry and harp
in the distance.
LSD has never caused insanity. It does not have that
power. Only man can distinguish between sanity and in-
sanity. I have never seen an insane bird. Granted there are
some individuals who shouldn’t take psychedelics, but this
is, and must be, their choice. All LSD does is allow a man
to look upon ordinary things, everyday things, and even on
himself, many times for the first time, with clarity of vision.
He can look and not be hampered by false-propped values
and socially limited scope. He can look upon the world and
see beauty where it did not exist before. He can perceive
the ugliness for the first time. He can roar with laughter
at the multitude of absurdities surrounding him. He can
look into himself and see truthfully the mildew and the rot.
LSD cannot bring out latent qualities in your personal-
ity. It cannot make you into a crazy, just as it cannot make
you into a warmer, more beautiful, person. What LSD can
do is show you what you as a person are comprised of, and
break down truthfully your make-up. LSD is not a religion,
and I’ve never found anything really divine about it at all.
The real religion, if you want to put it in those terms, is
the being itself. LSD is nothing more than a medium to dis-
cover the essence of being.
LSD, or acid, has been illegal for the last few years;
therefore it is readily available on the black market. When
buying anything on the black market, there are a couple
of things to note, but these are especially important with
acid.
1 . Never buy from a stranger, or on the street.
2. Never front money.
3. If you are holding a large amount of money, do not go
anywhere alone with someone you do not trust. Many
people who have got into dealing pot and acid are, in
reality, junkies.
4. When going to make a deal for dope, do not take a
weapon with you. This is provoking violence and legal
hassles. If you don’t trust the guy, then don’t deal with
him.
5. Never buy a large quantity of any drug without first
sampling it.
6. When making a deal for acid and you are at the deal-
er’s apartment, do not accept food or drink from him; for
the real acid may be in the food rather than the cap you
sample.
7. Bad acid is usually nothing more than speed, or rat
poison.
8. About a year ago there was a substance called L.B.J.
going around. If you happen to come across it, do not buy
it. L.B.J. is a mixture of acid, belladonna, and heroin. It
is the freakiest, worst, most fucked-up trip you will ever
go on. Belladonna in quantity is a deadly poison.
9. About 99 percent of all of what is claimed to be
T.H.C. (synthetic pot) that is for sale on the street is
not really T.H.C. at all. The expense of making synthetic
pot is said to be about $15 per capsule, and a capsule of
alleged T.H.C. usually sells on the street for about $2.50.
Obviously the vendors are either philanthropists (not like-
ly) or they are selling you something other than T.H.C.
10. When buying grass, watch out for damp grass or
grass sprayed with sugar, as this adds a lot of weight to the
dope.
11. Another favorite con game is “in the front, out the
back.” This usually occurs when your dealer tells you he
is going up to an apartment to get your stuff, but you have
to front the money, and wait for him on the street. You
may be waiting a long time.
12. Do not attempt to smuggle any drugs across the bor-
der from Mexico. The federal government has imposed a
crackdown and they’re busting people left and right.
Making LSD in the laboratory
To make synthetic acid, you need a basic understand-
ing of chemistry and access to a lab. Since I don’t quite
understand all the chemical hocus-pocus, I’m going to cop
DRUGS
/ 41
out and quote you the patent for it. If you don’t under-
stand chemistry, just skip this recipe and go on to the next
one for acid, it’s much simpler.
Preparation for Lysergic Acid Amides:
United States Patent Office 2,736,728
Patented February 28, 1956
Richard P. Pioch, Indianapolis, Indiana, assignor, to Eli
Lilly and Co., Indianapolis, Indiana, a corporation of
Indiana.
No drawing. Application December 6, 1954, Serial No.
473,443. 10 Claims. (Cl. 260-285.5)
This invention relates to the preparation of lysergic
acid amides and to a novel intermediate compound use-
ful in the preparation of said amides.
Although only a few natural and synthetic amides of
lysergic acid are known, they possess a number of differ-
ent and useful pharmacologic properties. Especially use-
ful is ergonovine, the N-(l(+)-l -hydroxy isopropyl)
amide of d-lysergic acid, which is employed commerci-
ally as an oxytocic agent.
Attempts to prepare lysergic acid amides by the usual
methods of preparing amides, such as reacting an amine
with lysergic acid chloride or with an ester of lysergic
acid, have been unsuccessful. United States Patents No.
2,090,429 and No. 2,090,430, describe processes of pre-
paring lysergic acid amides and, although these pro-
cesses are effective to accomplish the desired conversion
of lysergic acid to one of its amides, they are not without
certain disadvantages.
By my invention I have provided a simple and con-
venient method of preparing lysergic acid amides, which
comprises reacting lysergic acid with trifluoroacetic an-
hydride to produce a mixed anhydride of lysergic and
trifluoroacetic acids, and when reacting the mixed an-
hydride with a nitrogenous base having at least one
hydrogen linked to nitrogen. The resulting amide of
lysergic acid is isolated from the reaction mixture by
conventional means.
The reaction of the lysergic and the trifluoroacetic
anhydride is a low temperature reaction, that is, it
must be carried out at a temperature below about 0 de-
grees C. The presently preferred temperature range is
about -15 C. to about -20 C. This range is suffi-
ciently high to permit the reaction to proceed at a desir-
ably fast rate, but yet provides an adequate safeguard
against a too rapid reaction which would result in a
high reaction temperature and consequent excessive de-
composition of the mixed anhydride.
The reaction is carried out in a suitable dispersing
agent, that is, one which is inert with respect to the re-
actants. The lysergic acid is relatively insoluble in dis-
persants suitable for carrying out the reaction, so it is
suspended in the dispersant.
Two gallons of trifluoroacetic anhydride are reouired
per mol. of lysergic acid for the rapid and complete
conversion of the lysergic acid into the mixed anhydride.
It appears that one molecule of the anhydride associates
with or favors an ionic adduct with one molecule of the
lysergic which contains a basic nitrogen atom and that
it is the adduct which reacts with a second molecule of
trifluoroacetic anhydride to form the mixed anhydride
along with one molecule of trifluoroacetic acid. The
conversion of the lysergic acid to the mixed anhydride
occurs within a relatively short time, but to insure a
complete conversion the reaction is allowed to proceed
for about one to three hours.
The mixed anhydride of lysergic and trifluoroacetic
acids is relatively unstable, especially at room tempera-
ture and above, and must be stored at a low tempera-
ture. This temperature instability of the mixed anhy-
dride makes it desirable that it be converted into a ly-
sergic acid amide without unnecessary delay. The mixed
anhydride itself, since it contains a lysergic acid group,
also can exist in the reaction mixture in large part as an
ionic adduct with trifluoroacetic anhydride or trifluoro-
ace'tic acid. It is important for maximum yield of prod-
uct that the lysergic acid employed in the reaction be
dry. It is most convenient to dry the acid by heating it at
about 105-110 degrees C. in a vacuum of about 1mm.
of mercury or less for a few hours, although any other
customary means of drying can be used.
The conversion of the mixed anhydride into an amide
by reacting the anhydride with the nitrogenous base,
such as an amino compound, can be carried out at room
„ temperature or below. Most conveniently the reaction is
carried out by adding the cold solution of the mixed an-
hydride to the amino compound or a solution thereof
which is at about room temperature. Because of the
acidic components present in the reaction mixture of the
mixed anhydride, about five mols or equivalents of the
amino compound are required per mole or equivalent
of mixed anhydride for maximal conversion of the
mixed anhydride to the amide. Preferably a slight excess
over the five mols is employed to insure complete utili-
zation of the mixed anhydride. If desired, a basic sub-
stance capable of neutralizing the acid components pres-
ent in the reaction mixture, but incapable of interfering
with the reaction, can be utilized. A strongly basic terti-
ary amine is an example of such a substance. In such
case, about one equivalent of amino compound to be
converted to a lysergic acid amide, as well as any un-
converted lysergic acid, can be removed from the re-
action mixture and can be re-employed in other con-
versions.
A preferred method for carrying out the process of
this invention is as follows:
Dry lysergic acid is suspended in a suitable vehicle as
acetonitrile, and the suspension is cooled to about -15
C. or -20 C. To the suspension is then added slowly a
solution of about two equivalents of trifluoroacetic an-
hydride dissolved in acetonitrile and previously cooled
to about -20 degrees C. The mixture is maintained in
a low temperature for about one to three hours to insure
the completion of the formation of the mixed anhydride
of lysergic and trifluoroacetic acids.
The solution of the mixed anhydride is then added to
about five equivalents of the amino compound which is
to be reacted with the mixed anhydride. The amino
compound need not be previously dissolved in a solvent,
although it is usually convenient to use a solvent. The
reaction is carried out with the amino compound or
solution of amino compound at or about room tempera-
ture or below. The reaction mixture is allowed to stand
at room temperature for one or two hours, preferably in
the dark, and the solvent is then removed by evapora-
tion in vacuo at a temperature which desirably is not
greatly in excess of room temperature. The viscous resi-
due, consisting of the amide together with excess amine
and amine salts, is taken up in a mixture of chloroform
and water. The water is separated and the chloroform
solution which contains the amide is washed several
times with water to remove excess amine and the vari-
ous amine salts formed in the reaction, including that of
any unconverted lysergic acid. The chloroform solution
is then dried and evaporated, leaving a residue of lyser-
gic acid amide. The amide so obtained can be purified
by any conventional procedure.
t
Dispersants suitable for the purpose of this invention
are those which are liquids at the low temperatures em-
ployed for the reaction and are of such an inert nature
that they will not react preferentially to the lysergic acid
with trifluoroacetic anhydride. Among suitable dispers-
ants are acetonitrile, dimethylformamide, propionitrile,
an<4 the like. Additional suitable agents will readily be
apparent from the foregoing enumeration. Of those
listed above, acetonitrile is preferred since it is non-re-
activi and mobile at the temperature used, and is rela-
tively volatile and hence readily separable from the re-
action mixture by evaporation in vacuo.
A wide variety of nitrogenous bases such as amino
compounds can be reacted with the mixed anhydride to
form a lysergic acid amide. As previously stated, the
amino compound must contain a hydrogen atom at-
tached to nitrogen to permit amide formation. Illustra-
tive amino compounds which can be reacted are am-
monia, hydrazine, primary amines such as glycine,
ethanolamine, diglycylglycine, norephedrine, aminopro-
panol, butanolamine, diethylamine, ephedrine, and the
like.
When an alkanolamine such as ethanolamine or
aminopropanol is reacted with the mixed anhydride of
lysergic and trifluoroacetic acids, the reaction product
contains not only the desired hydroxy amide but also,
to a minor extent, some amino ester. These two iso-
metric substances arise because of the bi-functional
nature of the reacting alkanolamine. Ordinarily the am-
ino ester amounts to no more than 25-30 percent of
the total amount of reaction product, but in cases where
the amino group is esterically hindered, the proportion
of ammo ester will be increased. The amino ester can
readily be converted to the desired hydroxy amide, and
the over-all yield of the latter increased by treating the
amino ester, or the mixture of amide and ester with al-
coholic alkali to cause the rearrangement of the amino
ester to the desired hydroxy amide. Most conveniently
the conversion is carried out by dissolving the amino
DRUGS / 43
ester or mixture containing the amino ester in a mini-
mum amount of alcohol and adding to the mixture a
twofold amount of 4 N alcoholic potassium hydroxide
solution. The mixture is allowed to stand at room tem-
perature for several hours, the alkali is neutralized with
acid, and the lysergic acid amide is then isolated and
purified.
It should be understood that, as used herein, the
term “lysergic acid” is used generically as inclusive of
any or all of the four possible stereoisomers having the
basic lysergic acid structure. Isomers of the lysergic
acid series can be separated or interconverted by means
known to the art.
This invention is further illustrated by the following
specific examples.
Example One
Preparation of the mixed anhydride of lysergic and tri-
fluoroacetic acids:
5.36 g. of d-lysergic acid are suspended in 125 ml. of
acetonitrile and the suspension is cooled to about -20
degrees C. To this suspension is added a cold (-20 de-
grees C.) solution of 8.82 g. of trifluoroacetic anhydride
in 75 ml. of acetonitrile. The mixture is allowed to stand
at -20 degrees C. for about 1 '/i hours during which time
the suspended material dissolves, and the d-lysergic acid
is converted to the mixed anhydride of lysergic and tri-
fluoroacetic acids. The mixed anhydride can be separ-
ated in the form of an oil by evaporating the solvent in
vacuo at a temperature below about 0 degrees centi-
grade.
Example Two
Preparation of d-lysergic acid N,N-diethyl amide:
A solution of the mixed anhydride of lysergic acid and
trifluoroacetic acid in 200 ml. of acetonitrile is obtained
by reacting 5.36 g. d-lysergic acid and 8.82 g. trifluoro-
acetic anhydride in accordance with the procedure of
example one. The acetonitrile solution containing mixed
anhydride is added to 1 50 ml. of acetonitrile containing
7.6 g. of diethylamine. The mixture is held in the dark
at room temperature for about two hours. The acetoni-
trile is evaporated in vacuo leaving a residue which
comprises the “normal” and “iso” forms of d-lysergic
acid N,N-diethyl amide together with some lysergic acid.
the diethylamine salt of trifluoroacetic acid and like by-
products. The residue is dissolved in a mixture of 150
ml. of chloroform and 20 ml. of ice water. The chloro-
form layer is separated, and the aqueous layer is ex-
tracted with four 50 ml. portions of chloroform. The
chloroform extracts are combined and are washed four
times with about 50 ml. portions of cold water in order
to remove residual amounts of amine salts. The chloro-
form layer is then dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate,
and the chloroform is evaporated in vacuo. A solid resi-
due of 3.45 gm. comprising the “normal” and “iso”
forms of d-lysergic acid N,N-diethylamide is obtained
This material is dissolved in 160 ml. of a 3-to-l mixture
of benzene and chloroform, and is chromatographed
over 240 g. of basic alumina. As the chromatogram is
developed with the same solvent, two blue fluorescing
zones appear on the alumina column. The more rapidly
moving zone is d-lysergic acid N,N-diethylamide which
is eluted with about 3000 ml. of the same solvent as
above, the course of the elution being followed by
watching the downward movement of the more rapidly
moving blue fluorescing zone. The eluate is treated with
tartaric acid to form the acid tartrate of d-lysergic acid
N,N-diethyl amide which is isolated. The acid tartrate
of d-lysergic acid N,N-diethyl amide melts with decom-
position at about 190-196 degrees Centigrade.
The di-iso-lysergic acid N,N-diethyl amide which
remains absorbed on the alumina column as the second
fluorescent zone is removed from the column by elution
with chloroform. The “iso” form of the amide is recov-
ered by evaporating the chloroform eluate to dryness in
vacuo.
Example Three
Preparation of d-lysergic acid N-diethylaminoethyl
amide:
A solution of the mixed anhydride of lysergic acid
and trifluoroacetic acid is prepared from 2.68 g. of d-
lysergic acid and 4.4 g. of trifluoroacetic acid anhydride
in 100 ml. of acetonitrile by the method of Example
One. This solution is added to 6:03 g. of diethylamino-
ethylamine. The reaction mixture is kept in the dark at
room temperature for \Vt hours. The acetonitrile is
evaporated, and the residue treated with chloroform and
water as described in Example Two. The residue treated
comprising d-iso-lysergic acid N-diethylaminoethyl amide
is dissolved in several ml. of ethyl acetate, and the solu-
tion is cooled to about 0 degrees centigrade, whereupon
di-iso-lysergic acid N-diethylaminoethyl amide separ-
ates in crystalline form. The crystalline material is filtered
off, and the filtrate reduced in volume to obtain an addi-
tional amount of crystalline amide. Recrystallization
from ethyl acetate of the combined fractions of crystalline
material yields d-iso-lysergic acid N-diethylaminoethyl
amide melting at about 157-158 degrees centigrade. The
optical rotation is as follows:
[x] d 26 = 372 degrees (c. = 1.3 in pyridine)
There has been in the last few years a great deal of dis-
cussion about the correct treatment for victims of bad LSD
trips. When an individual does go into a panic on acid, it is
an extremely delicate situation. Although it has been said
that tranquilizers, such as thorazine, will help to calm the
person down, be very careful, as certain drugs react vio-
lently with tranquilizers (STP). My advice in a situation of
that sort is just to attempt to create an atmosphere of reas-
surance and sympathy. In no circumstances, except real
uncontrollable panic, should a person on acid be taken to
a city hospital. If you want a freaky experience, spend a
couple of hours at any city hospital and watch the people
die in the halls!
Talk to the person and remind him that he is under the
influence of acid. Try to calm him down. Even a change of
environment can effectively reverse a bad trip.
Making LSD in the kitchen
For those readers who couldn’t make head or tail of
the last recipe for acid, there is a much simpler one. It
basically extracts the lysergic acid amides either from
morning glory seeds or Hawaiian wood rose seeds. It
can be prepared in the kitchen.
1. Grind up 150 grams of morning glory seeds or baby
Hawaiian wood rose seeds.
2. In 130 cc. of petroleum ether, soak the seeds for two
days.
3. Filter the solution through a tight screen.
4. Throw away the liquid, and allow the seed mush to
dry.
5. For two days allow the mush to soak in 110 cc. of
wood alcohol
6. Filter the solution again, saving the liquid and label-
ing it “1.”
7. Resoak the mush in 110 cc. of wood alcohol for two
days.
8. Filter and throw away the mush.
9. Add the liquid from the second soak to the solution
labeled “1.”
10. Pour the liquid into a cookie tray and allow it to evap-
orate.
11. When all the liquid has evaporated, a yellow gum re-
mains. This should be scraped up and put into cap-
sules.
30 grams of morning glory seeds = one trip
15 Hawaiian wood rose seeds = one trip
Many companies, such as Northop-King, have been
coating their seeds with a toxic chemical, which is poison.
Order seeds from a wholesaler, as it is much safer and
cheaper. Hawaiian wood rose seeds can be ordered directly
from:
Chong’s Nursery and Flowers
P.O. Box 2154
Honolulu, Hawaii
LSD dosages
The basic dosages of acid vary according to what kind of
acid is available and what medium of ingestion is used.
Chemically the potency of LSD-25 is measured in micro-
grams, or mics. If you’re chemically minded or making
your own acid, then computing the number of micrograms
is very important. Usually between 300 to 500 mics is
plenty for a five- to eight-hour trip, depending on the
quality of the acid, of course. I have heard of people tak-
ing as much as 1,500 to 2,000 mics. This is not only ex-
tremely dangerous, it is also wasteful.
LSD comes packaged in many different forms. The pro-
verbial sugar cube is pretty passe, in the sense that other
more feasible methods have taken its place. The most com-
mon are listed below.
1. The brown spot, or a piece of paper with a dried drop
of LSD on it, is always around. Usually one spot equals
one trip.
2. Capsuled acid is extremely tricky, as the cap can be al-
DRUGS / 45
most any color, size, and potency. Always ask what the
acid is cut with, as a lot of acid is cut with either speed
or strychnine. Also note dosage.
3. Small white or colored tablets have been known to con-
tain acid, but, as with the capsuled acid, it is impossible
to tell potency, without asking.
4. I have heard about some characters who attempted to
shoot acid. Shooting any drug is a bad scene. Stay away
from it. I cannot imagine what their rush was like, but
would certainly advise against this form of drug abuse.
Peyote
I remember once when I was in Mexico. It was Juarez
or maybe Laredo, I can’t remember, but all the border
towns are fantastic. There’s no crime rate in a border town
— at least not in the sense it is reckoned in the United
States. How would you measure it? It’s just a real pleasure
to go where the people aren’t all hung up about ethics and
moral bullshit. Everyone’s been paid off and, if they
haven’t, they own the town. Every cab driver has a friend
who just happens to own a drug store, a friend who just
happens to own a farm with a little marihuana on it, and
a virgin daughter with three kids.
Well, I remember that my first experience with peyote
was there. I’d been drinking, and hadn’t quite got two
weeks’ worth of speed out of my system, when this little kid
scared the shit out of me. All of a sudden he starts scream-
ing, “Hey mysta, hey mysta hippee, you vant, you want
some good peyote, mama pick herself?” I’m stupid and one
of the biggest suckers alive. I would let the devil himself
lead me into hell, with my eyes closed, just to see what
it was like. I told the kid O.K. He wanted the money first.
I’m not quite that stupid. We went together.
We went for a trip together, maybe five or six miles, way
1 out of town. The countryside was really pretty nice, but I
1 couldn’t dig it, I was too uptight. Finally he stopped and
told me that this was his home. It was five pieces of cor-
: rugated iron propped up together with pieces of cloth and
' wood covering the cracks. Pretty depressing.
Again he wanted to take the money, and have me out-
side. Again I told him to bring it out to me and I’d pay
him. Then he did something that scared the shit out of me.
He invited me into his house. I kept wondering how many
brothers were waiting for me, but then I guess alcohol and
speed tend to inflate the ego, as all I was saying to myself
was, “Shit, if they come at me, I swear to God I’ll take one
of the cocksuckers with me.”
He took me around to the back of his home, and held a
piece of orange crate open for me. My first impression of
the inside was darkness, but then slowly, as my eyes began
to get used to the dark, I saw a woman, not a fat mama,
as I had expected, but rather a thin, delicate woman, with
the lines of the world carved deeply into her face. She was
squatting by the glowing remains of a fire, in the center of
the room. As she rose to meet her child, I realized she was
not as old as I had supposed, and she was strangely exciting
in the gloom of the dying embers.
The kid started to scream, again. I guess all he could do
was scream, since I never heard him talk. He was scream-
ing so fast I couldn’t understand a word of it. It was like
gibberish, and the faster it came out of his mouth, the fast-
er my head spun. I really began to get the spins. The wom-
an must have realized something was wrong with me, as
she took my arm and sat me on the floor. When I sat down
I felt better, my senses started to come back to me, and the
kid wasn’t screaming any more.
I saw his mother rise and walk over to a large earthen pot,
where she took something out, and brought it back to me.
Then I realized that it must be the peyote, and the peyote
was the reason I was there in the first place. I took a hand-
ful from her and shoved it into my mouth. It was the most
disgusting stuff I’ve ever eaten. After I had finally managed
to swallow it, I handed my entire wallet to the woman.
I don’t know why I did this, maybe out of relief that the
kid didn’t have any older brothers, or maybe just because
I was incapable of counting. I don’t know, but all of a sud-
den, like a shotgun shell in the gut, my whole stomach was
on fire. I could feel all the food and drink inside my stom-
ach churning around and around like a God-damn amuse-
ment park. I knew I was going to vomit. I knew there was
no stopping it, it was like a rough day at the beach, waves
of convulsion.
I got up and ran to the street, wondering vaguely in the
back of my mind whether I had not, in fact, been mildly
poisoned. As I hit the dirt road, I knew that was it, and let
my stomach fly. It seemed the spasms would never end. I
felt all my organs being ripped out one after another.
After thoroughly purging myself, I made my way back
to town, quite stoned, and missing a wallet.
46
Figure 4. Peyote.
Peyote is a small brown cactus, which in natural growth
barely protrudes above the ground. On top of this cactus
are small spineless buttons, which resemble mushrooms. It
is within these buttons that the mescal is found, and the
buttons are usually the only parts eaten, although certain
tribes of Indians do eat root and all. Peyote has had a long
history that stretches all the way back to the ancient
Aztecs, who considered it divine and used it in many of
their religious ceremonies.
The use of peyote was rediscovered in a few isolated
tribes in Mexico, and its use once again became wide-
spread. The Indians in the Southwest formally organized a
church with peyote as one of their sacraments. The Native
American Church, which has over two hundred thousand
members, is one of the few places in the world where a
person can legally get stoned. Their members can legally
get stoned and blame all their bad trips on God.
The traditional peyote preparation has always been ex-
actly the same as it is today. The buttons are removed from
the cactus, and cut into small round disks. These are then
dried in the sun for several days. Then they are crushed
and placed in boiling water to make a form of tea. Peyote
can be eaten raw, but it tastes like vomit.
And this same one, with a conceit born of this kind of
uncouth purgation, started spitting a few moments later.
He spat after having drunk the peyote like the rest of us.
For the twelve phases of the dance were done* and as
dawn was about to break, we were handed the grated
peyote, which looked like some kind of slimy chowder;
and in front of each of us a fresh hole was dug to receive
the sputum and vomit of our mouths, which had been
made holy by the peyote’s passing through.
Antonin Artaud, The Artaud Anthology
The white man goes into his church house and talks
about jesus; the indian goes into his teepee and talks to
Jesus.
J. S. Syotkin, 1956
The bad taste and foul smell of the peyote can be gotten
rid of by a simple process. There are two basic methods
which follow, and after them the recipe for preparing syn-
thetic mescaline, which takes a knowledge of chemistry.
Extracting mescaline from peyote in the kitchen
Method One
1. Obtain 50 g. of dried ground peyote and put in a 500
ml. Erlenmeyer flask.
2. Add 250 cc. of wood alcohol, cover the flask tightly,
and let cactus powder soak it up for one day, with
occasional stirring.
3. Pour off the wood-alcohol solution into a 500 ml.
beaker, filter properly, and place in a well-ventilated
place to evaporate. Caution: Wood alcohol is flam-
mable, keep away from fire.
4. Again soak the plant powder in the flask for two hours,
but in 100 cc. of 1 -normal hydrochloric acid.
5. Filter, discard the mush, and combine the filtered HCL
solution with the residue from the evaporated wood
alcohol solution. Filter again.
6. To the solution add enough 2-Normal potassium
hydroxide until the solution is neutral (turns ph paper
beige).
7. Add 100 cc. of chloroform, stir, and let the mixture
stand until it separates into two layers.
8. Separate the two layers, using a separatory funnel and
discard the water (top) layer. (See Figure 5.)
9. Add 40 cc. of water to the chloroform, shake, and
separate the layers again. Discard top layer.
10. Filter the chloroform, evaporate, and dissolve the
„ gummy residue in 20 cc. of water. Refilter it. Makes
about one dose.
Method Two
1. Take fresh peyote buttons, wash, remove skins, and
remove all tufts and foreign particles.
2. Take the peyote meat and grind it in a meat grinder or
coffee grinder.
3. Allow ground peyote meat to dry, then grind again as
before.
DRUGS / 47
Separatory Funnel
Figure 5. A separatory funnel (used in steps 8 and 9 of the
recipe for the extraction of mescaline from peyote).
4. Boil peyote meat for five hours, keeping plenty of water
in the pot to prevent burning.
5. Take skin and bark of peyote and break it down by
beating on a cutting board. When it is broken down, boil
for five hours in a separate pot.
6. Strain liquids from both pots and combine. Throw away
the peyote mush.
7. Boil this solution until it becomes dark. Do not allow
it to become too thick. Label it solution “A.”
8. Now cool solution “A.”
9. Take the cool solution “A” and fill half a separatory
funnel.
10. Add about an equal volume of ethyl ether, and shake
for two minutes.
11. Now allow the liquids to settle and form layers. Draw
off the water solution (bottom layer) by turning the
stop cork. Do not draw off the ether solution.
12. Now process all of solution ‘,‘A” in this manner. Label
all drawn-off solution “B.” Put the leftover ether solu-
tion into a container and throw away.
13. Boil down solution “B” to cut down volume, but do not
allow it to become too thick.
14. Add a phenophthalein indicator to solution “B,” until
the solution turns red.
15. Mix in small amounts of a diluted sulfuric acid solu-
tion, until the red color disappears. Do not add any
more acid than required.
16. Add one teaspoon of baking powder (to neutralize the
acid) for each gallon of solution. Boil again to reduce
volume.
17. Place solution “B” in the refrigerator for several hours,
but do not freeze it.
18. While it is still cold, pour off as much of the liquid as
possible, leaving the crystal in the container. Rinse the
crystals with near-freezing water.
19. Add rinse water with water poured off crystals. Boil
this solution to reduce volume and then cool in refrig-
erator. Repeat procedure for formation of the crystals.
These crystals are nearly pure mescaline sulphate. Al-
low crystals to dry and then capsule.
This usually makes between 30-80 mg. per button.
Making synthetic mescaline in the laboratory
The next recipe is for making synthetic mescaline, and,
as I do not understand it, I have copped out again and
quoted straight from! the book. If you do not understand
chemistry talk, skip this one. It will give you more headaches
than it’s worth. It is taken directly from the Journal of the
American Chemical Society, a trade publication, which for
the layman is as screwy as Greek.
The process of making a new synthesis of mescaline:
Makepeace U. Tsao, “A New Synthesis of Mescaline,”
Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol. 73, pp.
5495-96 (November, 1951)
The cactus alkaloid, mescaline, B-(3, 4, 5 Trimethoxy-
phenylethylamine, has been studied for some years, be-
cause of its most interesting effects on the psychic states
of human subjects. Since the elucidation of the chemical
structure of the alkaloid through the synthesis of Spath
2 >-7 a few other methods of preparation have been pub-
lished. A simple synthesis utilizing lithium aluminum hy-
dride is presented in this report. The synthesis may be
outlined as follows: gallic acid — 3, 4, 5-Trimethoxy ben-
zoic acid, -methyl ester of 3, 4, 5-Trimethoxybenzyl alco-
hol — 3, 4, 5-Trimethoxybenzyl chloride-3, 4, 5-Tri-,
methoxyphenylacetonitrile-Mescaline.
Experimental:
Methyl Ester of 3, 4, 5-Trimethoxybenzoic acid: To
a solution prepared from 100 g. of 3, 4, 5-Trimethoxy-
benzoic acid (0.47 Mole), 20 g. of sodium hydroxide,
55 g. of sodium carbonate and 300 ml. of water is added,
with stirring, 94 ml. of methyl sulfate (0.94 Mole) during
the course of 20 minutes. The reaction mixture is refluxed
for one-half hour. The crude ester (65 g., 61% ) precip-
itates from the cold mixture. From the filtrate, 38 g. of
starting material is recovered upon acidification with di-
luted HCL. The ester is further purified by solution in
the minimum amount of methanol and treatment with
norite. Usually it is necessary to repeat this treatment to
obtain a colorless crystalline product that melts at 80-82
degrees. Semmler, 9 who employed a different process, re-
ported m.p. 83-84 degrees.
3, 4, 5-Trimethoxybenyl alcohol: To suspension of
4.6 g. (0.12 Mole) of lithium aluminum hydride in 200
ml. of anhydrous ether is added, in the course of 30 min-
utes, a solution of 22.6 g. (0.1 Mole) of the methyl ester
of 3, 4, 5-Trimethoxybenzoic acid in 300 ml. of ether.
The solid which forms is carefully decomposed first with
50 ml. of ice-water. After decantation of the ether, 250
ml. of ice-cold 10% sulfuric acid is added. The product is
extracted with 150 ml. of ether. The combined extracts,
after drying over sodium sulfate, are freed of ether and
the residue distilled; b.p. 135-137 degrees (0.25 mm);
yield 14.7 g. (73% ). This compound was obtained by a
different method by Marx; 10 b.p. 228 degrees (25 mm).
3, 4, 5-Trimethoxybenzyl chloride: A mixture of 25
g. of 3, 4, 5-Trimethoxybenzyl alcohol and 125 ml. of ice-
cold concentrated HC1 is shaken vigorously until a homo-
geneous solution is obtained. In a few minutes a turbid-
ity develops, followed by a heavy precipitation of gum-
my product. After 4 hours and dilution with 100 ml. of
ice-water, the aqueous layer is decanted and extracted
with three 50 ml. portions of benzene. Then the gummy
organic residue is dissolved in the combined benzene ex-
tracts. The benzene solution is washed with water and
dried over sodium sulfate.
The benzene solution is transferred to a distilling flask,
and the benzene is removed under diminished pressure.
The red semi-solid residue is suspended in a small
amount of ice-cold ether and filtered through a chilled
funnel. The crystalline product, after washing with small
portions of cold ether, weighs 9.7 g. The combined fil-
trates on standing in refrigerator yield more crystals. The
total yield is 13.0 g. (48% ) . After four recrystallizations
from benzene, colorless needles are obtained; m.p. 60-62
degrees.
Anal. Calcd. for C„ l H, 3 0,CI: C, 55.42; H, 6.05.
Found: C, 55.55; H, 6.13.
This compound js extremely soluble in ether, alcohol
and acetone, but slightly soluble in petroleum ether.
Standing at room temperature for a few weeks causes
the crystals to turn into a red semi-solid. An alcoholic
solution of pure material .gives an instantaneous pre-
cipitation with alcoholic silver nitrate.
3, 4, 5-Trimethoxyphenylacetonitrile — A mixture of
9 g. of potassium cyanide in 35 ml. of water and 60 ml.
of methanol and 9.7 g. of 3, 4, 5-Trimethoxybenzyl
chloride is heated for 10 min. at 90 degrees. The sol-
vents are partially removed under diminished pressure.
The residue is then extracted with 90 ml. of ether in
three portions. The combined extracts are washed with
water and dried over sodium sulfate. After the removal
of the drying agent, the ether solution is warmed on a
steam-bath and the ether is removed with a stream of
air. On chilling, the residue yields scalelike crystals. Re-
crystallization from ether gives rectangular prism: Yield
2.5 g. (27% ): m.p. 76-77 degrees. Baker and Robin-
son 12 reported a melting point of 77 degrees for this com-
pound.
Mescaline — In 150 ml. of anhydrous ether is sus-
pended 0.85 g. of lithium aluminum hydride powder.
With stirring, 2.0 g. of 3, 4, 5-Trimethoxyphenylaceton-
itrile in 150 ml. of anhydrous ether was added during
the course of 15 minutes. After 25 min. stirring, 10 ml.
of ice-water is dropped in carefully. Then a mixture of
DRUGS / 49
10 g. of sulfuric acid in 40 ml. of water is added at a
moderate rate. The aqueous layer is separated and
treated with concentrated sodium hydroxide. The brown
011 is extracted with three portions of 30 ml. each of
ether. The combined extracts are washed once with
water and dried over stick potassium hydroxide. To
the decanted ether solution is added a mixture of 1 g. of
sulfuric acid and 25 ml. of ether. The white precipitate
is washed several times with ether; yield 1.2 g. (40%).
After two re-crystallizations form 95% ethanol, the
colorless long thin plates soften at 172 degrees and melt
at 183 degrees.
A sample of mescaline acid sulfate prepared from the
natural source and kindly furnished by Dr. Seevers of
the Department of Pharmacology softens at 170 degrees
and melts at 180 degrees. The picrate, prepared from
the acid sulfate, melts at 217 degrees (dec.), after three
recrystallizations from ethanol. The chloroplatinate
prepared from free base melts at 184-185 degrees. Spath
gave the following melting points: sulfate, 183-186 de-
grees; picrate, 216-218 degrees; chioroptinate, 187-188
degrees.
1. E. Spath, Monatsh., 40, 129 (1919).
2. K. H. Slotta and H. Heller, Ber. 63B, 3029 (1930).
3. H. Frisch and E. Waldman, German Patent 545,
853, July 3, 1930, C.A. 26, 3521° (1932).
4. K. Kindler and W. Peschke, Arch. Pharm., 270,
410 (1932).
5. K. H. Slotta and G. Szuzker, /. prakt chem., 137,
339 (1933).
6. G. Hahn and H. Wassmuth, Ber., 67, 711 (1934).
7. G. Hahn and F. Rumpf, ibid., 71b, 2141 (1939).
8. A. H. Blatt, “Organic Synthesis,” Coll. Vol 1. 2nd
ed., John Wiley and Sons, Inc., N.Y., N.Y. 1946,
p. 537.
9. F. W. Semmler, Ber., 41, 1774 (1908).
10. M. Marx, Ann. 263, 254 (1891).
11. Ail M.P.’s are uncorrected.
12. Baker and R. Robinson, /. Chem Soc., 160
(1929).
Editor’s note: The next to the last step, 3, 4, 5-Tri-
methoxyphenylacetonitrile, can be ordered directly from
Aldrich Chemical Co., 2371 N. 30th St., Milwaukee,
Wisconsin.
Mescaline is very similar to LSD and psilocybin, in that
the effects tend to disorder the senses. It may create an-
xiety and slight nausea about two hours after ingestion, but
as the experience proceeds all the impressions and obser-
vations of the subject are intensified. Time and space are
distorted, or completely ignored. A definite change in per-
ception takes place. Objects may seem as if they are sus-
pended in a liquid, or a general flowing movement may be
present. The subject may be very conscious of his ego, and
a sense of threat and fear may accompany the intensifica-
tion of colors.
Mescaline, as with all psychedelics, is a very personal
experience. It affects every person differently so, in that
sense, it is impossible for me to try to describe the experi-
ence. The normal dosage of mescaline is about 500 micro-
grams, and it may have toxic reactions with an overdose
of 1000 mics or more.
Mescaline is a hallucinogenic alkaloid, which is ex-
tracted from peyote cactus, or can be synthesized in the
laboratory, as in the previous recipe. The chemical struc-
ture of mescaline closely resembles STP, which is a much
stronger psychedelic. The reason black-market distribution
and sale of mescaline are not more widespread than at
present is that LSD is considered five thousand times more
powerful with almost the same effects. Mescaline is also
slightly more expensive than acid; a cap of mescaline
usually goes for between $5 and $7, whereas you should
have no trouble finding a good cap of acid for $3 or $4.
My ideas of space were very unusual [under the influ-
ence of mescaline]. I could see myself from head to foot
as well as the sofa on which I was lying. All else was
nothing, absolutely empty space. I was on a solitary
island floating in ether. No part of my body was subject
to the laws of gravitation. On the other side of the vacu-
um, the room seemed to be unlimited in space — ex-
tremely fantastic figures appeared before my eyes. I was
very excited, perspired and shivered, and was kept in
a state of ceaseless wonder. I saw endless passages with
beautiful pointed arches, delightfully colored ara-
besques, grotesque decorations, divine, sublime and en-
chanting in their fantastic splendor. These visions
changed in waves and billows, were built, destroyed and
appeared again in endless variations, first on one plane
and then in three dimensions, at last disappearing in in-
finity. The sofa-island disappeared; I did not feel my
self; an ever-increasing feeling of dissolution set in. I
50 /
was seized with passionate curiosity, great things were
about to be unveiled before me. I would perceive the
essence of all things, the problems of creation would be
unravelled. I was dematerialized.
Louis Lewin (1964)
Psilocybin
Psilocybin, like mescaline, is extracted from a plant.
Psilocybin is extracted from Psilocybe mexicana, a small
mushroom that grows in wet or marshy pastures. Other
species of mushrooms which have psychedelic qualities are:
Conocybe siliginoides, Psilocybe azXecorum, P. zapotecor-
um, P. caerulescens , and Stropharia cubertis.
Psilocybin, like peyote, was and is still used to a small
degree in the religious rites of the Mexican Indians. It was
referred to as teonanactl, or in English as God’s flesh. The
Indians usually eat between 10 and 15 mushrooms, which,
like peyote, have a very unpleasant acrid smell. Usually
nausea follows ingestion. The effects of psilocybin last for
about five to seven hours.
When you take the actual raw mushrooms, the dosage
is about 10 to 20 medium-sized buttons. A faster method
of ingestion is to prepare a soup, using any regular mush-
room soup recipe. Although this tends to increase the speed
in which the psilocybin enters the blood stream, it also in-
creases the unpleasant taste and smell. When taking syn-
thesized psilocybin, usually a capsule of between 20 and
60 milligrams will produce a four- to six-hour trip.
How to grow psilocybe mushrooms in the kitchen
The recipe for growing these mushrooms follows on the
next page. It is simple enough that anyone should be able
to perform it in his kitchen.
Recipe for groicing psilocybe mushrooms:
It is important, in working with fungi, to use “pure-cul-
ture” technique to prevent the fungi one is working with
from becoming contaminated with unwanted air-borne
fungi. This pure-culture technique is easily acquired by
reading the chapters devoted to it in any introductory bac-
teriology laboratory manual. Better yet, anyone who has
had a course in bacteriology can easily demonstrate the
technique of transferring the fungi and making the neces-
sary “inoculating loop,” which is used to transfer the fungi
from one tube or bottle to another without getting the
material contaminated.
DRUGS / 51
The careful handling of the fungi psilocybe is most im-
portant, as the psilocybe are easily overgrown and ruined
by other molds present in the normal environment. The
material on which the fungi is grown is called the “medi-
um” or “media.” Preparation of the medium varies some-
what according to the kind used, but in general the pro-
cedure is the same. Briefly the ingredients are weighed
(great accuracy is not generally required), dissolved in the
required amount of water (distilled), and distributed into
containers for sterilizing. The use of pint or quart fruit jars,
with the jar mouth covered with a heavy gauze aluminum
foil, is adequate.
Inasmuch as media are prepared to grow the fungi in
pure culture, all microorganisms, other than the one to be
grown, must be excluded. This makes it necessary to steril-
ize the medium before using it, to kill any bacteria or fun-
gus spores which are present in the medium or on the glass-
ware. Sterilization is accomplished by placing the contain-
ers with the medium into a pressure cooker, preferably the
canning type with a pressure gauge, and sterilizing, (called
“autoclaving”) for 15 to 20 minutes at 250 degrees. Allow
the pressure cooker to come down in pressure very slowly
or the medium will boil over.
Quart fruit jars should not be filled with more than two
cups of any medium used; the pint jars with not over three-
fourths of a cup.
Media which contain sugar (glucose, sucrose, maltose,
etc.) may caramelize somewhat if heating is continued
beyond 20 minutes at 250 degrees F. This caramelization
may be toxic to the fungi and they will fail to grow, or will
grow but little, or no psilocybin will be produced.
After preparation and sterilization, it is well to leave
media at room temperature for about three days without
opening them, as a check to see if the medium is really
sterile. If any growth of fungi occurs, or a film of bacteria
forms across the medium (usually seen or smelled), the
sterilization process is faulty. In the latter case, discard
the medium. No medium can be satisfactorily resterilized
for culturing psilocybe.
In order to have a medium on which to maintain the
fungi over long periods of time, it is well to prepare some
tubes of medium which contain agar as a solidifying agent.
The most satisfactory tubes are those about six inches long
and a half inch in diameter with screw caps having rubber
liners (obtainable from any lab supply source). Fill the
tubes one-third full of agar medium (after melting the agar
— see formulae), sterilize, and cool to room temperature
to solidify the agar. Inoculate the fungi into the water with
sterilized inoculating loop, as required by pure-culture tech-
nique. These tubes are held at room temperature for a few
days — even a week — or until there is a growth of the fungi
over the surface. The caps are screwed down tight and
the cultures are stored at refrigerator temperature. This con-
stitutes your “stock cultures” and is the source for inoculat-
ing larger quantities of the medium. The use of stock cul-
tures insures a constant supply of viable, uncontaminated
culture material. The psilocybe will keep up to a year at re-
frigerator temperature without being transferred to a new
medium.
The larger bottles of medium are inoculated with a small
amount of the whitish thread of the fungi (the threads are
called “mycelium”), using careful pure-culture technique.
Leave the culture at room temperature — about 70 to 75 de-
grees. This is easily maintained if one has a cellar; or one
may have a refrigerator man put a thermostat in an ordin-
ary refrigerator so as to maintain the needed temperature
range. The psilocybe fungi will grow at a higher temperature,
but the psilocybin production will be low or none.
It is not necessary to obtain the mushroom form of the
fungi (called fruiting bodies, or carpophores) in order to
have psilocybin production carried out. The mycelium con-
tains as much as the fruiting bodies. When the mushroom
threads have grown in the medium for about 10 to 12 days,
they should be harvested. (This time is the most variable
factor in obtaining the maximum yield of psilocybin. Trial
and error under individual conditions of growth is neces-
sary to standardize the yield. Keeping careful records of the
medium used, how prepared, and temperature and time will
allow one to improve the yield with practice.) Scientifically,
harvesting is done just about four days after the last of the
sugar has been used by the fungi. Harvesting is done by re-
moving the medium: liquid medium by filtering through
flannel and keeping the mycelium mat; solid medium by
simply removing the mycelium mat. The mycelium, which
may be a gooey mess, is dried at very low heat (not over 200
degrees F. in an oven with the door slightly ajar). Powder
the dried material. The powder may be extracted by soaking
in methanol, filtering, and evaporating the liquid with a low
heat. Do this in a ventilated room, and be sure all the me-
thanol is gone.
There will be psilocybin in the medium also, but it is gen-
erally in small amounts and not worth the effort to extract it.
The above procedure may seem complicated, but after
a few tries it is rather straightforward. Psilocybin produc-
tion is dependent upon a lot of factors which are not yet
all known. There is no way but trial and error in develop-
ing media and methods. This recipe is taken directly from
The Turn-On Book, BarNel Enterprises.
Psilocybe cubensis grows and fruits readily on potato
dextrose, yeast, or rye grain medium; however Psilocybe
mexicana will grow and fruit on potato dextrose but not
on the rye grain medium.
Recipe for potato dextrose yeast agar:
1. Wash 250 grams potatoes (do not peel).
2. Slice Vs inch thick.
3. Wash with tap water until water is clear.
4. Drain, rinse with distilled water.
5. Cover with distilled water and cook until tender.
6. Drain liquid through flannel cloth or several thick-
nesses of cheesecloth into a flask or jar.
7. Rinse potatoes once or twice with a little distilled
water.
8. Keep liquid and throw potatoes away — add enough
distilled water to make up one liter of liquid.
9. Bring liquid to a boil, and add 15 grams agar and stir
until dissolved (watch carefully or it will boil over —
best to use a stainless steel pan), 10 grams dextrose,
and 1 .5 grams yeast extract.
10. While liquid is hot, distribute into desired containers.
11. Autoclave for 15 minutes at 250 degrees F. (about
15 lbs. pressure).
12. PDY broth is made the same way but without the
sugar.
Recipe for rye grain medium:
For half-pint jars:
50 grams rye grain (whole)
80 ml. water
1 gram chalk (calcium carbonate)
For pint jars:
100 grams rye grain (whole)
160 ml. water
2 grams of chalk (calcium carbonate)
For quart jars:
225 grams rye grain (whole)
275 ml. water
4 grams chalk (calcium carbonate)
Note: If rye grain medium seems dry, add small amounts
of distilled water.
How to make synthetic psilocybin in the laboratory
The next recipe is for the synthesis of psilocybin. It is
the last technical recipe in the book, since this book is not
directed at chemistry majors. To understand and perform
this recipe, you need a basic understanding of chemistry
and access to a laboratory.
Synthesis of Psilocin and Psilocybin
translated by Rolf Von Eckartsburg
Hofman, Heim, Brack, Kobel, Frey, Ott, Petrzilka, and
Troxler, “Psilocybin and Psilocin, zwei psychotrope
Wirkstoffe aus mexikanischen Rauschpilzen,” Hevetica
Chemica Acta, Vol. 42, pp. 1570-71, 1959.
(4-Benzyloxy-indolyl- (3) ) ) -gloxylsaure-dimethylamid
(V)
To a solution of 50 grams 4-Benzyl-oxy-indol (IV)
in 1 .2 liters dry ether one lets drop while stirring it well
and at a temperature of 1 to 5 degrees C., 40 ml. Ox-
alylchlorid and keeps stirring after the mixture has been
accomplished for an additional one hour at tempera-
ture of 5 to 10 degrees C. this orange-red solution. Fol-
lowing this it was cooled further with a mixture of ice
and table salt and slowly a solution of 100 g. Dimethyla-
min in 100 ml. of ether was added by slow dripping.
After continuing for an additional one-half hour, the
stirring at room temperature, the ppt. was filtered off
by suction using washing with ether and then with much
water. The raw product which was obtained dry in a
vacuum was dissolved in a mixture of benzol and Meth-
anol and was brought to crystallization through an addi-
tion in portions of Petrol-ether. Prisms from smp. 146-
150 degrees C. Yield 52.6 gram (73%). The color re-
action according to Keller is bluish-green.
C 10 H 18 Os N 3 Ber. C 70.8 H 5.6 O 14.9 N 8.7%
(322.4) Gef. 70.6 5.7 14.6 8.7
4-Benzyloxy-W-N,N-dimethyltry tamin (VI)
A solution of 52.5 grams (V) in one liter abs. Dioxan
DRUGS / 53
was dripped under lively stirring into a boiling (seeth-
ing) solution of 66g LiAlH 4 into one liter of the same
solvent and continued stirring for 1 7 hours at the same
temperature. Following this, the complex was decom-
posed as well as the superfluous reduction-substance
under good cooling with ice using Methanol, then 500
ml. of saturated sodium sulfate solution was added, the
precipitation sucked olf and thoroughly washed with
Methanol and Dioxan. The filtrate is put “wine-sour”
and side-products are removed through shaking with
ether. Following this the basal-alkaline reaction product
was withdrawn- (drawn out) after alkalization with
NaOH by means of chloroform. Out of this chloroform
extract, dried through potash and concentrated to a
small volume, (VI) crystallized following addition in
portions of Petrol-ether in fine needles of smp. 125-126
degrees C. yield of crystallization 33 grams. From the
“mother-lye” after a chromatographic cleaning with 300
g. AFOa through which (VI) was distilled by means of
benzol which contained 0.2% alcohol, an additional 7.7
grams of pure amalgamate was gained. Total yield 85%
of Th.
CjaHaoONo Ber. C77.5 H7.5 05.4 N9.5%
(294.4) Gef. 77.6 7.4 5.5 9.8
4-Hydroxy- W-N,N-dimethyItrptamin (Psilocin) (11)
A solution of 37.5 grams (VI) in 1.2 liters of Meth-
anol was “shaken” on an Aluminum-oxide-carrier under
addition of 20 grams of 5% Palladium catalyst with
Hydrogen, in which process during 12 hours the theo-
retically computed quantity of 3.2 liters were absorbed.
Out of the concentrated solution which was filtered from
the catalyst and reduced to a small volume there crystal-
lized (11) in hexagonal plates of smp. 173-176. Yield
21 g. (81%). Color reaction of Keller blue-green.
C 12 H 10 ON 2 Ber. C70.6 H7.9 N13.7%
(204.3) Gef. 70.4 8.3 14.1
The synthetic substance agrees in all properties, par-
ticularly also in the I.R. spectrum with natural psilocin
4-Dibenzyl-phosphoryloxy-W-N,N-dimethyltryptamin
(VII)
6.3 grams (11) were dissolved in 30.5 ml. IN meth-
anolic NaOH, the solution under nitrogen dried and
vaporized and the residue dried for 3 hours in a high
vacuum at 40 degrees C. The residue was dissolved in
100 ml. t-Amylalcohol, added to this was a solution of
Dibenzylphosphoryl-clorid in 30 ml. CC1 4 which was
made fresh from 8.3 grams Dibenzyl phosphit. This was
shaken for two hours at room temperature. Then it was
boiled down, the residue absorbed in Chloroform-al-
cohol 9:1, filtered from NaCl and the filtrate chroma-
tographed at a column of 750 grams of Ak0 3 . With
the same solution-mixture 6.8 grams (VII) were “elu-
ired.” From Chloroform-Alcohol crystals of smp. 238-
240 degrees C.
Co 0 H L . 9 O 4 N 2 P Ber. C67.2 H6.3 N6.0 P6.7%
(465.5) Gef. 67.1 6.7 6.2 6.4
0-Phosphoryl-4-hydroxy-W-N,N-dimethyltryptamin
(Psilocybin) (I)
A solution of 6.8 grams (VII) in 100 ml. Methanol
was shaken on an A1 2 0 3 carrier with Hydrogen until
saturation after 5 grams of 5% Palladium catalyst had
been added. The boiled-down residue of the solution
which had been cleaned from the catalyst was let into
200 ml. water and the undissolved side-products were
filtered out. The watery solution was steamed dry and
the residue was absorbed in a little Methanol from
which (I) separated itself in fine prisms. When the
change-in-crystallization from water was made, we ob-
tained soft needles from smp. 220-228 degrees C. Yield
3.0 grams (42%). Color reaction of Keller, violet.
C,..H 1T 0 4 N 2 P Ber. C50.7 H6.0 N9.9 P10.9%
(284.3) Gef. 50.5 6.1 9.5 10.8
The synthetic product agrees in all properties, partic-
ularly also in the I.R. spectrum with the psilocybin iso-
lated from the mushroom.
The only laws / respect are the ones which
make old men and women warmer in the winter,
children happier in the summer, and beer
stronger.
— Brendan Behan, Borstal Boy
DMT
How to make DMT in the kitchen
DMT stands for N,N-dimethyltryptamine. DMT is a
semisynthetic compound similar to psilocin in structure.
(Psilocin is the hallucinogenic substance based in psilocy-
bin. ) DMT is extremely fast-acting. Within several minutes
54
of ingestion, the effects can be felt, but it doesn’t last as
long as other psychedelics. The intensity, on the other
hand, is as strong; for about 30 to 45 minutes you are
completely under the influence of this drug. The most
common method of ingestion is smoking, but I have heard
that there were some capsules around for about two years.
Whether they were good or not, I have no idea. Carefully
soaked parsley leaves are the usual medium for smoking,
although some persons have dipped marihuana in it and
said the experience was fantastic. Other compounds sim-
ilar to DMT are both DET and DPT.
The next recipe is for DMT. It is very simple and can
easily be performed in the kitchen. All the chemicals and
equipment are available from any chemical supply house or
hobby shop.
Recipe for DMT:
1. Mix thoroughly and dissolve 25 grams of indole with
a pound of dry ethyl ether in a 2,000-ml. flask (two-quart
jar).
2. Take ice tray and fill with chipped or shaved ice.
Now cool solution for about 35 minutes until it reaches the
temperature of 0 degrees C. At the same time cool 50 ml.
of dry oxalychloride to about 5 degrees below 0 degrees C.
in the same ice tray.
3. Very slowly add the oxalychloride solution to the in-
dole solution.
Warning: When these two chemicals are mixed together,
there is an extremely violent reaction. Avoid boiling over,
avoid contact with skin, and avoid fumes.
4. Wait until all the bubbling has died down, then add a
few handfuls of common table salt to the ice tray, to cool
the solution further. Put this solution aside and label it
“solution 1.”
5. Cool 100 ml. of dry ethyl ether, in a 500-ml. flask, to
0 degrees C. in a salted ice tray. At the same time cool an
unopened 100-gram bottle of dimethylamine to 0 degrees
C. in the same ice bath.
6. Open the seal of the dimethylamine bottle and slow-
ly pour a steady stream into the ether. Label “solution 2.”
7. Very slowly and carefully add solution “1” and “2”
together.
8. Now take the mixed solutions from the ice tray and
bring up to room temperature, stirring the solution all the
time. You should be left with a solution which is almost
clear. If it is still murky, continue stirring until it becomes
as clear as possible.
9. Now filter the solution to separate the precipitate by
suction, as shown in Figure 7.
Figure 7. Primary filtering of homemade DMT.
10. Refilter with suction after pouring technical ether
over the precipitate.
1 1 . Repeat filtering once more with ether and then twice
with water.
12. Let this substance dry on a plastic or china plate.
(Do not use metal.) After drying, a solid material will be
formed. Take these particles and place them in a 800-ml.
beaker.
13. Mix 100 ml. benzene with 100 ml. methyl alcohol.
After the mixture has been stirred, cover solid particles
from step 1 2 with about a half inch of the solution and heat
the beaker in water until all solid material has dissolved.
Add more solvent if necessary. See Figure 8 below.
Heat Source Figure 8. Heating DMT solution in water bath.
DRUGS / 55
14. After all the solid material has dissolved, remove
beaker from the heat, and allow it to cool. As it cools, small
needle-shaped crystals will appear. When this happens, try
to pour off as much of the solvent as possible without dis-
turbing the crystals.
15. Place crystals in a 1,000-ml. flask and dissolve in
tetrahydrofurane. (Use only as much as absolutely neces-
sary.) Label this solution “A.”
16. Slowly mix 200 ml. tetrahydrofurane and 20 grams
lithium aluminum hydride in a 500-ml. flask, and label it
solution “B.”
Warning: Lithium aluminum hydride ignites on contact
with moisture. Do not use on humid days. Protect eyes and
wear rubber gloves.
17. Mix solutions “A” and “B” slowly, stirring con-
stantly.
1 8. Prepare a water bath and heat solution in water bath
for three hours, stirring for four minutes every half hour.
When not stirring, use aspirator tube as shown in Figure
One-Hole Rubber Stopper
and Glass Tubing
Several Feet of
Rubber Tubing
Figure 9. Final collection of DMT.
19. When this is completed, allow the flask to remain at
room temperature for about 20 minutes. Then place in
salted ice bath and cool to 0 degrees C. Add a small
amount of chilled methanol, stirring gently until solution
appears murky.
20. Filter this murky solution through a paper filter in
a funnel, and collect the filtered liquid in a flask.
21. Add 100 ml. of tetrahydrofuran through the filter
and collect in the same flask. Now heat this solution in a
water bath until most of the tetrahydrqfuran is evaporated
and a gooey substance remains.
22. Place little piles of this substance on a cookie tray
and, with a heat lamp, dry for three or four hours. Now
you have D.M.T. To ingest, crumble a small quantity with
parsley or mint, and smoke. Do not inject. Do not smoke
with tobacco. DMT is a powerful psychedelic and should
not be abused.
Author’s note: All chemicals in the last recipe can be
ordered by mail from any of the large chemical manufac-
turers. Lithium aluminum hydride may be ordered from
Metal Hydrides Inc., Beverly, Massachusetts (it costs
about $20 per 100 grams). All other chemicals can be
ordered from Van Water-Rogers.
Bananas
Believe it or not, bananas do contain a small quantity of
Musa Sapientum bananadine, which is a mild, short-lasting
psychedelic. There are much easier ways of getting high,
but the great advantage to this method is that bananas are
legal.
1. Obtain 15 lbs. of ripe yellow bananas.
2. Peel all 15 lbs. and eat the fruit. Save the peels.
3. With a sharp knife, scrape off the insides of the peels
and save the scraped material.
4. Put all scraped material in a large pot and add water.
Boil for three to four hours until it has attained a solid
paste consistency.
5. Spread this paste on cookie sheets, and dry in an oven
for about 20 minutes to a half hour. This will result in a
fine black powder. Makes about one pound of bananadine
powder. Usually one will feel the effects of bananadine after
smoking three or four cigarettes.
Figure 10. Table of weights.
Pounds
Ounces
Grams
Kilos
1
16
453.6
0.4536
0.0625
1
28.35
0.0283
0.0352
1
0.001
2.205
35.27
1,000
1
Amphetamines
Amphetamines act as a stimulant on the central nervous
system. They do not produce energy as food does, but
rather put into action energy that is already present in the
body. Amphetamines are broken down chemically into
three types: salts of racemic amphetamines, dextroam-
56 / THE ANARCHHST COOKBOOK
phetamines, and meth amphetamines, which only differ in
potencies. Amphetamine, or speed, is used medically to
combat chronic depression, as it does give the user a feel-
ing of euphoria, while controlling his appetite.
On the black market, amphetamine is usually sold in one
of two ways, either in a pill form (benzedrine, dexedrine,
desbutal, desoxyn, or dexamyl) or as a crystalline powder
(methedrine). Methedrine is usually injected, although it
can be snorted (sniffed) or eaten in small quantities. Speed
usually sells for about 10 to 25 cents a pill depending on
potency, or in nickel bags and spoons of methedrine which
comes in a tiny wax paper envelope.
Amphetamine does not cause addiction; but it is habit-
forming, and a definite tolerance is built up to it, causing
one to increase dosages. After a long period of time,
usage will cause paranoia and real mental disorientation;
this is especially true with methedrine. A heavy ampheta-
mine scene, whether it be with pills or crystal is just as bad
as, if not worse than, a heroin scene.
There are several methods of obtaining pills or ups.
The first and easiest is to find a friend who is overweight
and get him to go to a doctor for diet pills, as most diet
pills are amphetamines. The best place in the world to buy
benzedrine, or any of the rest of the amphetamines, is a
Mexican border town, where every cab driver has his own
stash, but this does entail bringing the stuff across the
border, which can be a bad scene.
Any person can go to a doctor and claim he sleeps all
the time — that he just can’t stay awake. There is a great
probability that the doctor will prescribe amphetamines. If
you manage to get hold of prescription blanks, be very
careful in filling them out, as pharmacists are watchful for
mistakes and often go into the back and call the doctor on
the phone if they feel suspicious. Another excellent way to
obtain pills is to become friendly with a nurse or intern at a
large hospital. Although they wouldn’t be able to get you
quantities, this method is probably the safest.
Description of amphetamines:
Benzedrine: A flat, pink, heart-shaped tablet, and in 10-
milligram white tablets with a groove down the center.
There are some time-release 15-milligram capsules.
Biphetamine: These are sold in 12-milligram capsules
with a black top and a white bottom. The 20-milligram
capsule is all black, and the 7-milligram capsule is all
white. They are all inscribed with either “RJD or RJS.”
The manufacturer’s recommended dose is one capsule
daily.
Desbutal: These are sold in 5-milligram green capsules,
10-milligram pink and blue tablets, 15-milligram yellow
and blue tablets. The manufacturer’s recommended dosage
is one 5-milligram capsule two or three times daily, or one
of the 10- or 15-milligram tablets once in the morning.
Dexamyl: Dexamyl combines an amphetamine stimulant
with a barbiturate depressant, to counteract the ampheta-
mine side effects (i.e., nervousness). Dexamyl is sold in
spansules, which have a green cap and a clear body show-
ing green and white pellets. They are also sold in 5-milli-
gram green heart-shaped tablets, with a groove down the
center. In Great Britain they are sold as Drinamyl (purple
hearts).
Methedrine: Methedrine is sold in 5-milligram white
tablets with a center groove, or in ampules for injections
containing 20 milligrams. Most common, on the black mar-
ket, is crystal meth, which is powdered methedrine, usually
cut with something else (powdered sugar or baking soda) .
Amyl Nitrate
Amyl nitrate is sold in small glass capsules, and is only
effective when inhaled. It is used medically for the treat-
ment of heart attack victims. When the glass is broken, the
user quickly inhales the fumes. It takes only a second to
take effect, but it only lasts for two to three minutes. It is
a very strong drug, and has the quality of prolonging sex-
ual orgasms. It is sold in most states without a prescription.
Overindulgence may lead to a headache or nausea, but
poisoning is very rare.
Cough Syrup
Now this is a really strange scene. With all the pot and
other dope going around, some people still insist on drink-
ing cough syrup to get high. Robitussin A-C can be pur-
chased without a prescription, but you may have to sign
for it in New York. It contains a small quantity of codeine,
pheniramine, maleate, and glyceryl guaiacolate (a muscle
relaxant). The effects are sedation and euphoria. The most
common method of ingestion is to mix Robitussin A-C
with an equal amount of ginger ale and drink. Never under-
estimate the potency of any drug. You can have an over-
dose of cough syrup.
DRUGS /
57
Barbiturates
Barbiturates are basically the opposite of amphetamines:
that is, they act to depress the central nervous system. In
small doses they act as tranquilizers, but in larger doses they
are sleeping pills. The sleep induced by barbiturates is not
a normal sleep, in the sense that it seriously cuts down on
the normal dream activity. Prolonged use of sleeping pills
can lead to complete psychological crack-ups, as the mind
has no way to release itself. Barbiturates are often a means
of comitting suicide. Therefore, as with all drugs, know
what you are doing.
The barbiturate addict presents a shocking spectacle. He
cannot coordinate, he staggers, falls off bar stools, goes
to sleep in the middle of sentences, food drops out of his
mouth. He is confused, quarrelsome and stupid.
William Burroughs, Naked Lunch
Types of Barbiturates:
Luminal: Fatal dpsage is about 800 to 1,000 milligrams.
Luminal is considered a strong long-acting barbiturate. It
is usually sold in purple (16-milligram), white (32-milli-
gram), or green (100-milligram) grooved tablets.
Amytal: This is also considered a strong long-acting
barbiturate. A heavy dose is between 100 and 250 milli-
grams. Amytal is sold in light green (15-milligram), yel-
low (30-milligram), orange (50-milligram), and pink
(100-milligram) capsule-shaped scored tablets, with
“Lilly” inscribed in the different colors listed above.
Amytal Sodium: Very similar to the above amytal, but
is sold in light blue capsules with a darker band of blue
where the upper and lower parts meet. Same dosage as
above.
Butisol Sodium: Butisol is sold in flat green, orange,
pink, or lavender tablets inscribed with “McNeil.” A heavy
dose is 150 milligrams.
Nembutal: Nembutal is a short-acting barbiturate with
sedative and hypnotic effects. A heavy dose of nembutal
or “yellow jackets” is about 200 milligrams. This, as with
all barbiturates, is extremely dangerous when taken, if the
liver is infected or impaired. Nembutal is sold in 30-milli-
gram all-yellow capsules, with an “a” on the bottom part;
50-milligram capsules with yellow caps and white bottoms
with an “a” on the bottom part; and 100-milligram all-yel-
low capsules with the word “Abbott” inscribed.
Seconal: Seconal is probably the most popular black-
market barbiturate, as it is very popular with doctors. It is
referred to as “red devils, red birds, or reds,” because of
the color of the capsules. It is sold in 32-milligram red
capsules, and a heavy dose is about 150 milligrams.
Librium: Librium is a minor tranquilizer, and the usual
recommended dosage is from 5 to 15 milligrams three or
four times a day. This is one of the easiest depressants to
obtain, as doctors tend to prescribe it for anything front
sleeplessness to acute nervousness. It is sold in 5-milligram
green and yellow capsules inscribed “Roche 5,” 10-milli-
gram brown and green capsules inscribed “Roche 10,” and
25-milligram green and white capsules inscribed “Roche
25.”
Valium: This is also a minor tranquilizer, with the rec-
ommended dosage being about 5 to 10 milligrams, two to
three times a day. It is sold in white 2-milligram and yellow
5-milligram tablets inscribed with the word “Roche.”
Thorazine: This is a very strong drug. It is classified as
a major tranquilizer and should be used with the utmost
care. Thorazine is used at such hellholes as Bellevue to
keep mental patients quiet. The usual recommended dosage
is about 25 milligrams. It has been used in the treatment of
bad acid trips. However, as I stated earlier, I feel that
thorazine will quiet a person down, but has no regard for
when he wakes up. I would not recommend its use.
I’ve never tried this one, but a close friend of mine
from Texas swears by it. Apparently he learned it while he
was going to school near the Rio Grande and there was an
overabundance of desert toads. In the skins of toads there
is a substance called “bufotenine,” which is a hallucinogen.
Procedure for isolating bufotenine from toad skins
1. Collect five to ten toads. Make sure they’re toads, as
frogs will not work. The best kind are tree toads.
2. Kill them as painlessly as possible, and skin immedi-
ately.
3. Allow the skins to dry in a refrigerator for four to five
days, or until the skins are brittle.
4. Now crush into a powder and smoke. (Due to its bad
taste, it should be mixed with mint or some other fragrant
smoking medium.)
58
5. Enjoy yourself, it’s legal, but pray there’s not rein-
carnation.
Glue
I don’t understand how anyone would want to sniff glue,
when just as legally they could smoke toad skins. Glue
sniffing is really a bad scene, as it causes headaches, con-
fusion, depression, lack of appetite, nausea, and in larger
doses coma and death. It has also been attributed to much
irreparable brain damage.
The method in which it is “normally” sniffed is as fol-
lows: Place half a tube of airplane glue (do not use library
paste) or any carbon tetrachloride-based liquid in a plastic
bag. Then stick your head inside and inhale. The effects
only last between 45 minutes and an hour, but during that
time the individual can undergo disordering of his coordin-
ation, double vision, and even some not so “groovy” hal-
lucinations. The person usually falls into a drunken-like
stupor, but some people have been known to react vio-
lently.
Nalline
This is a freak — a drug someone forgot to make illegal.
It is used mostly to combat the overdose effects of a strong-
er narcotic, but it can, in small doses of five to ten milli-
grams, produce a relaxed feeling, similar to marihuana. In
large doses it can have adverse effects, and may produce
anxiety, hallucinations, and nausea. It is available without
a prescription in most states, but it should be treated care-
fully, as it is still a powerful drug.
Cocaine
Cocaine is, in a pure form, a crystal white powder, which
is usually sniffed or injected, as much of its potency is lost
when taken by mouth. Since shooting or injecting any drug
is one of the worst scenes imaginable, I will not get into it
at all. Sniffing coke or cocaine is a unique experience. It
works on the central nervous system as a stimulant in
order to produce euphoric excitement and in some cases
hallucinations.
Heroin
This is about the worst scene available. Junkies are like
trapped animals— desperate, wounded wild animals —
who will do or perform any act to get bread for some shit.
If you are really interested in this shit, and think it’s cool,
take a trip to 70th Street and Broadway in New York City
and wander around a little bit. If you’re not turned off to
it right away, there’s something basically wrong with you
to begin with.
It is possible to shoot; heroin several times before one
feels the actual addiction, but the withdrawal is pretty ter-
rible, and usually the place is pretty bad where it takes
place — that is, the Tombs or Riker’s Island.
Nutmeg
Nutmeg can be used for a psychedelic experience, since
it does contain the ingredient elemicin, which has hallucin-
atory properties. This recipe cannot be compared to the
one for rotten peppers published in the East Village Other,
as nutmeg does work mildly, whereas rotten peppers only
smell bad.
Method for the preparation of nutmeg:
1. Take several whole nutmegs and grind them up in a
coffee grinder. You will never again be able to use the
grinder without smelling nutmeg, so use an old one.
2. After the nutmegs are completely ground, place in a
mortar and pulverize with a pestle.
3. The usual dosage is about 10 or 15 grams, Vs to Vi
an ounce. A larger dose than this may produce excessive
thirst, anxiety, and rapid heartbeat, but hallucinations are
rare.
Paregoric
Paregoric is tincture of opium and camphor in a com-
bined solution, medically used in controlling diarrhea. It
is not used today as much as it was in the I920’s and 30’s,
but it is still available in many states without a prescription.
It can be drunk — usually about a pint — or cigarettes can
be dipped in it and left to dry, then smoked. It does act as
a constipator, and this should be taken into account before
use.
Peanut*
This is another recipe that I have never tried. It was
given to me by the same friend who gave me the one using
toad skins. It may work, it may not, but it’s worth a try,
since it’s legal.
DRUGS
59
1. Take one pound of raw peanuts (not roasted).
2. Shell them, saving the skins and discarding the shells.
3. Eat the nuts.
4. Grind up the skins and roll them into a cigarette, and
smoke.
Hydrangea leaves
There has been much talk about hydrangea leaves and
their psychedelic qualities. You can get high from smoking
hydrangea leaves, but they are a deadly poison and have
been known to kill people. Do not smoke or ingest in any
other fashion.
Treat drugs with respect, moderation, and common sense
One last word on drugs, because I feel that I may have
created some confusion as to the actual use of drugs. They
should be used as an experience in life, rather than making
the experience itself outside the bounds of being. Treat
drugs the same way a normal person treats alcohol — with
respect, with moderation, and with basic common sense.
Make it a rule not to take any capsules without first look-
ing them up in a reference book to confirm exactly what
they are. An excellent book on this is The Drug Takers,
published by Time-Life, which includes pictures of all the
common pills and capsules.
Avoid shooting or injecting any drug into yourself, and,
for God’s sake, have the common sense not to allow any-
one else to do it. More cases of young people with hepa-
titis are brought into Bellevue every day just because of
a lack of common sense.
Mixing barbiturates and amphetamines usually results
in an insane, unpleasant experience, although there are
some freaks who swear by it. Mixing barbiturates with al-
cohol can also be a bad scene. Most importantly, check
all the facts before taking any drug.
Avoid unpleasant company when high on drugs, especi-
ally acid or mescaline, as sometimes bad company can
throw an individual into a panic just as easily as he can
himself. This is also true to a smaller degree with pot.
Smoke with friends. Some sadistic cocksuckers have been
known to play incredibly cruel games with an individual’s
mind while he is stoned.
If you are in the company of someone who has been
given an overdose of heroin, do not panic. Walk him, keep
him active, until you can get him to a doctor or hospital.
In no circumstances allow him to drift off into a coma. I
have heard of home remedies, such as injecting a salt solu-
tion into the person, but I have no medical verification for
this, and do not recommend it.
Treat any and all drugs with respect, for most of the
time they are stronger than you are.
chapter two: Electronics,
Sabotage,
and Surveillance
Figure 1 1 . Eavesdropper.
This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people
who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the
existing Government, they can exercise their constitutional
right of amending it, or their revolutionary right to dis-
member or overthrow it.
Abraham Lincoln
This chapter is designed to explain and discuss an aspect
of revolution that for the most part everyone has forgotten
— that being its constructive elements, rather than the blind
“window-smashing” nihilism that everyone is accustomed
to. This chapter deals with strategy and tactics. A revolu-
tion, to be successful, must be a balance between passion
and practicality. Revolution must employ the maximum
amount of planning and the minimum amount of violence
and destruction. Riots, street violence, and demonstrations
have little place in a real insurrection. It is much harder to
create than to destroy, and a revolution must be created.
This chapter does not in any way deal with symbolic
protest. I detest symbolic protest, as it is an outcry of weak,
middle-of-the-road, liberal eunuchs. If an individual feels
strongly enough about something to do something about
it, then he shouldn’t prostitute himself by doing something
symbolic. He should get out and do something real. The
age of demonstrations is over, or at least I hope it’s over.
It lasted much too long as it was. Three years ago the
Provos in Holland realized this and completely changed
their tactics. They moved from the realm of peaceful
demonstrations to that of guerrilla theater, which included
rolling ball bearings at mounted police; letting several
thousand mice, with hammers and sickles painted on their
backs, loose at the Queen’s birthday party; and threaten-
ing to pollute Amsterdam’s water supply with LSD, which
happened to be legal at the time. Such measures are not
revolutionary in themselves, but the reaction of the military
and police to these actions causes a growth of revolutionary
feeling.
In Prague, during the Russian takeover, there were a
multitude of underground stations ready to broadcast, there
was a completely organized revolutionary press, and many
a cellar was converted into a factory to manufacture Molo-
tov cocktails and other weapons. Now the question comes
up: Why is the United States so far behind these countries?
Or, to phrase it another way: Why are American anarchists
and revolutionaries more intent on burning flags and draft
cards, than on employing constructive nonsymbolic tactics,
which are directed at positive change. I guess one of the
answers, or maybe part of the answer, is the myth of the
difficulties in running a government. This idea that running
a representative government is difficult is bullshit. I agree
it becomes difficult when conflicts of interest appear on the
scene, but otherwise it’s as simple as running anything else.
American youth is frightened of the responsibility of build-
ing a new government, frightened of themselves, and fright-
ened most of all by their own potential actions.
A friend of mine has often said that, when the youth in
the South feels threatened by the government, then the
revolution will really be under way. I have come to be-
lieve him, because in the South there is a great deal more
feeling toward the community. In other words, the union
of the rural community has not broken down, as it has in
the North. In the North the young so-called revolutionaries
are fighting for ideals, rather than realistic goals. A revolu-
tion was never fought, throughout history, for ideals. Revo-
lutions were fought for much more concrete things: food,
clothes, housing, and to relieve intolerable oppression. The
real duty of a revolutionary is to create and expose intoler-
able oppression. The rural South, when it feels that these
things are in peril, will react quickly and violently, as the;,
will be fighting for their communities, just like the Black
Panthers and Young Lords are fighting for their commun-
ities. The so-called “revolutionary” students in the colleges
and universities are fighting for abstract ideals. I know of
no one, outside of Patrick Henry, willing to die for an ab-
straction.
The way inflation is rising, and the manner in which the
president and congress are handling it, can all but insure a
major depression in the near future. This economic disaster
will act as a unifying factor, in the sense that those same
longshoremen and union personnel who are so alienated
from the youth of today will find themselves fighting right
next to youth for their very survival. The Black Plague in
London was ended by the Fire of London.
Several groups are already attempting to cultivate bonds
with unions, by supporting strikes and marching on picket
lines. The only problem with these groups is that they don’t
understand that they will never get the support of the work-
ing class while they are shouting Marxist dogma and
rhetoric.
In the last few months the newspapers have been full
of news about the army and G.I.s’ civil liberties. It never
occurred to the newspapers that some of these men went
into the army with a single purpose: to create an atmos-
phere which would invite mutiny and rebellion. The Bol-
sheviks did exactly the same thing in 1914 and 1915, for
the easiest way to form a liberation army is to use someone
else’s, especially if it belongs to your enemy. Many bases
have created underground newspapers and broadsides
which show a relatively large degree of freedom of speech.
ELECTRONICS, SABOTAGE, AND SURVEILLANCE / 63
Many violent and nonviolent outside groups have already
formed underground railroads to help resisters and desert-
ers into safe countries. Because of an ingrained fear of
standing up by oneself, it is obvious that, as the move-
ment grows, so will the desirability of joining the move-
ment, and its chances for success.
The government, with the army’s help, of course, has
fertilized the development of one of the largest under-
grounds, in Viet Nam, simply by its oppressive laws re-
garding the use of marihuana. This oppressive act in itself
has unified more servicemen than probably all the other
acts of oppression put together. A government creates its
own revolution. There can be no revolt without it.
Freedom is not a commodity which is “given” to the
enslaved upon demand. It is a precious reward, the shin-
ing trophy of struggle and sacrifice.
Kwame Nkrumah, I speak of Freedom
Electronic bugging devices
One of the largest problems with any name that sounds
the least bit technical is that it frightens people to death,
and they steer completely clear of what they do not under-
stand. The field of electronic eavesdropping is the simplest
and one of the cheapest methods of espionage available to
the movement at this point.
Any underground movement or truly revolutionary
group must keep up with the technology of the times. It is
useless to fight a battle with sticks and stones. There have
been claims that World War III will not be fought with
atomic weapons, but rather by computers millions of miles
apart: The machine that blows its fuse first, loses. Elec-
tronics play a huge role in the American life style today
and will play a tremendous part in any type of insurrec-
tion that is to take place.
It seems strange that private industry and practically all
the governmental agencies (not only the FBI and CIA)
have been employing these tiny devices for years with fan-
tastic success, without the individuals in the underground
getting hip to the fact that they could also be used against
these corporations and agencies with the same degree of
success. Information is a large part of any movement, as
without it groups are literally stumbling around in the dark,
and whatever is accomplished is pure luck.
When the time comes that the movement needs equip-
ment and the urban struggle really takes shape, then the
most obvious place to get this equipment is from the
enemy. An electronic bug planted today will deliver the
necessary information, when the time arrives. The loca-
tion of the enemy is an extremely important thing to know,
as the time will come when an entire army regiment will
sweep through a community, and remove many so-called
suspects for “questioning and detainment.” Just as with
Auschwitz, the army will provide liberal lawyers, who
will become safely indignant, and scream, “I’ll get this sit-
uation straightened out, just as soon as I can find out who’s
in charge.”
Any kind of sabotage or ambush activity will be abso-
lutely pointless without some sort of information as to the
enemy’s action and movement. This cannot be seen today
as clearly as it will be seen in the future, as the newspapers
are still allowed a token degree of freedom.
Much to our surprise, we found that a large number
of Federal agencies used wiretapping despite Federal
laws, State laws, and agency regulations.
. . . There are miniature microphones, some smaller
than a thin dime. They can be hidden in any variety of
ways. There are microphones that can be attached to a
spike, and driven through the wall of one apartment to
the plaster wall of the next. There are tube mikes which
are built into the walls of a building when it is con-
structed. These gadgets are widely used by private de-
tectives and industrial and labor spies. Surprising as it
may seem, they are in no way illegal under federal
law.
. . . Bugging conference rooms where taxpayers are
interviewed, often with their attorneys, is another trick
employed by the Internal Revenue Service to catch
suspected tax cheats.
Senator Edward V. Long, February 2, 1966
There are several types of electronic eavesdropping or
bugging devices, and I will handle each in turn. The most
common form of bug is wiretapping or the monitoring of
phone conversations. This is the simplest thing for any gov-
ernmental agency to do, as in most cases it only takes one
phone call and the officials receive complete cooperation
from the phone company itself. This is a warning to all
those who rap a lot over the phone; no one is so small as
not to be noticed. If what you have to say over the phone
64
cannot be said to a cop, better keep it to yourself.
On June 17, 1966, State Senator Mario Umana of
Massachusetts, Chairman of the Massachusetts Commis-
sion on Electronic Eavesdropping Devices, told a commit-
tee on eavesdropping that the New England Telephone
and Telegraph Company was running a system with which
it monitored every telephone line in Boston over a period
of more than a year.
All this may seem very complicated and technical, but in
reality bugging a telephone is so simple that many school-
boys do it illegally as a joke on their parents or friends.
There are many recipes for homemade phone taps, but
most of these are not really effective, and store-bought
products are much more efficient and very cheap.
The easiest way to install a tap is to connect a second
extension to an already-present phone. This is a very prim-
itive and outdated method today, as when you pick up
the receiver there will be a click, and the phone company
will register an overload on that account. A simple way to
get around this is to buy a “byphone,” which will allow you
to listen to the phone conversation without picking up the
receiver and overloading the phone line. Byphones are sold
at Continental Telephone Supply for about $10. This de-
vice is installed by placing it in the slot behind any standard
desk phone, and listening to the conversation by use of
the earphone. It is not necessary to lift the arm of the ex-
tension phone. (See Figure 12.)
Figure 12. The byphone.
Maybe even simpler than the last tap is the induction-
pickup method for monitoring phone conversations. An in-
ductive pickup is nothing more than a household nail wrap-
ped with tightly coiled wire and placed alongside the tele-
phone lines. This homemade method can be effective, but,
as with the first method, I strongly recommend a store-
bought device. They usually run about $3 to $5. Most are
simply connected to the bottom of the phone, with the
wire leading from the pickup to your headset well con-
cealed, either in the woodwork or some equally unobtrusive
place.
In this same class of induction-pickup probes is what is
called the “sucker.” This is nothing more than an induc-
tion-pickup probe in the form of a suction cup, which can
be attached to any spot on the phone. The sucker is ideal
for recording messages, as it can be hooked up directly with
a tape recorder. The “suckers” sell for as little as 88 cents
through certain mail-order firms listed at the end of the
chapter.
The actual wiretapping, that is in the news so much, is
really as simple as the bugs just mentioned, but it is a little
more expensive. The “black box” is a line locator which
enables a person to clip the lines he is interested in and.
through a transformer, listen to or record the desired con-
versation. The best location for use of “black boxes” is at
the telephone junction itself, but they can also be used any-
where along the phone line. Most individuals who employ
these boxes usually make their own, as often they are
nothing more than a transformer, alligator clips, and a set
of headphones, but you can purchase them from R & S
Research, Inc., Houston, Texas, for about $35.
The next form of telephone bug is the line transmitter,
which transmits, by way of radio waves, the phone con-
versation you wish to listen to. The great advantage to this
is that the person doing the tapping never has to enter the
premises or tamper with the phone. Also, with its tiny size,
it can be concealed almost anywhere along the phone line
without too much difficulty. Most of these devices work on
standard FM bands, and they broadcast anywhere from
200 feet to a quarter of a mile. I can think of few things as
funny or irritating to the police department as finding out
that their own phones were tapped and all their conversa-
tions were being broadcast over an entire community.
These little telephone radio line transmitters can be bought
from several mail order houses for $45 to $60, or the plans
can be purchased for $2.98 from Tri-Tron, Dallas, Texas.
These are basically the cheapest and most efficient bugs,
although there are many more sophisticated devices that
do all sorts of incredible things. If you’re rich and have a
little knowledge of electronics, then the whole field of bug-
ging is wide open for you, as all the major electronics com-
panies are selling ready-made bugs that can be installed in
seconds. One of the most popular of these ready-made
bugs looks exactly like the transmitter in a regular phone.
It can be installed in less than ten seconds, as the device
ELECTRONICS, SABOTAGE, AND SURVEILLANCE / 65
simply replaces the phone company’s transmitter. These
little mechanisms are so good that, in a lot of instances,
they have even fooled the phone company. They run about
$200 and are available from either Tri-Tron of Texas or
from Continental Telephone in New York.
For the real dodos, pre-bugged telephones are available.
The installation is nothing more than unplugging the old
phone and replacing it with the new pre-bugged one.
( Many professional phone tappers pose as telephone repair
men.) These pre-bugged phones are sold mainly through
mail order houses and run about $250.
The most sophisticated bug I have found available to the
general public — and who the hell knows what the govern-
ment has? — is what is called “The Infinity Transmitter.”
This is a device that allows the individual to dial any num-
ber, regardless of distance, and, through an electronic tone
oscillator, deactivate the ring, thereby allowing the tapper
to hear anything within earshot of the phone without the
instrument being taken off the hook. These little wonders
of our age sell for about $ 1 ,000, but I think some compan-
ies offer a discount.
What is really ironic is that people are only slowly re-
alizing that telephone tapping is actually going on. I have
spoken to some people who have just recently been busted
for drugs, and they are genuinely confused. They just seem
unable to understand why the cops chose their apartment
to raid. If you deal dope on the phone and live in an area
like Harlem or the Lower East Side, you’re a fool and you
deserve to get busted.
When I was living on St. Mark’s Place with a friend, we
had a feeling our phone was upped, but had no proof until
one day when my friend went to make a phone call. Some-
how those mechanical geniuses had screwed up the tap,
and we had a direct line to the desk sergeant at the 9th
precinct. Needless to say, it caused many hours of amuse-
ment.
In the same class as telephone taps, and probably more
dangerous, are the undercover cops and FBI men who
infiltrate activist groups. It’s really getting to the point
where you don’t know whom to trust. One point about an
undercover cop in New York City, which does not apply
to FBI men, is that most of them have beards but short
hair. This is because the piam-dothes man is often trans-
ferred around the city and, if he managed to grow long
hair, how would it look in Queens? On the other hand,
FBI men are usually on the job for much longer periods
of time and are able more fully to don their disguises. If
you think you know a plain-clothes cop, do yourself a
favor and stay clear of him and warn your friends about
him. If you’ve got the guts, you can have a great deal of
fun, since you know he’s a pig, but he doesn’t know that
you know. The East Village Other, The Rat, and The
Berkeley Tribe have all been very good over a period of
time, in publishing pictures of undercover cops.
During the revolution in Ireland, the British used a very
brutal and cruel form of terrorism to subdue the popula-
tion. Although the idea of terrorism revolted the Irish
Republican Army, they resorted to it as a last measure
against the British, and it worked. There was an under-
standing in the Irish Republican Army that for every farm-
er who was killed by the British, two English civilians
would die. For every farmhouse burned to the ground by
the British, two Loyalists’ houses would be burned. The
British decided to stop their terrorist tactics.
The same type of terrorism is being practiced in every
ghetto of this country today, and it is my firm belief that
the only way to stop it is to show everyone what terrorism
is all about, and that two can play at the same game.
Microphones
The choice of microphones for eavesdropping is an in-
teresting one, as many different types are made, and cer-
tain ones will not be as effective as others. The microphone
must be small enough to be hidden easily, and at the same
time powerful enough to pick up whispers at 20 feet. These
microphones can then be rigged up to voice-activated tape
recorders, basic audio amplifiers, or any radio frequency
transmitter.
There are several basic types of microphones, and all
have disadvantages. Try to stay away from listening devices
that depend on batteries for their power supply, as nearly
always the batteries will die out at the important moment
in the conversation. Probably the most important rule for
bugging or telephone tapping is not to try to retrieve the
bug after it is placed, as more buggers get caught this way
than any other. Many professional tappers and buggers
have learned that using two microphones instead of one is
a good safeguard against one failing, but at the same time
it increases the chances of someone discovering it.
The first and probably most common type of micro-
phone is what is called the “carbon” button. These contain
fine granules of carbon between thin plates of the dia-
phragm; as the sound strikes the diaphragm, this in turn
compresses and decompresses the carbon, thus regulating
the amounts of electricity passing through it (See Figure
13). These carbon buttons are used in telephones and in
many microphones for cheaper tape recorders. There are a
few disadvantages to this type of microphone; carbon but-
tons are not sensitive enough to pick up sounds over 15
feet away. They also require large amounts of power.
^
Sound
Figure 13. The carbon button.
Carbon Buttons
The second type of microphone device is called the Cry-
stal Microphone, because it employs the use of certain
crystals. This is a good type of microphone because it does
not need external voltage, as the crystal when subjected to
pressure creates its own voltage. They are also pretty sensi-
tive, but should be hooked up to an amplifier. The only real
disadvantage in this type is that they are relatively unstable
when used out of doors, and even indoor temperature
changes can render them useless. They can, on the other
hand, be bought for as little as 50 cents through certain
mail order firms.
Figure 14. Crystal Microphone.
ELECTRONICS, SABOTAGE, AND SURVEILLANCE /
67
The third type of microphone is the “dynamic micro-
phone,” which is probably the most efficient and stable. It
is nothing more than a loudspeaker operating in reverse.
It is a rugged microphone and is sensitive, but it usually
needs additional amplification.
Diaphragm
There are too many different types of mikes manu-
factured to go into all of them, but the ones most suitable
for bugging and espionage work will be discussed here.
Some of the most popular ones are listed and pictured in
the Continental catalogue. There is the sugar cube mike,
which looks like a sugar cube. There are mikes that re-
semble ball-point pens. There are buttonhole mikes, which
appear to be nothing more than a button. There are mikes
manufactured within the mechanisms of watches. There are
even entire units, consisting of microphone, amplifier, and
recorder that are small enough to fit in a cigarette pack.
The best bet is to shop around the catalogues with your
various needs in mind. Undoubtedly you will find some-
thing that will meet your requirements.
There are two other snooping devices which I feel must
be mentioned — mainly because they remind me of the
“media myth” of the cloak-and-dagger and round-bomb-
type anarchist. The first is the notorious “Snake,” which is
Buttonhole Mike
Submarine Mike
Figure 16. Buttonhole mike, subminiature mike, suction
cup wall listener, and the parabolic reflector.
Parabolic Reflector
(effective but large)
Suction-cup Wall Listner
the latest electronic device for keyhole listening. It is
equipped with a long nose which can be easily put into any
crack or keyhole, or even unreeled out a window. It can
be obtained from Tri-Tron in Texas for about $40.
The other cloak-and-dagger listening device is what is
called the “electronic stethoscope.” This is probably the
most popular of all room-to-room listening devices. It
hears and penetrates through thick walls, carpets, floors,
and can record entire conversations by plugging it into any
tape recorder. There is virtually no way of detecting this
type of gismo. They can be purchased from Consolidated
Acoustics for as little as $13.00.
Figure 17. The snake.
Figure 18. The electronic stethoscope.
Bumper beepers
Ever since the movie Goldfinger, where superspy James
Bond follows supercriminal Goldfinger around Europe,
everyone has been talking about “bumper beepers. These
bumper beepers are ordinary bugging transmitters which,
instead of sending out voices, send out beeps. Trailing
automobiles becomes very easy, since the trailer can stay
out of sight and rely on the beeping device to lead him.
Most beepers are placed on the underside of cars, attached
by either metal straps or strong magnets. The trailing car
has a built-in receiver and is able to gauge the direction
in which the subject car is going, the speed at which it is
traveling, and the distance between the subject car and the
trailer. The major difference in all these devices is the dis-
tance they cover. A medium-priced unit ($150) can usu-
ally transmit detectable beeps up to three or four miles.
Continental Telephone (New York) puts out two models,
both selling for $375. One is installed under the dashboard
and transmits through the radio antenna, whereas the
other one contains its own power source and is equipped
with a powerful magnet so that it can quickly be attached
to any part of the underneath of an auto. There are less
expensive beepers from Fudalla & Associates (tail-A-beep
for $75) and Miles Wireless Intercom, Ltd. (Car-Beeper
for $150).
These beeper devices do have disadvantages, in that,
however well they are hidden, a small wire must be left
exposed to act as an antenna, unless you are able to use
an already existing radio antenna. Also the time needed
to install one of these devices is great and offers a real
hazard. The best way to get one of these installed is to p*
off a garage mechanic.
Voice-activated tape recorders
The most popular method of electronic espionage is tele-
phone wiretapping. In the past this had some overwhelm-
ing disadvantages, which the voice-activated tape recorder
has done away with. Any method of surveillance involves
a great amount of wasted time. For several hours of con-
tinual listening, one may receive two or three minutes of
useful conversation. In the past, this type of constant sur-
veillance required that a man sit for hours on end, with
headphones and a tape recorder, starting and stopping the
machine. Now, this is no longer necessary, as “Vox” (the
nickname of the fully automatic voice-activated tape re-
corder) will upon hearing a voice turn itself on, and at
the termination of the conversation turn itself off. There
are a few voice-activated machines on the market today.
Probably the best of all is the Kinematrix’s Voice-Matic,
which incorporates an auto-timing device that allows the
machine to distinguish between real silence and iqomen-
tary lapses in conversation. This Voice-Matic sells for
about S35 and should be obtainable through most of the
mail order electronic supply companies listed in the back
of this chapter.
To bring almost any bugging or listening device to life,
the eavesdropper must employ the use of an AM or FM
band receiver. This is nothing more than a normal radio
tuned to one particular band. It is impossible for me to list
here all the different types of receivers, as none of them is
manufactured with the art of bugging in mind. Choose the
ELECTRONICS, SABOTAGE, AND SURVEILLANCE / 69
type of device that best suits the individual needs of the
type of surveillance work you will be involved with.
After purchasing the type of unit that best meets your
requirements, keeping in mind versatility, portability, and
durability, take the receiver to a local radio or TV repair
shop, and have them retune it for you. By retuning it, you
will have less of a problem with other, more powerful,
transmitters interfering with your desired frequency. Prices
vary greatly — anywhere from about $40 for a do-it-your-
self kit, to $300 for a pretty sophisticated receiver. It is
not necessary to purchase the transmitter and the receiver
at the same time, or even at the same outlet. In fact, I
would recommend that it be done separately, as many gov-
ernmental agencies are extremely interested in persons
purchasing this type of equipment. One doesn’t have to be
paranoid, just very careful, and employ common sense in
whatever operation is being performed.
Electronic bug detection
Electronic bug detection will probably be the most dif-
ficult aspect of this entire field, as you will be working on
your own, without the aid of much useful information that
can be gathered from the telephone company or other
agencies. (Most telephone bugs, except the most sophisti-
cated ones, can be detected by an overload on the phone
line itself.) A good tool for bugging detection is a normal
AM-FM radio receiver, portable, with a telescopic anten-
na. For application, extend the antenna in the room sus-
pected of being bugged, and tune the receiver carefully
from the bottom to the top, covering all the FM frequen-
cies, at the same time talking to yourself continually. At
one point, if a bug is present, you will be able to hear your
voice through the receiver, although the voice may be
indistinguishable, because of top-volume feedback. This
feedback will always be a deafening continuous howl,
scream, or high-pitched whistle. To learn the exact location
of the bug, cut the volume of the receiver, and slowly move
around the room. The feedback will increase in volume as
you get closer to the bug. When a bug is discovered, there
is a moment of confusion and fear in regard to its elimin-
ation. In one sense, destroying a bug is an admission of
guilt, and can do nothing more than provoke the enemy
to rebug in a more sophisticated manner. For that reason
I would hesitate to remove a bug. Instead I would attempt
to use it against the bugger himself, by feeding him false
and misleading information.
In some cases, the bugger may have taken precautions
against this type of detection and, by readjustment of his
oscillating capacitor, he may be transmitting on a range
below the sensitivity of your radio. In this case, employ
your television set in the same manner as you did with
your radio, using the ultrahigh frequency knob. As you
move across the range of frequencies, keep your eyes on
the picture, until you have found a pattern of dark wavy
lines that move in relation to your own voice, coupled with
top-volume feedback. The actual location of the bug is a
little more difficult, unless your TV set is battery operated,
but by use of several extension cords and slow movement
this can be accomplished.
This feedback technique can also be used when the bug-
ging involves CB (citizen band) walkie-talkie. One of the
simplest methods of bugging is to tape down the trans-
mitter button on a cheap walkie-talkie, and plant it where
the conversation is to be held. The process of detection is
exactly the same as above, except that, instead of using a
radio or TV set, one uses a tunable citizen band receiver to
check for feedback.
Although the previous “feedback technique” can be ef-
fective, it is time-consuming and not 100 percent efficient.
For these reasons, electronic experts have invented and
marketed a small meter, which detects transmitters. The in-
teresting problem that these experts had to overcome was,
with all the high-powered radio and TV stations transmit-
ting, how would it be possible for an individual to detect
a low-powered transmitter, such as a microphone? This
was overcome by simply reversing the gauge. In other
words, when the meter was “wide open,” no signal was
present. However, the closer the meter is taken to the
transmitting device, the less of a reading the meter regis-
ters. These field-strength meters are available from most
large electronic companies and range in price from about
$10 to $200, depending on quality and strength.
A device similar to the “strength meter,” which a Texas
company has marketed, utilizes a small bulb, which blinks
only in the presence of a bug. The true value of this device
is that it is capable of separating normal radio waves
(which do not affect it) from the dangerous radio signals
emitted from a bug. It is available from Dee Company,
Houston, Texas, for about $200.
If you’re not electronically minded, or just not equip-
ped to find the tap on your phone. Continental Telephone
has a device that allows you, through the use of its meter.
to determine if the wire is tapped, and, if so, where it is
located. Unfortunately this device (called “the Private
Sentry”) costs $250.
Electronic jamming
Most of the devices written about so far in this chapter
are legal, with regulations placed on their application, but
the very possession of certain jamming devices is illegal.
These jamming devices basically destroy the effectiveness
of a bug rather than locate it. The reason the Federal Com-
munications Commission has put strict regulations on these
is the effect they have on other means of communications,
such as completely destroying AM radio reception, render-
ing TV sets useless, making communications on police
band radios impossible, and even to some degree interfer-
ing with aircraft communications. To be truly effective as
anti-bugging devices they must cover the whole spectrum of
radio frequencies, which in turn will cause interference to
other outside receivers and transmitters. For this reason
control is of the essence. When determining what exactly
you wish to jam, you must also determine the frequency to
be used, so as not to interfere with other signals. If you de-
cide to use a jamming device for an illegal purpose, you
must at all costs maintain mobility. (Jamming from the
back of a moving truck has been proven effective.) Mobil-
ity is necessary, because the FCC also employs detecting
and locating devices for use against underground radio
stations and unregulated jamming devices.
There are basically two types of jamming devices, the
first of which is not manufactured commercially and would
have to be built by the individual. This type is called
“spark-gap device,” and is more powerful than the other,
covering a much greater distance. The second type is refer-
red to as “the white noise device,” and is manufactured by
Continental Telephone, Dectron Industries, Inc., and
Telsec, with a price range from about $150 to $350, de-
pending on strength.
Electronic scramblers
Electronic scramblers are devices that simply act as anti-
bug mechanisms by transforming normal speech patterns
into unintelligible sounds. The most primitive method,
outdated today, is recording a message on a tape recorder,
and then transmitting it, either by playing it backward or
at a different speed. Although this method may momentar-
ily frustrate the bugger, if he has half a brain, it won’t take
him long to decode your message. The basic principle of
scramblers, or any coding device, is to render the message
useless to anyone except the desired recipient in control of
the decoding device.
There are several types of electronic scramblers, all ef-
fective but all sharing the same disadvantage — price. The
most inexpensive one I found in any catalogue ran about
$500, but then anyone with a slight knowledge of burglary
will not be put off by this obstacle. This most popular type
is manufactured by Dectron, and is used as an extension
to the telephone. The speech is garbled before it enters
the mouthpiece of the phone, and decoded after it has left
the receiver. A pair of these run just over $500, but the
real disadvantage to these devices is that the individual
code your devices are working with is retained in a vault by
the company, so that anyone with access to that vault can
break down your security.
The second device used for scrambling is manufactured
by an English company, and it works on the principle of
inverting the normal speech patterns. In other words, it
makes low notes high, and high notes low. This offers the
individual a little bit more security, as each person’s speech
frequency is as different as his fingerprints. Their major
disadvantage is price. It sells for between $1,000 and
$1,500.
The third type of scrambler is used only for radio trans-
mission. This device can also be purchased through Dec-
tron, for about the same price as mentioned before. The
radio scrambler works on basically the same principle as
all other scrambling devices, in that it inverts or disorders
the frequency and pitch of the speech pattern while it is
being transmitted, and then reverses the garble to render
it understandable to the receiver.
Mail order and retail electronics outlets
I have listed below some of the major electronic mail
order and retail outlets. Many companies that sell this type
of equipment do so only to police officers, and require the
purchaser to prove his relationship with some law enforce-
ment agency. For that reason they have not been included.
The companies listed are all involved in the manufacturing
and/or sale of eavesdropping and surveillance equipment.
S.A.C. Electronics, 4818 West Jefferson Blvd., Los
Angeles 1 8, California
Baker Electronics Co., R.R. 3, Greencasde, Indiana
(mail-order plans and kits only)
ELECTRONICS, SABOTAGE, AND SURVEILLANCE / 71
Dehart Electronics, P.O. Box 5232, Sarasota, Florida
Continental Telephone Supply Co., 17 W. 46th St., New
York, N.Y. (fantastic catalogue)
Martel Electronics Sales, Inc., 2356 S. Cotner Ave.,
Los Angeles, California
R & S Research, Inc., 2049 Richmond Ave., Houston,
Texas
Mittleman Manny, 136 Liberty St., New York, N.Y.
(only custom devices — $400 and up)
Clifton, 11500 N.W. 7th Ave., Miami, Florida
Consolidated Acoustics, 1302 Washington St., Hobo-
ken, N.J. (only listening devices)
Ekkottonics Co., P.O. Box 5334, Milwaukee, Wiscon-
sin (cheap)
Dectron Industries, Inc., 13901 Saticoy St., Van Nuys,
California (only anti-bugging equipment)
Dee Co., Box 7263, Houston, Texas 77008
Tri-Tron of Dallas, 330 Casa Linda Plaza, Dallas,
Texas (discount bugging equipment)
Security Electronics, 1 1 East 43rd St., New York, N.Y.
Telephone Dynamics Corp., 1333 Newbridge Road,
North Bellmore, N.Y. (only miniature microphones)
Simlar Electronics, Inc., 3476 N.W. 7th St., Miami,
Florida
Tracer Systems, 256 Worth Ave., Palm Beach, Florida
The Federal Communications Commission and the
Supreme Court have been uptight about wiretapping and
eavesdropping for some time. They have both passed laws
and made regulations concerning electronic surveillance.
For these reasons, I would emphasize the utmost care and
knowledge in the application of these devices. What is in-
teresting is the actual wording of the law, where any inter-
state wiretap (interstate does not mean interstate, it applies
to all tapping through some strange logic) except in a
matter of security is against the FCC’s regulations and is
punishable by a fine of no more than $10,000 or five years
in jail. The neat little exception made for security gives all
of the government agencies, particularly the FBI and CIA,
and all local police departments, free license to practice all
and any forms of surveillance without any restrictions. Al-
though certain cases have been dismissed in court cases
because of “tainted” methods of collecting evidence, in
reality if the government feels an individual is a security
risk (for any reason) it can produce tapes in court that
have been gathered by wiretapping, supposedly not as evi-
dence, but the defendant goes to jail anyway.
America, at this point, is operating on a life-size Mon-
opoly Board. Everyone who isn’t in jail or going directly to
jail is buying and selling thousands of pieces of paper, with
absolute seriousness of purpose, unable to realize that
there will be only one winner, and when he gets out of jail,
he’s going to kick all their asses.
Broadcasting free radio
In any underground, throughout history, a prime con-
cern has been communications or propaganda. Propa-
ganda, as a word, has ugly connotations, but in reality it
means nothing more than the distribution of information.
This country has begun to develop an underground net-
work of communications, in the many small newspapers
which have cropped up all over the country. Although
there is a spark, there is also a monstrous lack of commun-
ications, once you get outside any of the large metropolitan
areas. In preparation for writing this book, I had to do a
great deal of reference work. In this reading I encompassed
almost all extremities of the political spectrum, from far
left to far right. These extremities are so alike, and could
be so powerful if they ever got over their preconceived im-
pressions of each other and started to communicate. This
is the reason I feel the underground has to take propaganda
one step further, from the printed page, to the radio broad-
cast.
The radio is a factor of extraordinary importance. At
moments when war fever is more or less palpitating in
every one region or a country, the inspiring, burning
word increases this fever and communicates it to every
one of the future combatants. It explains, teaches, fires,
and fixes the future positions of both friends and ene-
mies. However, the radio should be ruled by the funda-
mental principle of popular propaganda, which is truth;
it is preferable to tell the truth, small in its dimensions,
than a large lie artfully embellished.
Che Guevara, Guerrilla Warfare
Kwame Nkrumah, in his Handbook of Revolutionary
Warfare, also stresses the use of radio propaganda. He
breaks it down into two basic forms: The first and most im-
portant is the same as Che was writing about in the above
quotation, this being to communicate truth to people of the
country about the struggle. Nkrumah takes this idea one
step further, and says that really to communicate the
underground must speak on many different levels, and this
is a key point. How can an anarchist who has a right-wing
background understand or relate to a left-wing anarchist,
who uses Marxist terminology? This forces the under-
ground to communicate with many different frames of
reference. This hasn’t happened in this country: Everyone
from far left to the far right is hung up with dogmatic
ideals, overused terminology, and is absolutely blind to
practicality.
Nkrumah’s second concept of propaganda is for the pur-
pose of subverting the enemy.
An indispensable preliminary to battle is to attack the
mind of the enemy, to undermine the will to fight so that
the result of the battle is decided before the fighting be-
gins. The revolutionary army attacks an irresolute and
demoralized army.
— Nkrumah, Handbook of Revolutionary Warfare
This use of propaganda to discourage the enemy has also
a great place in the struggle that is going on in this country
today. It has been used to a small degree, with fantastic
success, around military bases. There was a regiment of the
National Guard that refused to go to Chicago during the
National Democratic Convention. Underground news-
papers and handbills have encouraged G.I.s to dissent
and desert, and have shown them that it is possible. The
effectiveness demonstrated by this demoralizing form of
propaganda depicts nothing more than the real turmoil that
exists. The successful effect of this communication has re-
sulted from one aspect of its nature — that being its pas-
sionate regard for truth.
Printing a revolutionary newspaper is a great deal easier
than forming an underground radio station. Although the
government has strict restrictions on printed material, it
is nothing like the regulations it places on radio and tele-
vision broadcasting. The FCC runs the radio networks with
an iron hand, with the ever present threat of revoking a
license. For this reason, any radio station which is striving
to be absolutely free must make the ultimate break with
the FCC. This can be accomplished in two ways. The first
and most dangerous, but at the same time the most effec-
tive, is by using high power equipment, jamming out other
stations, from a mobile base of operations. The FCC has
incredibly sophisticated equipment, and can locate any
pirate radio station in a matter of minutes. For this reason,
mobility is essential. Transmitting from the back of a dis-
guised truck has been used successfully, although the
movement of the truck while broadcasting must be con-
stant, never repeating the same pattern, but at the same
time keeping within the broadcast power area. This means
of transmission is especially effective at gatherings, such as
demonstrations and riots, to keep people informed as to
the movement of the enemy. The best method of obtaining
equipment is building your own, as to buy a large trans-
mitter requires the individual to be licensed. Not only that,
it’s expensive. You can build your own from plans and
equipment purchased through mail order, from most of the
companies listed earlier in this chapter.
The second method for getting around the strict FCC
regulations is legal. Under the FCC’s low-power-transmis-
sion regulations, one can legally broadcast below 100 milo-
watts at any empty space on the AM or FM dial, without
registering or being licensed. The disadvantages are ob-
vious: One can only broadcast up to one mile. Even within
that mile, interference from the high-powered commercial
stations is present. And if enough people get into this form
of broadcasting the FCC is going to make some sort of reg-
ulation against it. This method is not just theoretical, it
has been implemented on the Lower East Side, by John
Giomo and his Guerrilla Radio. He broadcast from the top
of St. Mark’s-in-the-Bowerie’s bell tower at 1400 on the
AM dial, and claims he did everything the FCC said he
couldn’t. I am sorry to say I did not hear the broadcast,
as I was out of the one-mile area at the time.
Telephone and communications sabotage
Telephone sabotage can be applied on many levels. First
I will explain what 1 am not going to write about. I feel
there is no need for me to explain how to make free phone
calls by telling the operator that you dialed the wrong
number, just as 1 am not going to get into explaining how
to use a number 14 washer with Scotch tape in a pay
phone, or cheating on credit card calls, or spitting on a pen-
ny. These are all explained in Fuck the System, a pamphlet
on living freely in New York City. The interest I have in
telephone sabotage is purely communicational and com-
mercial.
Commercial in the sense, that over the past few years
my absolute hatred of vending machines and pay phones
ELECTRONICS, SABOTAGE, AND SURVEILLANCE / 73
has led me to break into almost every kind I could find.
Parking meters are the easiest by far: All you need is a
hammer and chisel or a large monkey wrench. Soda
machines are almost as easy, but real delight comes from
ripping a Kotex machine off the wall of a women’s rest
room, or sticking a small explosive charge in the coin slot
of a pay toilet. I have never been able to break into a pay
telephone — smash them, yes, put them out of order, but
never able to open them up and remove the coins. This is
for several reasons: One is the time element, as most public
phones are easily seen, and the other is that all public
phones are installed with amazing locks, which have com-
pletely baffled me.
To get back to the purpose-of this section, I must em-
phasize the importance of breaking down the enemy’s com-
munications. This in turn results in^ confusion and chaos.
Imagine, for a moment, a squad car without a means of
communicating with its precinct, or an enemy aircraft with
its radio jammed. This act of breaking down the enemy’s
lines of communications is not an end in itself, rather it is
a tactic — a small, but extremely important, part of a total
operation.
When considering communications, it is best to start
from a primitive base and work up to more sophisticated
tactics. The first and simplest method for rendering a tele-
phone inoperative is only temporary. It entails calling the
phone company and asking that a certain number be discon-
nected. This will work for individuals, but not for agencies
or law enforcement organizations. An important factor in
any form of telephone sabotage is the time aspect of veri-
fication — in other words, the amount of time it takes the
phone company to trace a call. The phone company can
tell right away if you are calling from a pay phone, so this
should be avoided. Call from a private phone which you
cannot be connected with, and limit your conversation to
under ninety seconds. Important: Most law enforcement
organizations, companies, corporations, and businesses
have more than one phone line, and in most cases one or
more will be' unlisted.
A common misconception is that a person can render a
phone useless by dialing a number and, before the party
answers, leave the phone off the hook. This is not true, and
doesn’t work. Even if the caller doesn’t hang up his phone,
the receiver can get a dial tone by hanging up himself and
holding the hook down for a little over thirty seconds. Al-
though this method does not work in the city (I know be-
cause I have experimented with it), I have heard reports
that it has been used in rural areas with varying degrees of
success. I would suggest trying it out with a friend, to see if
it is effective in your area.
The other truly effective method is the most dangerous.
It entails the actual cutting of phone wires. This is much
easier in a rural area where the phone lines are above the
ground, and there are not so many of them. It should be
noted that complete telephone communication with a small
town or village can be broken in less than ten minutes.
Probably the most important thing here is having a com-
plete understanding of what you are doing, and using the
correct tools. Phone lines do carry electrical charges and,
without complete knowledge of what you are doing and
without the correct tools, it would be very easy to electro-
cute yourself. In rural areas, the basic tools should be:
rubber-soled shoes (sneakers); pliers with rubber grips;
large heavy-duty wire or tin cutters, also with rubber grips;
a pair of surgical rubber gloves; a small flashlight (operate
at night) ; and a body strap to allow you free movement of
your hands once at the top of the pole. Important, before
attempting any telephone wire cutting, get hold of a copy
of the telephone repairman’s manual, and read it.
This same operation can be performed in urban areas,
although the process is much more involved. In most urban
areas the phone lines run beneath the street level, and they
are usually incorporated into tunnels dug, for the sewers. At
this point it may seem simple but, in addition to the phone
lines in the sewers, there are also all the high-voltage elec-
tric lines. If you cut into one of these, I don’t care how well
insulated you are, you’ll fry. An urban saboteur should
either be in possession of a detailed map of the phone
lines, available at any municipal library, or carry a small
electric line locator, so that he can find the right line to
cut. The urban guerrilla, on this sort of mission, should
carry all the tools the rural guerrilla would have, except he
should exchange the body strap for a rubber-insulated hack
saw, also add a crowbar. The hack saw is for the metal
encasement that surrounds all phone and electric wires in
the sewers. Access to the sewers is pretty easy, as most
manholes will take you into an amazing complex of all dif-
ferent-sized tunnels, where you can get thoroughly lost,
unless you have had the foresight to study a map of the
sewers, also available from any municipal library. Know
exacdy where you are going, know all the obstacles that
you may come in contact with, and have several routes of
74
escape planned, in case of an emergency. Needless to say,
if you decide to go into the sewers, dress accordingly. It’s
cold, damp, infested with rodents, and dark, and many
tunnels are partially full of water.
A word of caution about using explosives to sever phone
lines: In the sewers, don’t. In Paris in 1945, the French
resistance decided that to aid the oncoming Allied troops,
they would cut all lines of communication from the Nazi
Headquarters and Berlin. This proved unsuccessful, for
many reasons, but the important fact was that they did at-
tempt to use explosives in the sewer system. A small charge
was placed right on the phone lines, and detonated from a
good distance away. The phone line was cut but, unknown
to the resistance, so was a gas main, right next to lines. The
result: phone lines cut, a large number of civilians dead,
and a block and a half completely leveled. Not only was
the area totally destroyed, it was flooded by the bursting of
water mains which also shared the sewers with the phone
wires.
One can use small explosive charges in rural areas, as
the lines are above the ground.
I despise you.
I despise your order, your false-propped authority.
Hang me for it ! ! !
— Louis Lingg, 1898
Other forms of sabotage
A great deal of sabotage employs the use of explosive
charges, but these methods will be discussed in a later
chapter; here I will attempt to discuss nonexplosive sabo-
tage operations. Sabotage plays a very important role in
any form of warfare, especially in the guerrilla struggle.
The urban areas are extremely conducive to the type of
sabotage I will be dealing with in this section, as the dis-
tances are short between targets, and it is easier to create
chaos and havoc when dealing with large numbers of peo-
ple, in a relatively small area. This havoc and chaos that
I have been talking about needs a definition, since I am
using the terms in a different context than what they mean
traditionally. Havoc and chaos are and should be the small-
est part of the revolution. They take the smallest amount of
time, and the maximum amount of planning. This time will
be governed by a mob, driven not by fear, but by anger,
and the passionate belief that they do what they do because
they are the people, and more importantly they believe they
have impunity. I do not speak of the tactics of nihilism,
breaking windows and setting garbage cans on fire, for
they accomplish nothing.
A few of the more active indiyiduals in New York City
placed a strong form of epoxy glue in all the keyholes of
the stock market, on Wall Street. When this substance
dried, it hardened into a material as tough as steel. The
Stock Exchange opened three hours late, after locksmiths
had been called in to remove the useless mechanisms.
Epoxy glue is fantastic, and its uses are unlimited.
Since machines run the society we live in, it’s only fair
that an equal degree of destructive creativity be leveled
against them. Computers, because of their very nature, are
extremely easy to render inoperative. When paying bills by
computer, always remember that you have the ultimate
advantage of an open mind, and the ability to rationalize,
whereas the machine is programmed to do one thing. A
good method of sabotage is simply to punch a few extra
holes in the IBM card. Most of the time the card will be
rejected, and it will cost the company a few dollars to
rectify the mistake. I have heard of people who have
performed this operation, and have been issued several
hundred dollars’ worth of credit. This can be performed
with impunity.
When I was working for a large New York corporation.
I had to deal with a bank, every day. ''I realized, after a
period of time, that the people who were working at the
bank had lost their identities, and were nothing more than
machines themselves. Well, this sort of psychological sur-
realistic science fiction really got me interested. I viewed
myself as a saver of identities, as the Messiah of the Spirit
of Individualism. I was brought to earth quickly. These
people didn’t want to be saved. I was going to turn them
all on to acid, but then I decided that a better tactic would
be to screw up the object of their emulation, the computer.
On my daily deposit I placed a large quantity of Scotch
tape. This resulted in the deposit slips, themselves, getting
stuck in the bowels of the computer. It took the bank
three or four hours to take the machine apart, and unjam
the mechanism. In unjamming the machine they somehow
altered the program, and it didn’t work right for weeks. I
never had the guts to return to the bank, but I hope the
clerks lost their reverence for the divine, infallible machine.
Another form of sabotage is shoplifting. There is a big
ELECTRONICS, SABOTAGE, AND SURVEILLANCE / 75
difference between a common thief and a revolutionary:
The revolutionary will steal from large corporations, and
the common thief will steal from anyone. If you can ever
get over the Protestant ethic, you will be able to see what
I mean. Every revolutionary has his own method of steal-
ing, and there are too many for me to get into, but I will
try to state some basic common-sense tactics.
1. Operate in pairs with one person holding the employee’s
attention, the other stealing him blind.
2. As a revolutionary, your job is to rally popular support,
not to alienate people. For this reason, do not steal from
small stores.
3. Get into and out of the store as fast as possible. Do not
spend a long time trying to hide the merchandise, or
making sure no one’s looking at you.
4. If you are caught, play along. In other words, be hum-
ble, and pretend to be nervous. Always apologize profuse-
ly, and even cry if you can. The chances are good the
store won’t have you arrested.
5. If you are caught and let go with a warning, never
return to the same store.
6. Usually large department stores do not arrest shoplifters
the first time, unless they are violent, or the merchandise
is over a certain dollar value. Be careful all the same.
7. Circular mirrors are very popular with large stores,
where blind corners are present. These can effectively be
used against the employees by simply reversing their pur-
pose. Watch out for two-way mirrors.
8. If you’re going to get into shoplifting in a big way, check
out all its aspects. A large store located near a big subway
stop, (Times Square, Grand Central, or Penn Station) of-
fers a great means of escape, especially in the rush hour, if
a chase develops.
9. Never carry identification with you. Work out a system
with a friend (see the last chapter) whereby he will be able
to verify your false name and address.
10. Needless to say, never carry dope, weapons, or any-
thing else illegal with you.
11. If caught for shoplifting or robbery never admit to
being part of the movement. It will get you more time in
jail.
Another extremely easy method of sabotage can be em-
ployed against motor vehicles. Law enforcement cars,
jeeps, weapons carriers, all the way up to tanks, can be
rendered useless by several simple operations. The first of
these is the simplest, but it is only temporary. It entails
removing an important part of the vehicle’s mechanism,
such as the distributor cap or battery. There is no doubt
that this will work, and can be accomplished in a matter
of seconds, but the vehicle can also be repaired in a matter
of seconds, if the parts are available.
The second method, which is equally effective, and by
no means temporary, can also be performed in a matter of
seconds. It is accomplished by pouring several pounds of
either sand or sugar into the vehicle’s gas tank. This re-
sults in these foreign particles jamming and virtually de-
stroying the motor. The sugar will crystallize in the fuel
line and carburetor and effectively block the operation of
the engine. The sand, on the other hand, will rip the inside
of the engine to shreds. Both of these ingredients will stop
the operation of a vehicle permanently, as repair would re-
quire a complete overhaul of the engine, which is usually
impossible in combat situations.
The third method is total destruction of the vehicle, by
burning or exploding. An important thing to keep in mind,
before destroying anything, is the use it might have to the
movement. To burn a car, just siphon some of the gasoline
out of its tank, by means of a section of hollow tube, and
pour it over the car. If the car is locked, smash the win-
dows and soak the inside with gas also, then ignite.
A very important thing to remember in any form of
subversive activity is to allow an escape route. Things are
bound to go wrong, I don’t care how many precautions a
person takes there will be something he hasn’t thought of.
Cars are an excellent method of escape. Of course it helps
a great deal when stealing a car, if the person has left his
keys in the ignition, but, if not, there are other ways. Any
auto repair manual can tell you how to jump the ignition,
or “hot wire” a car. Volkswagens are extremely easy. An-
other trick which can be used with old Chevrolets (before
1964) is to catch a car with the ignition switch on “off.”
The keys can be extracted from the ignition of an old
Chevie without locking it. The car’s engine will be off, but
it can be started by simply turning the receptacle for the
key, and stepping on the gas pedal. I drove a car from
New York to Florida without a key.
The car may be started without a key when it is left in any
of the positions (2, 3, 4).
There are a few basic rules for sabotage and guerrilla
activity in general’.
1. Make sure the operation will be effective. Never waste
time with either a violent or nonviolent operation which
is ineffective.
2. Hit the enemy where they least expect it, and where it
will hurt them the most.
3. Most sabotage should be carried out at night.
4. Timing must be perfect, as the longer the operation takes
the greater the chances are of something going wrong.
5. Work only with people you trust. Many spies and in-
formers will suggest plans that could only get you busted.
Work in small groups, or cells, consisting of no more than
four people,
6. All operations should be simple and fast, and several
means of escape should be planned.
7. All weapons should be concealed, all explosives should
be treated with the respect they deserve. (Check the chap-
ter on explosives for correct handling.)
8. All groups must have a leader. He should be picked for
his leadership qualities. He will make all major decisions.
9. The need for secrecy is obvious. Security and secrecy
must be maintained without reservation.
10. Any member who breaks the code of the group must be
executed, in full view of the other members.
The time has passed for demonstrators and pseudo-
revolutionaries and students to occupy the political scene.
The time is here for a mass uprising, incorporating all these
elements, armed with single-minded deadly intolerance.
There is no justice in bureaucracy for the individual, for
bureaucracy caters only to itself. The writers, artists, and
poets of the revolution will have a job that has never before
in history been so great, for they must create a value
structure for the New World, for The New American. 1
stated in the introduction that this would not be in a con-
temporaiy sense a political book, and I feel that it is not.
inasmuch as I have tried to avoid using the dogma that is
so prevalent now. It seems acceptable today to scream for
revolution, without any concept of what will follow it, This
is just what the forces at large want, for who will follow i
man who doesn’t know where he’s going?
To be successful, man must change himself, the individ-
ual must have a revolution within himself, for then and
only then will he be able to change the world. There is no
room for narrow-mindedness in the coming insurrection
Each man must break, with passionate understanding, the
chains which chain him to himself. For if one man dies in
indifference, the entire revolution dies with him. One can-
not practice the same bureaucracy one is fighting against;
the revolution is secondary, the system is secondary, pol-
itics is secondary, to the individual.
Effective sabotage, like the practical joke, must employ
a grain of truth in a solution of deadly irony. This means
that sabotage serves two basic purposes; first of all to
weaken the enemy, and second of all to build the morale of
the liberation army. Although revolution and sabotage are
deadly serious, one should always retain his sense of humor
and apply it if possible to the operations used. An example,
which can be employed today with the draft system, is to
use the weaknesses of the bureaucracy against itself.
When a young man is forced to go down to his local
board and register for the draft, he is required to give only
a small amount of information. To use this fact effectively
against the Selective Service System, a large group of young
men must go to a local board and register twice or three
times under false names, in addition to their real registra-
tion. This will cause the bureaucracy of the Selective Serv-
ice System to go berserk. They’re already so uptight about
people attempting to avoid the draft that they would really
flip out if all of a sudden their records showed that sev-
eral hundreds or thousands of people just didn’t show up.
and couldn't be traced. It would never enter their heads to
think it might have been a put-on. An interesting theatrical
twist to this same idea is to have everyone do his false
registrations on the same day, so that many, many pre-in-
duction physicals are due on the same day. Thus the full
impact of the missing persons will hit the induction center
at one time.
chapter three: Natural,
Nonlethal, and
Lethal Weapons
It is not a matter of being compelled to break eggs before
an omelet can be made, but the eggs doing their own
breaking in order to be able to aspire to omelethood.
— Sufi
It is criminal to teach a man not to defend himself when
he is the constant victim of brutal attacks.
— Malcolm X
77
As I have stressed before, men, not weapons or equip-
ment, make up a revolution. A revolution is made up of
ideas that cannot be implemented without struggle. But
struggle is no goal unto itself, nihilism is a childish answer
to adult problems. When thinking about weapons, one
must bear several things in mind: the availability of these
weapons and ammunition, the effectiveness of the weapons,
and the portability of the weapons. When struggling with
an enemy that is more powerful than the guerrilla army, an
excellent tactic is using the enemy’s weapons, since there is
a virtually unlimited supply of parts and ammunition. All
weapons that are not stolen from the enemy should be paid
for in full, as a revolutionary’s purpose is to rally popular
support, rather than alienate the people he is supposedly
fighting for.
By weapons, I do not mean to say just firearms. In this
chapter I will try to cover most of the weapons a revolu-
tionary or guerrilla would need. These needs will differ
somewhat from rural and urban locations. I will attempt to
cover not only the weapons that are available to the indi-
vidual, but also weapons employed by the army and the
police force. This will be for two purposes: first to acquaint
the freedom fighter with what he will be up against, and
secondly to inform him on the use of these weapons once
captured.
This chapter could be quite large. For that reason, I
have broken it down into several basic sections, with demo-
litions following in the next chapter. The first section will
cover hand-to-hand combat, one’s natural weapons, and a
few hand weapons — both police and civilian. These de-
vices will encompass equipment available from suppliers,
equipment that can be stolen, and equipment that can be
made at home. The next section will cover lethal weapons
(handguns, rifles, shotguns, and larger machine guns).
The last section will discuss the use of chemical agents
and gas, both defensively and offensively. An important
factor to bear in mind at this point in the revolution is the
legality of these weapons. Most of the weapons that are
described in the following chapter are illegal and posses-
sion, whether concealed or not, can lead to long jail terms.
For that reason I strongly re-emphasize security, secrecy,
and the fact that the application of these weapons must be
careful, deliberate, and extremely well planned.
I have no patience with individuals who claim that
everything will be beautiful if guns and other weapons are
outlawed. These people do not have the foresight to rea-
lize that, if weapons are made illegal, they will only be
possessed by enemies of the people (i.e., the army, the
police, outlaws, and madmen). I feel very strongly that
every person should be armed and that he or she should
be prepared for the worst. There is no justice left in the
system. The only real justice is that which' the individual
creates for himself, and the individual is helpless without a
gun. This may sound like the dogma expounded by rad-
ical right-wing groups, like the Minute Men. It is.
Unity is the only way in which the people of this countr\
can overthrow the fascists, communists, capitalists, and all
the other assholes who claim running a representative gov-
ernment is so difficult. The emphasis has been taken from
the Bill of Rights and placed on the type of interpretation of
the Constitution that best suits the people in power.
Natural weapons
A chapter on weapons should begin with the basics —
those being the primitive, but effective, maneuvers of the
body, for the purpose of killing a man. I will not try to
get into judo, karate, or any other form of sporting combat,
for that would take a book in itself. What 1 will try to do
with this section is describe the basic methods of killing
another man with one’s own hands. If this turns your
stomach, just remember that your enemy does know what
he’s doing, and, if you don’t, he then has the obvious ad-
vantage. Two good reference works on this subject are
The Special Forces Combatant Manual and The Marine
Corps Field Manual on Physical Security. This training is
of great use to any person interested in revolution in a
serious sense. It will build confidence in the individual and
take away false security and reliance on a firearm. It is
also useful for night patrols, and for sabotage missions
where silence is of the essence. There are five basic funda-
mentals of hand-to-hand combat:
1. Make full use of any and all available weapons.
2. Attack aggressively, if possible by surprise, using max-
imum strength against your enemy’s weakest point.
3. Maintain your balance at all times and destroy your
enemy’s.
4. Maneuver your enemy in such a way as to use his
momentum to his disadvantage.
5. Learn each phase of the training before trying to attain
speed. Precision is, at the beginning, more important.
NATURAL, NONLETHAL, AND LETHAL WEAPONS
79
Hand-to-hand combat
When engaged in hand-to-hand combat, your life is al-
ways at stake, and you should recognize that fact. Using
any available weapon is just common sense. Throwing sand
in the enemy’s eyes can result in temporary blindness and
confusion; this should be taken advantage of immediately.
There is only one purpose in hand-to-hand combat, and
that is to kill. Never face an enemy with the idea of knock-
ing him out. The chances are extremely good that he will
kill you.
When a weapon is not available, one must resort to the
full use of his natural weapons. The natural weapons are:
the knife edge of your hands, fingers folded at the second
joint or knuckle; the protruding knuckle of your second
finger; the heel of your hand; the little finger edge of your
hand; your boot; elbow; knees; and teeth.
Attacking is a primary factor. A fight was never won by
defensive action, and this is not a high school brawl, this
is a matter of life and death. Attack with all your strength.
At any point or in any situation some vulnerable point on
your enemy’s body will be open for attack. Do so scream-
ing, as a scream has two purposes: first, to frighten and
confuse your enemy; second, to allow you to take a
deep breath, which in turn will put more oxygen in your
blood stream, and afford you more strength than you would
normally have. Your balance and the balance of your op-
ponent are very important factors; since, if you succeed
in making your enemy lose his balance, the chances are
nine to one you can kill him in the next move. The best
overall stance for hand-to-hand combat is where your feet
are spread about a shoulder’s width apart, with your right
foot about a foot ahead of the left. Both arms should be
bent at the elbows parallel to each other, either side of the
face and throat. Stand on the balls of your feet, and bend
slightly at the waist, somewhat like a boxer’s crouch. Em-
ploying a yell or scream, or sudden movement with either
hand, can throw your enemy off-balance.
There are many vulnerable points to the body, and the
next several pages will cover each briefly, with explanations
of direct attack.
Eyes: Temporary or permanent blindness can be in-
duced by several means, first by forming a “V” shape with
your index and middle fingers and driving them into your
opponent’s eyes, keeping a stiff wrist and fingers. Done
with force this can be permanent. The thumb or middle
knuckle can be used in gouging the eyes.
Nose: The nose is an extremely vulnerable point of at-
tack. It can be struck with the knife edge of the hand.
across the bridge. This will cause breakage, sharp pain,
temporary blindness, and, if the blow is hard enough,
-death, as the nose bone with force can be driven up into the
brain. Another method of attacking the nose is to deliver
an upward blow with the heel of your hand. This will have
the same effect as the blow on the bridge.
Adam’s apple: The Adam’s apple is usually pretty hard
to get at, because anyone who values his life has learned
to keep his chin down, but if you find you do have an open-
ing, strike a hard blow with the knife edge of your hand.
This can either be a forearm or backarm blow. The
chances are, if you connect with a hard blow, your enemy
will die, with a severed windpipe, but if the blow was only
partially effective you may still find your enemy in severe
pain or gagging. Another method of attack on a man’s
Adam’s apple is squeezing it between your forefinger and
thumb.
Temple: An enemy can easily be killed by a sharp blow
to the temple, as there are a large nerve and an artery close
to the skin. A heavy blow delivered with the knife edge of
your hand will kill instantly. A moderate blow to the tem-
ple will cause severe pain and concussion. If you succeed
in knocking your enemy down, kick him hard in the tem-
ple, with the toe or heel of your boot. It will insure that he
will never get up again.
Nape of the neck: A rabbit punch, or blow delivered
with the knife edge of the hand to the base of the neck,
can easily kill a man by breaking his neck, but to be safe it
is better to use another weapon, such as the butt of a gun,
or a hammer. If you can knock your opponent to the
ground, apply a kick to the back of his neck with either
a knee drop or the heel of your boot. Generally speaking,
the side or heel of the boot is a better weapon than the toe,
as it tends to slide off the object it is attacking.
Upper lip: The point where the nose cartilage joins the
upper section of the jaw is where a large network of nerves
is located. This network of nerves is extremely close to the
skin, and a sharp upward blow, with the knife edge of
your hand, will cause extreme pain and unconsciousness.
Ears: Coming up behind the enemy and cupping the
hands in a clapping motion over the victim’s ears can kill
him also immediately. The vibrations caused from the clap-
80
ping motion will burst the victim’s eardrums, and cause
internal bleeding in the brain.
Chin: Ever since the cowboy movies got a firm hold on
the American people, every other punch has been directed
at the chin. The chin isn’t that vulnerable. An effective
blow can be delivered with the heel of the hand, but stay
away from swinging with a closed fist. More fingers are
broken and wrists sprained by people swinging with a
closed fist.
Groin: This is the one spot that everyone who has ever
been in a fight is conscious of, and tries to defend. If it is
left open, attack viciously with your knee in an upward
motion. A person can also use his fist or heel, especially
if he has managed to floor his opponent.
Solar plexus: The solar plexus is a large network of
nerves located at the bottom of the rib cage. A blow should
be struck slightly upward with the protruding knuckle of
the middle finger. A sharp blow can cause severe pain and
unconsciousness.
Spine: The spinal column houses the spinal nerves, and
a well-directed blow to this region can easily kill or para-
lyze an enemy. The only really effective means of delivery
for a blow of this sort is after you succeed in knocking your
enemy to the ground. The blow can be made by either the
knee, elbow, heel, or toe. It should be directed about two
inches above the belt line, as this is where the spine is
least protected.
Kidneys: A large nerve that branches off the spinal cord
comes very close to the skin at the kidneys, and a direct
blow to the kidneys can cause death. To attack this area,
you can either use the knife edge of your hand or a fist
that is folded at the second knuckle. If you have knocked
your opponent to the ground, a blow may be delivered with
the toe or heel.
Collar bone: A sharp blow delivered with either your el-
bow or the knife edge of your hand can break the collar
bone and bring an enemy to his knees.
Floating ribs: The floating ribs are sensitive parts of the
body and can either be attacked from the front or back. It
is best to attack and deliver a blow to the enemy’s right
side, since this is where his liver is located. A stunning
blow can effectively be delivered by using the knife edge
of your hand or, if you have managed to down your op-
ponent, you can kill your enemy with a kick from your
heel, elbow, knee, or toe. Remember always that you are
not engaged in a high school brawl, you are fighting for
your life, and therefore should use full force at all times.
Stomach: There are many combinations of blows which
can form a basic attack pattern, but one of the most basic
is a blow to the stomach. Excepting the solar plexus, the
stomach is an area which cannot be treated as an end in
itself, rather as a starting point for a series of blows. The
best way to strike the stomach and get maximum penetra-
tion is to go at it with a fist formed by folding the fingers at
the second knuckle, and striking deeply with a slightly up-
swing. A blow to the stomach will cause the enemy to bend
deeply forward. When this occurs, either strike your enemy
full force with your knee in his face, or employ a well-di-
rected rabbit punch to the base of his neck.
Armpit: A large network of nerves is very close to the
skin in the armpits. The great problem with a direct strike
to this area is its lack of accessibility. For that reason, it
is more likely that you would attack this area after you
have managed to bring your opponent to the ground, and
are in control of his arm. An attack should be led by a toe
or heel kick. A sharp blow to this area will cause severe
pain and temporary partial paralysis.
Instep: The bones in the instep are very small and weak,
and can be broken quite easily. A stomp, using the edge of
your right boot to your enemy’s right instep, is effective
and at the same time protects your groin area. The instep
is an area to remember, as it is almost never defended or
protected, and, if directly attacked, can render an enemy
immobile and in severe pain. This attack area is also useful
for breaking an opponent’s grip, especially if he is holding
you from the back (i.e., a full nelson).
Knee: Kick your enemy’s kneecap by delivering a blow
with the edge of your boot (not with the toe, as it is liable
to slip off, and leave your enemy unharmed). The blow
should come on an upward swing there to catch the under-
neath of the kneecap and rip the cartilage and ligaments.
This will cause severe pain and affect mobility. If you man-
age to get behind your enemy, a blow to the knee can just
as easily and effectively be delivered.
Shoulder: If you manage to get hold of an opponent’s
arm, it takes very little strength to twist it, thus causing
dislocation. This operation should be performed quickly.
It is not the job of a guerrilla fighter to torture his enemy.
He should dispose of him as fast as possible. The twisting
NATURAL, NONLETHAL, AND LETHAL WEAPONS / 81
action involved in this operation might remind one of a
half nelson or hammer lock performed quickly with the
object in mind to create disability rather than pain. The
type of action can also be performed well if you have
managed to bring your opponent to the ground. It can be
followed by a knee drop to the spinal cord, which will re-
sult in paralysis or death.
Elbow: The joint in the elbow is one of the weakest
points in the body, and can be dislocated or broken with a
relatively forceful blow. Grasp your enemy’s wrist or fore-
arm and pull it behind him. This will cause his arm to stif-
fen. As you are doing this, strike a sharp blow with the
heel of your hand to the backside of his stiffened elbow.
This will result, depending on the strength of the blow,
in either dislocation or breakage.
Wrist: A wristlock is useful for several reasons. Most
importantly, an enemy can be controlled in this position. A
wristlock is nothing more than placing both thumbs on the
back of an opponent’s hand and bending it at a right angle
to the forearm. This will produce extreme pain and loss of
balance.
Fingers: The fingers are an important consideration, be-
cause more than half the blows your enemy is capable of
delivering entail the use of the fingers, in one form or an-
other. The fingers can be broken in several ways. One of
the most effective is by using the left hand as a lever: Grasp
the wrist and pry it down, while at the same time bend,
with the right hand, the middle and index fingers back. This
will cause breakage. This operation can be used to break
many grips.
A word of caution should be noted at this point. These
operations should be practiced before used. As with al-
most everything else, just reading about techniques is not
good enough. One must practice and become skillful, fast,
and precise. In training yourself, you should never forget
that only a small amount of pressure is capable of killing
or maiming an individual. Therefore, take it easy on your
training partner.
Application of hand weapons
If a weapon is available, only a fool will choose to use
his hands and feet, but what is more important is the appli-
cation of these weapons. I would rather fight a man with
a knife, without a knife myself, if the person did not know
how to use it — meaning that I had two hands free where
he had the hindrance of a weapon he was not skilled in
using. When considering a type of makeshift weapon, al-
ways take into account what it is going to be used for, and
how well you will be able to use it.
Hand weapons
A bayonet hilt, tent peg, or any blunt object can be ex-
tremely effective in silencing a sentry. A sharp blow with
any of these objects, directly to the back of the neck, will
in most cases break the enemy’s neck and kill him instantly.
A blackjack can easily be made from wet sand and an
old sock. You fill the sock about a quarter full of sand,
tying a knot just above the sand. When attacking an
enemy, you should strike hard at the nape of the neck. This
will result in the same injuries as described in the above
paragraph.
If you have a rifle, but no ammunition, use the gun as
a weapon itself. By striking the butt of the rifle deeply into
the hollows of a man’s back you will be able to stun him.
By striking the same hollow with the toe of the rifle, you’ll
likely kill the man.
Knives
Probably the most commonly used weapon outside of a
firearm is a knife, and at the same time it is perhaps the
most misused weapon of all. More freedom fighters have
died through stupidity and lack of training than all the other
causes put together. Of course your enemy is going to
kick a knife from your hands if you extend it out in front
of you. Exactly the same situation with a handgun; a pistol
should always be kept at the hip and out of the possible
grasp of the enemy. An important factor in employing a
knife as a weapon is the grip which you will use. The best
over-all grip is as follows: Lay the knife handle diagonally
across the palm of your outstretched hand. Now, with your
thumb and forefinger grip each side of the handle, just
beneath the guard, but do not encircle it. With the rest of
your fingers grasp the remaining portion of the handle and
encircle it.
Figure 20. The correct grip for holding a knife.
82
This type of grip allows you to maneuver the knife in
most directions easily and quickly. The stance for a knife
fight is just as important as the grip on the knife itself.
You should get into a half crouch, feet spread shoulder
width apart, putting all your weight on the balls of your
feet. If you are right-handed, then your right foot should
be just behind the left. The knife should be held close to
the hip and out of the reach of the enemy.
When attacking with a knife, there are certain vulnerable
spots you should try for. These will result in death or
severe injury.
Throat: The throat is one of the most vulnerable spots
in the body and should be treated as such. Any person
who has the smallest idea of what’s going on will defend
his throat well. If you see an opening, or are able to manu-
facture one with your free hand, then there are two basic
forms of attack. If the enemy is overprotective about his
throat, do not pursue the issue, look for another point of
attack. In no circumstances risk your own balance for an
attack you may not be able to complete. The first type of
attack to the throat area is a straight upward thrust to the
hollow at the base of the neck, about an inch below the
Adam’s apple. This will cause immediate death, since the
thrust will sever the jugular vein. The second type of attack
is a slash movement to either side of the throat. This will
result in cutting the carotid artery, which carries blood to
the brain. A slash of this type will cause death in a few
seconds. Since the throat is so vulnerable, it will in most
cases be well defended. It is sometimes better to wound an
enemy in another spot first, so as to cause him confusion
and the dropping of his throat defenses.
Stomach: The stomach should be considered more of a
diversionary tactic, than a fatal end in itself. Although a
deep stomach wound will result in death if left unattended,
a great tactic is to employ a combined thrust and slash to
the stomach. This will result in confusion and fear. His
confusion may cause him to drop his throat defense and
try to protect the already-inflicted stomach wound.
Heart: The heart is another fatal spot to be considered in
your attack, but it should be noted that the heart is well
protected by the rib cage, and is pretty hard to hit. A sharp
thrust will usually slip off the rib cage and penetrate trie
heart. This will result in death instantly. This type of thrust
should incorporate an upward swing.
Wrist: This is an excellent place to consider, especially
if your enemy tries to grab for the knife, your arm, or a
piece of clothing. A slash to the inside of the wrist will cut
the radial artery, which is only a quarter inch below the
skin surface. With a severed radial artery, a man will lose
consciousness in about thirty seconds and die within two
minutes.
Upper arm: The upper arm is as vulnerable as the wrist,
in that a well-placed slash will sever the brachial artery and
cause death in about two minutes. A slash should be used
on the upper inside arm regions, since a thrust would give
you less of a chance of making the desired contact. If a
thrust is unsuccessful, it will tend to thro\y you off balance,
and leave you open to attack.
Inside upper leg: A slash combined with a thrust move-
ment directed to the inside of the leg just below the groin
will result in severing some very large arteries, and will
render the limb useless.
Kidneys: This type of attack can only be launched from
the rear of the enemy, and is especially effective for mis-
sions that require absolute silence. One should launch the
attack when he is about five feet from the back of the vic-
tim. Then, with one movement, he must simultaneously
thrust the knife deep into the kidneys and cover the vic-
tim’s mouth with his free hand. After a few seconds, he
should remove the knife, slashing as it is being retracted,
and then cut the victim’s throat. By the time his throat is
being cut. the victim should already be dead, but everything
must be insured.
Collar thrust: The subclavian artery is located about
three inches below the surface of the skin, between the
collar bone and the shoulder blade. When attacking this
point, you must come up from the enemy’s rear, holding
the knife as if it were an ice pick. You must thrust straight
down into the indentation by the side of the neck. A good
policy to follow when employing this form of attack is
to cover the victim’s mouth and nose, to avoid any un-
necessary noise. This artery is difficult to hit, so when
withdrawing the knife use a slashing motion, to make the
wound larger and insure that you have severed the artery.
Once it is severed, the enemy will die almost instantly.
There is nothing funny about killing a man, and these
methods are not a joke. They work, and are being used
today by the Army, Marines, and Special Forces, in South-
east Asia. When attacking or being attacked, remain as
calm as possible. Do not lose your head, through anger or
NATURAL, NONLETHAL, AND LETHAL WEAPONS / 83
few. A freedom fighter’s worst enemies are his emotions.
Watch your opponent’s actions, try to guess what his next
move will be, and prevent him from making it. I have no
patience with a man who agrees that he is threatened, but
refuses to protect himself, because he is disgusted with, or
afraid of, violence. Everyone feels fear, and the brave are
only those who can think logically and calmly about their
fear, placing it in its proper relation to the matter on hand.
The phrases “Dirty Fighter,” or “no hitting below the
belt,” are for children or sportsmen. Violence is a deadly
serious adult operation, with no room for second thoughts.
The act of silencing sentries is especially important when
involving oneself in a guerrilla struggle. This type of at-
tack will be used many times in ambushes or sabotage at-
tempts. The primary key to this type of attack is speed and
silence. Any of the above attacks, which are based on ap-
proaching the enemy from the rear, can be employed to
silence a sentry or guard by simply covering his nose and
mouth with your free hand, while thrusting the knife into
one of the fatal spots with the other. An interesting and ef-
fective method is to use the enemy’s weapon against him-
self. You approach the guard from behind, and simultan-
eously deliver a rabbit punch to the nape of his neck, and
grab the front of his helmet and pull sharply back. Now,
if his helmet is strapped on, this will cause his neck to
break, with instant unconsciousness, followed by death.
If his helmet is not strapped on, the chances are good that
your rabbit punch will render him unconscious, but, to
make sure, follow through with the free helmet and
crack his skull open with it. This operation can be per-
formed fast enough so that the guard will not have a chance
to cry for help.
Impromptu weapons
The main point in any hand-to-hand combat situation is
for the individual to assess the problem at hand and use
the operation he believes will result in the type of effect
desired. The training of any guerrilla should incorporate a
real balance between self-confidence and fear. Always re-
member that your enemy will know what he is doing, and
most of the time better than you do. For this reason it is
better to have an advantage to begin with, whether it be
a weapon, or just the element of surprise. A guerrilla fight-
er has to be the most ferocious fighter in the world; because
in the established legal terms, he has committed high trea-
son, and will not be taken prisoner. If a guerrilla is caught.
he must expect torture and death. This is one of the real
advantages in the liberation struggle.
In this section I have included several recipes for hand
weapons, which tend to be both semilethal and lethal.
There are also a couple of recipes for sabotage, which
didn’t fit into any other chapters.
One of the simplest and most effective weapons in this
class is the old-fashioned hatpin. It is about three to four
inches in length with a plastic knob on one end. It can be
purchased from almost any five-and-ten-cent store. This
can be used as a lethal silent weapon, as illustrated by the
following true story. A revolutionary group in Ireland was
being threatened by an informer, who had gone over to the
enemy. They knew that he had to be exterminated, for the
safety and morale of the entire band. He was heavily
guarded, but, through some surveillance work, they man-
aged to find out where he ate, the times of his meals, and
the number of guards. One day, while the informer was
eating, a member of the guerrilla force unknown to the in-
former entered the dining room and sat down next to him.
He ordered food so as to place the guards at ease, and then
ran a four-inch hatpin into the informer’s ear. The pin went
directly into his brain. He died instantaneously, soundless-
ly, and with what would appear to be a heart attack. The
assassin left the eating place, with impunity, as he had
propped the dead man up, and wandered back to his base
Old-fashioned hatpins are among the easiest weapons to
conceal.
When martial law is declared, all weapons, except those
that are well hidden, will be confiscated. Therefore, im-
promptu weapons must be created. This is a good recipe
for a hand-to-hand combat weapon which has proven ef-
fective at several demonstrations. All you need to make one
of these weapons is an empty beer or soda can and a
can opener. With the can opener fray the two ends of the
can outward, into a maze of jagged points. To put into
operation, tape the center section with electrical tape, to
form a good grip, and swing the can back and forth in
front of your adversary.
Knives are an essential tool as well as weapon for any
person aspiring to be a guerrilla. There are many types of
knives, and all have different purposes and uses. The knives
I am going to discuss will be those that can be employed
both as tools and weapons, with the maximum amount of
efficiency. The sheath or hunting knife is a primary tool
for any rural or urban guerrilla. The best types are the ones
designed for use by the military themselves. The knife
illustrated in Figure 23 is the Marine Corps combat knife,
which has a sturdy seven-inch blade, and a leather, grooved
handle for sure grip. The blade is covered with a water-
resistant substance, which prevents rusting or corrosion,
but doesn’t interfere with the use of the blade. This is one
of the best knives on the market.
Figure 23. Marine Corps combat knife.
Another extremely dependable knife is the Air Force
survival kit. This is more than just a knife, it is a kit, which
includes a five-inch blade with sawteeth on the back. It
has a heavy hexagon butt which can be used for a hammer,
and a grooved leather handle for sure grip. It comes with a
leather pouch which houses a sharpening stone. It is pic-
tured in Figure 24.
Figure 24. Air Force survival kit.
Another type of sheath knife is the throwing knife. This
is a great weapon, only if the person is trained with it. Do
not take the chance of using one of these without the skill
acquired by much practice. Another important disadvant-
age to the throwing knife is that it is just a throwing knife
and cannot be used for any other purposes because its
edges are generally pretty dull. If you have the skill and
know-how to throw knives, this can be a silent and deadly
weapon. These are relatively inexpensive, but need- to be
sharpened often.
Figure 25. Throwing knife.
Figure 25 depicts a typical inexpensive throwing knife;
it is ten inches long and perfectly balanced. It has a leather
handle, which insures a good grip in almost any situation.
Watch out for wooden handles for just that reason.
The three types of knives illustrated are about the best
for combat in either rural or urban environments. Bayon-
ets and machetes can and should be employed in rural
areas, but they are much too large for combat or tool use
in the cities. The knives discussed on the previous page are
available from almost any Army-Navy store without re-
strictions, except that in some areas they will ask you your
age.
Switchblades (spring-operated pocket knives) and stil-
ettos (also spring-operated pocket knives, except the blade
shoots straight out the handle) are effective in the sense
that they can be employed with great speed, but in my
mind their disadvantages override any effectiveness. First
of all there is no way to open them if the spring breaks, and
it seems that in a real emergency little things like springs
always break. The second disadvantage is in their size.
They are usually pretty small, but there are larger ones
which tend to be slower and much more prone to breakage.
Third, they are illegal, and who wants to go to jail for
carrying an ineffective weapon? There is a general rule
which applies to most tools and weapons; the fewer moving
parts the better the weapon.
An important factor with any weapon is the psycho-
logical effect it will have on the enemy. Therefore any type
of odd-shaped knife is a good weapon; the more brutal
looking the better. A curved carpet cutter is a good ex-
NATURAL, NONLETHAL, AND LETHAL WEAPONS / 85
ample of this. Although a straight razor falls into this
'classification, it is one of the worst weapons in the world.
A straight razor has no lock, and the blade can flip back
and cut off the holder’s fingers. Also stay away from gar-
bage like icepicks, car antennas, bicycle chains, and all the
rest of the street-gang bullshit. None of these weapons is
effective, and the chances are very good that your enemy
knows it.
Brass knuckles and clubs
There are several other weapons which are extremely
effective in hand-to-hand combat. The weapons I will dis-
cuss on the next couple of pages are in the club family.
Most of the ones illustrated and described are police
weapons, since the police have the most effective ones.
There is a very common misconception that clubs are not
lethal weapons. They are lethal in the sense that, if you
whack someone over the head with a club, the chances are
50-50 that his head will either crack or smush.
Brass knuckles are an extremely effective semilethal
weapon, for use in hand-to-hand combat. They are easy
to make, although they are also inexpensive, if you can
find them. They are illegal in most states. There are several
types of brass knuckles. The first and most common is
illustrated in Figure 26.
Figure 26. Brass knuckles.
It is nothing more than a metal bar, that can fit onto
the hand, connected with four ringlike holes for the fingers.
The other types include the Kelly Come Along (Figure 27)
Figure 27. Kelly Come-Along.
and sap gloves (Figure 28), which are nothing more than
a pair of leather gloves with a metal bar sewed into them,
either over the knuckles or palms.
In Figure 29, all the billies on the left are legal, in the
sense that a civilian may possess them. The flat slappers,
brass knuckles, sap gloves, and Kelly Come-Alongs are
illegal to all but police officers. The billies can be bought
without restriction at almost any Army-Navy store.
Cattle prod
Another great weapon against horse guards is what the
farmers call a cattle prod, and the police call a “mob-
control stick.” These are devices that look very similar to
a billie club, except at one end they have two rather long
prongs, which transmit a relatively low voltage shock. Al-
though the shock is low voltage, it’s enough to throw a
rider from his horse, or completely confuse an attacker, to
the point that he is helpless. These are available from
Continental Telephone Supply Co., 17 W. 46th St., New
York, New York, for under ten dollars. The police version
is illustrated in Figure 30.
eC : — n-J
V\
Figure 30. Mob-control stick.
Garrote
A weapon which is definitely considered lethal is the
garrote. This is an ultra-effective device for beheading
people. It incorporates all the facets which make up a great
weapon: speed, silence, simplicity, and deadliness. It is
constructed from two pieces of wood with a section of
piano wire attached.
Upon approach, the hands are raised, crossed as the
wire is brought forward, down, and over the head of the
enemy. Thus at the back of the head the wires are crossed
over and the left hand pulls to the left, and the right hand
to the right. This is an extremely deadly weapon.
Rosewood Billies
Hickory Billies
Flat Slapper
These so-called flat slappers
are leather billies, with a
spring just above the han-
dle. The head is leather-
covered lead.
Figure 29. Different types of billies and blackjacks.
NATURAL, NONLETHAL, AND LETHAL WEAPONS /
87
Figure 31. Garrote.
Guerrilla training
When discussing any type of weapon, the most import-
ant factor is not the acquisition of that weapon, but rather
its application. An example of this is present everyday in
any slum neighborhood. The gangs of young kids that run
around with their makeshift weapons could be one of the
most potentially dangerous forces in America, if they only
learned how to make full use of the weapons available to
them. Every great political leader and powerful tyrant has
realized the wealth of energy, courage, and blind cruelty in
the age group between 12 and 16 years old. These kids
aren’t scared, they have no concept of death, they love
excitement, and with training could make the best com-
mandos. Hitler used the young people of Germany in
“Hitler Youth,” a young terrorist organization that was
probably one of the most effective the world has even seen.
Mao also employs 13- and 14-year-olds in his Red Guard,
because they have not yet developed a conscience for their
actions. The development of this age group has begun in
the United States with polidcal involvement on a high
school and junior high school level, but, at the same time,
the energy present must not be drowned in dogma. It must
be channeled through education into specialized fields,
which will be necessary to the great change in store for
them.
Any moron can obtain weapons, but what he does with
these weapons is the factor which will determine the suc-
cess or failure of a particular operation. This is the major
cause of the failure of the Minute-Men. They have the
weapons, but not the training or the technical know-how,
to be effective with them. Nkrumah, in his book on revolu-
tionary warfare, basically outlines the types of training
a guerrilla fighter should have. He says that, before any
actual weapons or physical training begins, the recruit must
be educated in the justness and the reality of his cause. This
type of mental training, indoctrination, is very important,
but at the same time is not easily accomplished. The un-
trained recruit knows nothing of guerrilla warfare. All he
understands is the oppression, the lies, and the bullshit
that have been fed to him for so long. This is what the
revolutionary force cannot resort to. They must create for
the new recruits, as well as the older combat veterans, a
brotherhood of truth, without dogma, relying on human
passions, feelings, and the basic moral fiber of the indi-
viduals. It is impossible to explain Mao’s principles to a
14-year-old. For that reason, the educators of the revolu-
tion must get rid of the archaic terminology, and speak to
the people, rather than down to them.
Untrained individuals must be trained in shooting rifles,
pistols, and some small machine guns. This type of ballis-
tics training includes not only shooting accuracy and marks-
manship, but also safety measures, care and cleaning, and
actual combat application. While the physical and technical
training is going on, the educators must instill in the train-
ees a discipline. This discipline must be an internal self-
discipline for the survival of the group, in contrast to the
external mechanical type of discipline that they are fighting
against. The best type of training is actual combat with
a guerrilla band, so, as soon as an individual has progressed
far enough, he should be taken into combat, as an equal
member of the band. In the training of a fighter, an attempt
must be made to understand the common problems of the
men. The most common of these will be fear. This should
be talked about, and real attempts should be made at all
levels to understand it, although cowardliness must never
be tolerated.
There is an extremely effective method for sabotaging
trucks and other military vehicles. Two guerrillas stretch
a heavy duty cable across a highway diagonally. They must
pick a highway which is frequently used by the enemy. The
cable can be attached to trees or poles placed there, for that
purpose. Once the cable is pulled taut, the guerrillas must
paint it black so it won’t show up in the vehicle’s head-
lights. Now the guerrillas leave, insuring their safety. As
the vehicle hits the taut cable, it will slide down the cable
rather than breaking it, into a tree or well-placed mine.
x' Tree
Flow of Traffic
There are five basic methods of obtaining weaporis (fire-
arms). One can always purchase them. Although mail
order gun selling is now illegal, many states are very len-
ient on sale of weapons. Raiding arms depots is also very
effective, but should only be considered when the guerrilla
band already has enough weapons to sustain an attack of
this size. Disarming police or military personnel is a good
method. It also boosts the morale of the guerrilla troops.
One can attempt to make firearms himself, but this should
only be done if the individual has had prior training and
knows exactly what he’s doing. A faulty weapon endangers
the entire band. The cleverest and safest method of ob-
taining weapons is to post a guerrilla as a worker in a
munitions factory, and steal what is needed and leave the
other weapons so damaged that they are useless.
When discussing firearms, as with almost everything
else in this book, I feel obligated to caution the reader
against his own ignorance and carelessness. A gun is not a
toy. A gun is not a plaything. Treat your weapon with re-
spect, because the time may come when its proper use can
save your life. This will probably sound corny, if you have
not had experience with a gun. If you have had experience,
you know it’s true. A few rules for the use of a weapon:
1 . Treat your weapon as your most prized possession.
2. Clean it regularly.
3. Do not jokingly point a gun at anyone, including
your enemy.
4. Do not allow anyone but yourself to shoot your
weapon.
5. Understand your gun, to the point where it become^
an extension of yourself.
6. Take pride in your abilities in regard to shooting, but
in no circumstances boast about them.
7. The guerrilla organization has no use for cowboys or
hotshots.
8. In most situations, shoot to kill, but there are cir-
cumstances where a wounded man can cause more trouble
for your enemy than a dead man.
NATURAL, NONLETHAL, AND LETHAL WEAPONS /
89
Pistols and revolvers
Every man in a guerrilla band should have as part of his
basic equipment a handgun. The pistol or handgun, as with
all firearms, should be of a type for which ammunition and
parts are. readily available. Obsolete weapons should not
be used. For this reason, using the same type as your
enemy has great advantages. Do not get hung up with
strange weapons. Stick with the simple regulation-type pis-
tols and rifles. Do not use antiques.
There are basically three types of pistols, the difference
Figure 33. Browning high-power automatic pistol.
This is a sturdy 32-oz. gun, with a 13-shot magazine. It
includes both thumb and magazine safeties; therefore, a
shot cannot be fired without the magazine in place.
$108.50
being primarily in loading, and rapid fire. The type you
won’t have to worry about is the muzzle loaders. The other
two are the revolvers and automatic and semi-automatic
magazine-type pistols. Both have advantages and disad-
vantages.
The pistols listed below are there for several reasons:
They are used to a great degree by either the police or the
military, they are powerful enough to have fairly good stop-
ping power, their prices are not too outrageous, and spare
parts and ammunition are pretty easy to come by.
Figure 34. Smith & Wesson 9-mm. automatic pistol.
This is a smaller weapon weighing only 26 ozs., without
the magazine. It comes with an 8-shot magazine and fea-
tures hammer-release safety, short-recoil double action,
locked breech. And the slide locks open on the last shot.
$ 100.00
Figure 35. Colt Commander automatic pistol.
This is a .45 automatic that uses a 7-shot magazine,
weighs about 26 oz. It has good fire power and packs
plenty of punch. It has both a grip and thumb safety.
Priced about $115.00. Also available in Super automatic
.38.
90
Figure 36. Smith & Wesson combat masterpiece revolver.
This is an inexpensive .38-caliber special. It uses a 6-
shot cylinder and, loaded, weighs about 36 ozs. This is
an attractive weapon because of its efficiency and price.
$89.00. All prices quoted new, cut in half for used prices.
Figure 37. Charter Arms undercover .38 special.
This is a small (614"), light (16 oz.), revolver, with a
5-shot cylinder. It is available in 2"or 3" barrels, and
is a powerful little gun. It is excellent for undercover work,
where a weapon would have to be concealed. The most
attractive aspect about this little weapon is the price,
$75.00 new.
Figure 38. Colt official police revolver.
This is a heavy-duty (35-oz.), .38 special police wea-
pon, which has obvious advantages. The cylinder packs
six power punches, with good stopping power. If you are
unable to get one without paying for it, they usually run
about $110 new.
Figure 39. Llama Model VIII automatic pistol.
This pistol (either .38 or .45) has been manufactured
for law-enforcement officers and defense only. These are
not hunting guns. They are heavy-duty, hard-hitting, accu-
rate handguns. The .38 uses a 9-shot magazine, whereas
the .45 uses a 7-shot clip. These weapons have been pop-
ular in the past because of their many safety features. I
rate this weapon very well, and feel that it is in a class with
the Browning 9-mm. automatic. Priced $75.00 for .38, and
$78.95 for .45.
NATURAL, NONLETHAL, AND LETHAL WEAPONS /
91
Smith & Wesson as a company has manufactured as in California which beat the gun laws in an interesting man-
many military and police weapons as any other. Before you ner, for a while. They wore side arms in a holster at the
purchase a weapon, I would advise sending away for their hip when they rode. By wearing them in plain sight, they
catalogue. Smith & Wesson’s list of military and police conformed to the concealed weapons regulations. Need-
weapons is basically as follows: .38 Chiefs Special M-36 less to say, this scared the shit out of the cops, and not
priced $76^50, .38 Bodyguard M-37 priced $79.00, .38 many of the cyclists received speeding tickets until the law
Military and Police M-10 (either round or square butt) was changed.
priced $76.50, Military and Police .38 Special Airweight Small-arms (hand-guns) ammunition should be no
M-12 priced $79.00, .38 Combat Masterpiece M-15 problem if you have been reading this chapter straight
(either 2- or 4-inch barrel) priced $89.00, and the Highway through, and have picked out a weapon that has its bul-
Patrolman, a .357 magnum M-28 priced $98.00. lets readily available. The principles behind bullet projec-
Jt is a good policy to stay away from .22- and .25-caliber tion are different and should be noted. There are basically
weapons, as they do not have the stopping power necessary two priming methods for all small arms ballistics. The first
for most military operations. A .22 magnum pistol can ef- I will not discuss, as it is not used in the United States, and
fectively be employed at close range, for assassinations, but is generally considered not as safe as the boxer method,
is not generally advisable. The boxer primer is used for the most part throughout the
When purchasing any weapon second-hand, be very United States. It is manufactured in two parts, the primer
careful and inspect the weapon thoroughly, since if it separately from the cartridge case and then inserted into it
does explode, it will be your face or hands that it blows to as a unit.
pieces. Also place equal importance on the security of the The boxer primer consists of a small anvil and the ig-
individual selling the weapon, as many states have strict niting charge. When the primer cup is struck, it is indented
laws governing firearms, especially handguns. and the igniting charge is compressed between the cup and
Although some of the easiest handguns to come by are the anvil. The flame that results passes through the anvil
foreign military weapons, I would suggest the same care in and through the vent which leads to the interior of the case,
picking out a foreign weapon as you would employ when and ignites the main powder charge,
purchasing a used weapon. There was a motorcycle band
Primer Cup
Figure 40. Boxer primer.
There are several different types of slugs for each caliber
weapon. The primary difference is in the shape of the nose
of the slug (i.e., round nose, flat point, spire point, soft
point, etc.). The dum-dum bullet is illegal, but many com-
panies have attempted to incorporate some of the dum-
dum’s characteristics without going to the point of becom-
ing illegal themselves. The dum-dum is nothing more than
a slug with a groove or cross filed on its nose. This is done
so that the bullet will literally explode within the body
of the victim. An interesting experiment with a dum-dum
is to fire one at relatively close range at an old phone book.
The front of the book will show a hole about the size of a
quarter, whereas the back will be blown completely off
and shredded into thousands of pieces. If the texture of a
phone book is comparable to the texture of the h um an
body, then you are able to project the impact of this type of
bullet.
It is easy to pick up a weapon and in a short while be-
come a reasonably good shot. This makes it extremely easy
for the virtually untrained individual to come to believe
that he is an expert in ballistics. False confidence is as great
a fault as no confidence at all. In the training of any free-
dom fighters there must be a merger of fearlessness and
intelligent caution. A dead man has no use for confidence
or courage.
Figure 4 1 . Snap holster.
Holsters
There are many types of holsters for these handguns.
Each is designed with an individual purpose in mind. A
good holster has to have three basic considerations: safety
of the gun within the holster, security against loss of the
gun, and speed in which the gun can be drawn into action.
The holsters pictured below try to incorporate these three
facets. I would warn against holsters with devices for quick
draw. Devices always fail when you need them most.
This is an excellent type of fast-draw holster. Many
police and military installations have started using them.
They have a small screw which places tension on the gun,
making it impossible to fall out. $5.50
Figure 42. Spring holster.
This type has a leather strap which goes over the gun it-
self to insure the security of the weapon. At the same time
it slows down the act of drawing out the weapon, but not
to the degree that it makes much of a difference. Priced at
about $5.00
Figure 43. Spring shoulder holster.
This works basically on the same principle of a tension
screw as did the holster before. This holster is designed to
hang straight down, without interfering with arm move-
ment. It will be invisible under a coat. Priced at about
$15.00
NATURAL, NONLETHAL, AND LETHAL WEAPONS
/ 93
Figure 44. Closed-end quick-draw holster.
This is probably the fastest type, which offers a metal
plate that keeps the butt of the gun away from the body,
and within quick grasp. A sturdy holster that usually runs
about $16.00
Rifles
Rifles should be acquired by the same five methods as
those recommended for hand weapons. Most of the safety
principles that apply to pistols also apply to rifles, with
the exception that rifles are much more important to the
success of any guerrilla operation, because of their power-
ful nature. Although pistols are extremely handy at close
range and for self-defense, they become almost useless over
longer distances, or when applied to almost any military
operation. Every person, whether in wartime or not, should
keep a pistol and a rifle in his house at all times. If a per-
son is not going to protect himself, and wishes the govern-
ment to do it for him, how can he complain when the gov-
ernment decides to protect itself against him, and executes
him? As perverted as man’s senses are, he must refer back
to the basic laws of nature, and animal survival. This in it-
self should show cause enough for every family to own a
weapon with which it can protect itself. One of the greatest
myths of all time is that so-called civilized man is no longer
an animal, and for that reason can strive to disarm himself
and grow fat with false concepts. He has used some sort of
warped logic and agreed to hand over his security to a
bunch of power-hungry individuals, who will use this se-
curity and the helpless individual to any extent they wish.
A true man, in the real sense of the word, is like a wild
animal, in that his freedom, and the freedom of his family,
is based on one factor: his ability to protect himself and his
family from outside restrictions. It has got to the point in
this country where men believe they are men, just because
of their birthright. If that is true, then, by the same logic,
an animal held captive in a zoo is still a wild free beast. A
male must make himself a man, he must enable himself
to stand up on two legs, unafraid because he has confidence
in his own security and in his own power. There is no place
for emotionally or politically cuckolded people in the so-
ciety I speak of. Survival of the fittest. If we must have vio-
lence, then let it be real violence, let it be for survival, and
not halfway around the world for “ideals.”
Emasculation, if allowed to take place, can lower a man
or woman to the state of a domesticated, well-trained ani-
mal: performing tricks, begging for food, and relying total-
ly on an outside force for his right to survive. If a man
doesn’t understand weapons and is frightened of them, his
friends should teach him about them. They should not be
condescending, but rather understanding; for the fault is
not his, it is just a lie he has been made to believe.
A revolution, peaceful or violent, or any form of change,
is a gamble, and should be treated as such. I have never
heard of a real gambler placing a bet if he didn’t feel that
the odds were in his favor. How can a man face life without
any odds in his favor? Governments have created popular
lies to break the spirit of real men, to render them help-
less, useless little creatures, to be manipulated like chess
pieces. The government has cleverly perverted the indi-
vidual’s concept of human dignity to its own use. Where-
as once true human dignity stemmed from self-sufficiency
and the sanctity of the human spirit, it is now measured in
materials — how much a man makes, what he can afford,
how much credit can he get, where he lives, and who he
knows. If a man is to be a man, a free spirit unto himself,
he must arm himself not only with weapons but with ideals
and concepts he is willing to fight and die for. An animal
will risk its life to preserve the life of its young. Human
beings have been so warped that they will think twice about
this primary reaction.
The rifles described below are good in the same senses
as the pistols were: availability of ammunition and parts,
power, and ability to be transported over long distances.
Lee-Enfield No. 1 and No. 4 .303-caliber bolt-action
rifle: This is one of the best low-priced rifles. It features
safety devices and other advantages that few bolt-action
rifles can match. It is fast, simple, and very reliable. It was
used by the military in both World War I and II. For the
rifle (used) and about 1,000 rounds of ammo you will pay
about $75.00.
Figure 45. Browning high-power rifle. This bolt-action
rifle has standard mauser action and comes in 222, 243,
270, 284, 30-06, and 308 calibers. The 30-06 is a powerful
lightweight weapon, has 6-shot clip, and sells for $300.00.
Figure 46. H & R Model 301 ultra bolt-action carbine.
This is a cheaper cousin to the one above. It also has
mauser action, an adjustable trigger, sliding safety, and
comes in .243 Win., .270 Win., 30-06 and .308 Win-
chester. Magazine capacity is about five rounds for all cali-
bers, and price runs about $145.00 new.
rounds for any of the mentioned calibers. Priced about
$230.
an inexpensive rifle, which comes in 222 Rem., 22-250
Rem., 6 mm. Rem., 243 Win., 308 Win., 44 mag., and
30-30 Winchester. The only real disadvantage is that the
clip capacity for any of the higher-caliber weapons is only
three rounds. The price new is only $90.00.
NATURAL, NONLETHAL, AND LETHAL WEAPONS /
95
A bolt-action rifle requires less maintenance and makes
a better, sniping weapon than do most other types. About
$100 should buy you a weapon (used) and 1,000 rounds
of ammo. The bolt-action weapons listed below are military
and can be picked up second-hand with considerable sav-
ings, but, as with purchasing anything second-hand, ex-
treme caution should be taken.
1903 Springfield bolt-action 30-06 or mauser 98 bolt
action: These are extremely accurate with excellent bal-
listics. With 1,000 rounds cost should be no more than
$ 100 .
Mossberg Model 800 (nonmilitary) bolt-action rifle:
Comes in three calibers, .308 Win., .243 Win., and .22-250
Rem., each having a five-shot magazine capacity. New, this
rifle costs abdfit $105.50.
Savage 110 E Bolt-Action Rifle (nonmilitary): Stand-
ard 30-06, 243, and 308-caliber rifles, with 5-shot maga-
zines (4 shot clip with one shot in chamber). A good
heavy-duty weapon costs $110.00 new. (Savage have a
good line of medium-priced bolt-action weapons. Send for
catalogue. )
Smith & Wesson Bolt- Action Rifles: Smith & Wesson
have five bolt-action models; all models are available in
standard calibers (270, 30-06, 308, and 243). They all
have 5-shot magazines and run from $200 upward.
Sears 53 B A R: Available in same standard calibers as
above with 5-shot magazine (nonmilitary). New runs about
$119.99.
Although bolt-action rifles require less maintenance than
most others, I have listed here a few types of lever-action
weapons. All of these are pretty sturdy and inexpensive,
and might be used interchangeably with a bolt-action wea-
pon. I still recommend bolt action for over-all general use.
Marlin Lever Action ( Model-3 66-T) Carbine: Straight
from the Old West, this is a fast 7-shot repeater. It is only
available in 30/30 Winchester. The price is about $100
new.
Figure 49. Marlin 62 Levermatic Rifle: This is a cheap
but effective lever-action weapon which comes in either
of two calibers: .30 U.S. Carbine or 256 Magnum. It has
a 4-shot clip, open sights, and a positive safety. Priced new
at $75.00.
The Savage Model 99 lever-action rifle: Savage offers
a pretty good line of lever-action high-powered rifles. This
model is an inexpensive one featuring all the standard cali-
bers, and a 5-shot clip. Priced new at about $50.00.
Winchester also offers a pretty good line of lever-action
rifles, but it seems that they may be hung up with trying to
create replicas of Wild West guns, rather than effective
weapons. The model-94 is an effective, fast-action, 30/30
Win., which holds 6 cartridges and sells for $100.
Semi-automatic and automatic weapons
Listed and pictured below are some effective U.S.-made
military and civilian semi-automatic and automatic wea-
pons. These are important to any successful guerrilla move-
ment and should not be overlooked, even though there are
restrictions on them in various locations.
Figure 50. Universal Enforcer automatic carbine.
Universal Enforcer Automatic Carbine (handgun):
Well, this is a strange one, but it looks pretty good. It is a
30 Ml carbine, which can be used with either a 5-, 15-, or
30-shot mag. It weighs around 5 pounds and is priced at
about $130.00.
Armalite Ar-180 Carbine: This is a semi-automatic car-
bine. It is gas-operated and is .223 cal. It uses 5-round
magazines, and is designed with good safety features. It
sells for about $237.00 including two magazines.
Figure 51. Armalite Ar-180 carbine.
Browning High-Power Automatic Rifle: This is a semi-
automatic, gas-operated rifle, which comes in .270, .308,
.243 Winchester, and 30.06 calibers. It has a detachable
five-shot trap door magazine, and adjustable rear sights. It
sells new for about $175.00.
Figure 52. Browning high-power automatic rifle.
Eagle “Apache” Carbine: This is a semi-automatic re-
coil rifle, that uses 45 ACP cartridges in a 30-shot maga-
zine. Lightweight (9 lbs.) rifle with only four moving parts.
Sells for about $130.
Figure 53. Eagle “Apache” carbine.
Harrington and Richardson 360 Ultra-automatic: This
is a four-shot, gas-operated semi-automatic rifle available
in 243 and 308 calibers. This rifle is equipped with a slid-
ing trigger guard safety and a recoil pad, and sells for about
$190.00.
Figure 54. Harrington and Richardson 360 ultra-automatic.
J & R 68 Semi-Automatic Carbine: This recoil-operated
carbine fires from a closed bolt. It is 9 mm. parabellum,
which operates from a 30-shot staggered box magazine.
Ultra lightweight (7 lbs.) carbine sells new for $150.00.
Disadvantage — Plastic stock.
Figure 55. J & R 68 semi-automatic carbine.
Remington 742 Woodmaster: Gas-operated rifle, 243
Win., 6 mm. Rem., 280 Rem., 308 Win., and 30-06, with
a 4-shot magazine, fully automatic. Gas operation reduces
recoil in the lightweight weapon (7 Vi lbs.). Sells new for
about $160.
Figure 56. Remington 742 Woodmaster.
NATURAL, NONLETHAL, AND LETHAL WEAPONS
/ 97
Plainfield Machine Co. Carbine: This is a newly manu-
factured, low-priced, lightweight, automatic rifle, which
gives the appearance of the popular G.I. model. It is a 30
cal. Ml carbine which is a great buy at $105.00 new.
Figure 57. Plainfield Machine Co. carbine.
Universal 1000 Auto-loading Carbine: This is a 30-cali-
ber Ml carbine jvhich is gas-operated and uses a five-shot
magazine. It weighs only five and a half pounds, and sells
for about $117.00 (uses 5-, 15-, 30-shot magazines).
Figure 58. Universal 1000 auto-loading carbine.
Winchester 100 Auto-loading Carbine: This gas-oper-
ated carbine with cam-rotating bolt, is available in 243,
284, and 308 calibers. It features a solid frame, side ejec-
tion, and a crossbolt safety. Sells for about $150.00.
Figure 59. Winchester 100 auto-loading carbine.
Figure 60. Ruger .44 magnum carbine.
Ruger .44 Magnum Carbine: This is an automatic car-
bine with a rotary 5- or 10-shot magazine. It features a
crossbolt safety and a hammer safety. It weighs only five
and three-quarter pounds and breaks down to 24". It sells
for $118.00.
Although I stated previously that foreign weapons could
bring on problems, in such areas as ammunition and re-
pairs, I have listed below a few extremely good foreign
semi-automatic and automatic weapons. Most of these
weapons can be bought secondhand, and in most cases I
have listed the average secondhand price.
G-3 Assault rifle: This is a West German weapon, semi-
automatic, with a 20-shot clip. The rifle and about 1 ,000
rounds of ammo should not cost more than $300.
The Colt AR-15: This is a rapid-fire close-range wea-
pon, holding 20 rounds of 5.56 mm. (223 Rem.). This is a
lightweight, very handy rifle. The rifle and 1,000 rounds
of ammo should not cost more than $275.00. The Colt
AR-15 and the G-3 are a great team together.
BM-59 Assault Rifle: This is a 7.26 NATO weapon,
based on the Ml Garand action. It has a 20-shot maga-
zine. The rifle and 1,000 rounds of ammo should not run
more than $250.00.
M-l Garand Rifle: This is a standard military weapon,
used in both World Wars and in Korea. It has semi-auto-
matic action and uses 30-06 ammo. Beware of all but ori-
ginal M-l’s. The rifle and 1,500 rounds of ammo in clips
should cost around $200.
M-l Carbine: This is also a military weapon, built for
strength and endurance. The rifle, 1,500 rounds of ammo,
plus 12 magazines of 15 rounds, plus 5 clips of 30 shots,
should not run over $150.00.
A M-l Garand rifle and a M-l Carbine make a good
team together.
Shotguns
Most individuals who live in the country can tell you the
advantages of owning a shotgun. The urban guerrilla, if
working by himself, should not be bothered with a shot-
gun, but get a pistol, which is much the better weapon.
When guerrilla action has progressed to the point where
cells have formed, and sabotage or ambush operations are
being carried out, then the band should acquire several
shotguns. A shotgun is a great weapon in many senses;
when sawed-off it is a small but extremely effective wea-
pon with a great deal of close range power, and it can
easily be transformed into any number of other weapons,
including brush cleaners and grenade launchers.
Converting a shotgun into a
grenade launcher
A 12- or 16-gauge shotgun is propped up with a set of
folding legs, so to form a tripod, with the butt of the gun
being the third leg, at about a 45 -degree angle. The angle
can be varied, for aiming, by moving the legs back and
forth. To build a grenade launcher, one must take an open
shell and remove all the shot. Once this is done, replace it
with a smooth cylindrical stick, which has been cut down
to a close fit. When the shell is loaded into the gun, the
stick should extend out of the muzzle of the gun. To the
extended portion, a flat rubber base should be fixed and a
“Molotov Cocktail” placed on it. This will send the burning
bottles over a hundred yards with a good deal of accuracy.
This is a good weapon for encirclement.
A “Molotov Cocktail” is a bottle filled with a flammable
liquid such as gasoline, mixed with oil or soap powder
to thicken it. A fuse, usually a rag soaked in gasoline,
is attached to the cork, lit, and thrown. The bottle breaks
on contact with another hard object, and the gasoline ig-
nites, causing a burst of flame. These were used with a
great degree of success in Hungary, against things as big as
tanks.
The shotgun is where you can save some money, for as
a general rule shotguns tend to be cheaper than rifles. The
Sears Model 200 is an adequate, well-balanced, medium-
priced weapon, with all the basic safety features necessary.
A 20-gauge usually runs about $85.00 new. Since shotguns
are not military weapons, your local sporting goods dealer
will have good information about them, as long as you
aren’t black, Spanish, or a white freak.
Silencers
As almost everyone knows, silencers are illegal in vir-
tually all the countries of the world, but then a true revolu-
tionary believes that the government in power is illegal so,
following that logic, I see no reason that he should feel
restricted by laws made by an illegal body. More important
than rationalizing illegalities are the precautions necessary
when using illegal weapons. Silencers are very handy for
snipers and night sabotage work, where the success of the
entire mission relies on silence. There are many types of
improvised silencers, which I will go into later in this sec-
tion. A firearm silencer is defined legally as “any device for
diminishing the explosive report of a portable weapon.”
NATURAL, NONLETHAL, AND LETHAL WEAPONS
/
99
The really curious aspect of most legalities is the man-
ner in which they are enforced. If you are arrested for pos-
session of an illegal silencer (felony) you face charges not
by the FBI, but rather by the Tobacco and Alcohol Divi-
sion of the Internal Revenue Service, which is pretty
strange.
The principles of firearm silencers differ to some degree
with the type of weapon and the type of silencer used, but
basically the compressed gas principle is the same. The
silencer is constructed with an expansion chamber which
will contain and distribute the compressed gas which fol-
lows the bullet. In most weapons, the gas escaping com-
pression is what creates the explosive report. This contain-
ment and distribution are attained by using a series of baf-
fles, coupled with absorbent material so to break up the
high pressure. The sound of most low-caliber weapons
(.22, .25, .32, etc.) comes directly from this gas under high
pressure. However, in larger weapons with a higher caliber,
the noisy gas is joined by another noise, that being a sonic
boom. Any projectile that moves faster than 1,100 feet per
second will experience a sonic boom. There have been de-
vices created which will not only take care of the com-
pressed gas, but will also reduce the speed of the bullet to a
subsonic level, thus getting rid of the boom. This reduc-
tion in speed is made through several different methods.
One which has been proven effective is drilling holes in the
gun barrel, to bleed the weapon of some of its power. An-
other method (which is a great deal safer, as drilling a hole
can ruin a gun completely) is simply to handload the car-
tridges to a lower velocity. The last method for reducing a
100 /
projectile to a subsonic level is to force it to pass through
semi-solid material. This should be accomplished with ut-
most care and skill.
The recent popularity of spy movies has given silencers
a great deal of credit which is not due them. Since the Na-
tional Firearms Act of 1934, there has been no civilian ex-
perimentation with silencers, so the type of silencers which
are in illegal use today are basically the same ones that
were used in the 30’s. This in itself offers some major dis-
advantages, in that these devices are large and clumsy. The
types of silencers used by James Bond and other super-
spies are physical impossibilities, just because of their size.
There are other disadvantages to silencers which make
them impractical for use on certain weapons; for example,
the luger pistol operates on a recoil principle, and by plac-
ing a heavy silencer on the end of the barrel, you will cause
the gun to malfunction, as the barrel will be too heavy to
recoil. Another example of the impracticalities of certain
silencers is the case of gas-operated weapons, where the
barrel is drilled full of holes, or shortened to release the
compressed gas. What may happen is that the gas will
ease out under little or no pressure and the shot will not be
fired.
How to build a silencer for a pistol
If one were to employ a silencer on an automatic wea-
pon, he should be especially careful, since the absorbent
material used is not manufactured to withstand the heat of a
steady blast from an automatic weapon. All of these fac-
tors should be taken into consideration before attempting
to build a device of this nature.
Following are illustrations and descriptions of a few
basic firearm silencers, but I must repeat the necessity for
caution, not only because of possible legal reprisals, but
also because, if you do not know what you are doing, the
chances are extremely great that you will blow your head
off.
In Figure 62 is shown an autoloading military issue .22
caliber pistol. The barrel casing has been removed, and
the barrel has been turned down to its minimum thickness.
Four rows of eleven holes have been drilled to permit the
compressed gases to bleed out, so making this a silent, sub-
sonic weapon. To complete the building of this silencer, all
one would have to do is wrap several layers of wire screen-
t
ing around the barrel and cover with an outer metal casing
which would extend longer than the barrel itself. This sec-
tion in front of the barrel is packed with washers stamped
out of the same wire screen, and finally capped with a
screw-on metal washer. This silencer will make a .22 sound
like a BB gun.
On the next two pages I have illustrated an extremely
simple silencer, which can be used both with automatic
weapons and semi-automatic weapons. “A” is a Thomp-
son Submachine Gun with the silencer attached, and “C” is
the M-3 Submachine Gun with the silencer attached. “B” b
a cross-section view of the Thompson silencer, which also
applies to the M-3.
e««c«o«oeoo
Figure 62. Silencer for pistol,
Figure 64. Cross-section view of Thompson submachine-
gun silencer.
102 /
Figure 65. M-3 submachine gun with silencer.
NATURAL, NONLETHAL, AND LETHAL WEAPONS /
103
In diagram “B,” you can see that the silencer functions
with a great similarity to the auto-loading .22 silencer in
Figure 62. It is constructed with, two tubes — a large rear
one and a smaller front one, which join in the middle with
an adapter. The larger rear tube encases the barrel, which
has four rows of four holes drilled in it. Surrounding the
barrel are several layers of bronze screening and then the
large metal tube. The smaller connecting front tube houses
250 of the screen-type washers, with a screw-on cap at the
end to keep the washers in place. The washers must have
their holes large enough and in direct line with each other,
so that the bullet can pass through without touching any
of them. As a general rule for the construction of firearm
silencers, one could say that it is unadvisable to bring the
bullet into contact with the silencer itself. However, certain
supersonic silencers do require this. The type of silencer
works well, since it is used with weapons that employ .45
acp, which is subsonic and doesn’t need to be reduced in
velocity.
Most states have pretty strict regulations about the pos-
session of machine guns — even small ones — so you had
better check all the angles, before screwing yourself into
jail.
How to build a silencer for a
submachine gun
The Viet Cong have adapted this type of submachine-
gun silencer for their combat situation and, in doing so,
have made it much more effective and simple to build. The
first and larger tube (160 mm. long and 40 mm. in dia-
meter) is filled with bronze screening the same as pictured
in Figure 63, except they have added oil-soaked cotton,
and then attached it to the gun barrel. This oil-soaked cot-
ton acts as a cooling agent, which is very important to
consider when dealing with automatic weapons in a combat
situation. The second smaller tube (170 mm. long and 30
mm. in diameter) is stuffed with a roll of bronze screening,
which is much simpler than washers. The silencer is about
70 per cent effective, meaning that it cannot be heard over
a distance of 300 to 400 yards, which is a fantastic ad-
vantage for the guerrilla fighter.
There are many claims for improvised silencers. At
this point I have not had the chance to experiment with,
or try, any of these, but many of them sound as if they
should have some degree of validity.
1. Take a section of metal tubing and fill it with bottle
caps, which have an “X” cut in the center of each and the
flaps bent back, so as to form a small triangular passage-
way for the bullet.
2. A rubber nursing bottle nipple with an “X” slit in the
top of the nipple, then placed over the end of the barrel,
reportedly reduces the sound of the shot, but this type is
only good for one shot.
3. One effective silencer was made from a row of wash-
ers attached to a welding rod and fitted with an outside
casing.
4. It has been said that a balloon strung over an egg-
beater-type wire frame was good for one shot.
Bows and arrows
A bow and arrow has been proven to be an effective
weapon even today, with all our supertechnology. The
great advantage to the bow and arrow is silence. One can
snipe without being seen or heard. A long or so-called
straight bow is large and bulky. Therefore, I recommend a
crossbow if you are to use any. A crossbow can be pur-
chased through a sporting goods store or through mail
order, even though crossbows are illegal for hunting in
many states. A crossbow is not a toy. It is a deadly wea-
pon and should command the same respect as a firearm.
Always unstring your bow after use. If it is a wooden bow,
keep it in a dry place to prevent warpage. Check all arrows
and bolts before purchasing them for warpage. This can be
done by “sighting them.” This entails looking down from
the feathered end to the tip, watching for any curvature
that might exist.
The crossbow illustrated in Figure 66 is a good one, al-
though there are more powerful ones. It is capable of going
almost completely through a large telephone book at 25
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yards. One word of caution about a bow and arrow set,
and that is that you must practice carefully before attempt-
ing to use it as a weapon. Archery is a skill that is learned,
and it is much harder than riflery. Although you don’t have
to worry about recoil with a bow, you do have to worry
about the insides of your wrists. 1 have seen a guy take all
the skin off the inside of his arm with a careless shot.
Fiberglass is better than wood, as it doesn’t warp. Get
a bow with over 50 pounds pull, as anything less is for tar-
get practice. The arrows or bolts themselves have many
different points. Stick with a hunting tip.
Chemicals and gases
1 saw the corpse of my daughter Annie incinerated, and
her sexual organs squandered and divided after her
death by the Police of France.
Antonin Artaud, Artaud Anthology
The most simple chemical agent is either common pep-
per or mustard powder. Both work pretty well at close
range. If they are thrown into the eyes, or inhaled through
the nose, they will cause confusion, temporary blindness,
and an extreme burning sensation in the nasal passages.
The major disadvantage of pepper or mustard powder is
the manner in which they are projected. On the following
pages is a method to produce an effective tear gas, which
will act much more efficiently than either pepper or mus-
tard.
Many states have made tear gas illegal to possess, but a
form of pepper gas is still available in small penlike con-
tainers. These usually sell for under five dollars, and
work very well — especially in an enclosed area. A direct
spray from one of these devices will totally incapacitate a
person. They are available in most novelty stores, particu-
larly around Times Square in New York.
The development of tear gas was a long step forward
in the history of civilization.
Robert Reynolds (President of Federal Laboratories,
the world’s largest producer of tear gas)
I was just rereading a manual on non-lethal police wea-
pons for controlling mob action, and, just as every time
before, it blew my mind. The police are really uptight about
the recent rise in demonstrations and unrest. They have
spent incredible amounts of money developing all types
of weapons for control. They have a machine which can be
driven into a riot area and in a matter of minutes fill a
ten-block area, four feet deep, with a nontoxic colored
foam. The foam will prevent movement on the part of the
demonstrators, and the color will identify them later for the
arrests. The police have also developed an even more
frightening weapon. It consists of a truck with a loud-
speaker on the top which can be driven into the riot area.
A high-pitched sound, like a silent dog whistle, is broad-
cast from it. This high-pitched sound cannot be heard, but
it manages to jumble the brain and render the individual
helpless — unable to move or think. Although it’s not per-
manent, it’s still pretty frightening. The field in which these
police scientists have made the most headway is with
chemicals and gases. They have not stuck to non-toxic
chemicals, but are using gases that permanently maim peo-
ple. The redeeming feature is that these gases are not hard
to make, and are available to everyone, although their pos-
session is illegal in most states.
How to make tear gas in your basement
The method of making tear gas is so simple that anyone
can do it. The two things to remember are care and cau-
tion. You will need a certain amount of equipment but,
just like the chemicals, it is available from any hobby shop,
or home chemical supplier. If you don’t already own a gas
mask, go out and get one. They are sold at Army-Navy
stores for under ten dollars. Listed below are the materials
necessary:
1. Ring stand
2. Alcohol lamp
3. Flask (300-ml.)
4. Clamp
5. Rubber stopper
6. Glass tubing
7. Clamp holder
8. Rubber tubing
9. Condenser
10. Rubber tubing
1 1 . Ring stand
12. Cl amp and clamp
holder
13. Rubber tubing
14. Rubber tubing
15. Glass tubing
16. Rubber stopper
17. Collecting bottle
18. Glass tubing
19. Rubber tubing
20. Glass tubing
2 1 . Rubber tubing
22. Air trap bottle
23. Glass tubing
24. Rubber tubing
25. Glass tubing
26. Beaker (300-ml.)
Method for preparing tear gas:
1. Work in a garage, or outside if possible — not in the
kitchen.
2. Mix ten parts of glycerine with two parts of sodium
bisulfate, in flask (No. 3), and heat. Do not fill more than
NATURAL, NONLETHAL, AND LETHAL WEAPONS /
105
one-third of flask, as mixture froths when heated. When the
frothing begins, adjust heat.
3. As soon as you see no more tear gas being generated,
and solids beginning to be formed in the generating flask
(No. 3), or a brown residue in the tube (No. 6), remove
the heat source, with your gas mask on, and pour out the
residue in flask. You must pour this outside. Do not pour
down sink or toilet.
4. Remove collecting jar (No. 17) and stopper it quick-
ly. What you have collected here is tear gas.
5. Do not attempt to make more than three ounces at
one time.
6. Make sure all joints are tight.
Method to step up equipment:
1. Metal base ring stands (1 and 11) are placed on
working surface.
2. Clamp and clamp holder (4 and 7) are placed onto
ring stand ( 1 ) .
3. Clamp and clamp holder (12) are placed on ring
stand (11).
4. Generating flask (3) is placed in clamp (4).
5. Two pieces of rubber tubing (10 and 13) are con-
nected to condenser (9).
6. Condenser (9) is placed into clamp (12).
7. Segment of glass tubing (6) is placed in rubber stop-
per (5).
8. Segments of glass tubing (15 and 18) are put into
rubber stopper (16).
9. Segments of glass tubing (20 and 23) are put into
rubber stopper (21).
10. Rubber stopper (5) is put into the mouth of the
generating flask (3).
11. Rubber stopper (16) is put into mouth of collecting
bottle (17).
12. Rubber stopper (21) is put into mouth of air trap
bottle (22).
13. Connect glass tubing (6) with condenser (9) and
with rubber tubing (8).
14. Connect condenser (9) with glass tubing (15) and
with rubber tubing (14).
15. Connect glass tubing (18) with glass tubing (20)
and rubber tubing (19).
16. Connect glass tubing (23) with glass tubing (24)
and with rubber tubing (24).
17. Connect rubber tubing (13) to a faucet.
18. Put end of rubber tubing ( 10) into a sink or drain.
19. Fill beaker (26) three-quarters full of water, and
place glass tubing (25) in the water.
20. Put ingredients into generating flask ( 3 ) .
2 1 . Turn on water to rubber tubing (13).
22. Light wick on alcohol heater (2) and place under
generating flask (3).
The best method for putting tear gas into operation is
to place it under pressure in a glass vial or bottle. Then
throw the bottle at the target you have in mind. The glass
will break on contact and allow the tear gas to escape.
Other successful methods have been proven, including
compressing in an atomizer, aerosol can, or seltzer bottles
and the like.
Defense and medical treatment for gases
The problem with gas (offensively) is that it is so easy
to defend against, and chances are very good that the peo-
ple you intend to use it against are prepared for it. At this
point in the struggle, any urban or rural guerrilla should
have a gas mask. Everyone should understand the simple
procedures for the treatment of a gas victim. Everyone
should be able to identify the type of gas being used against
him, so as to determine the type of treatment, and the seri-
ousness of the situation. These factors I will go into on
the next few pages.
There are five different types of gases used by the
police at this point, and the effective forms of defense vary.
A defense for one may cause more severe effects when
used against another. Such is the case with vaseline. Vase-
line works well against mace, since mace is a liquid, but it
causes gases to adhere to the skin and thus results in more
serious burns.
Police have been using canisters that do not explode on
contact with the ground, but rather when picked up after
the initial impact. This causes the gas to explode directly in
the individual’s face. Whereas a rubber gas mask is good
protection against most types of gases, it is ineffective and
Figure 67 . Equipment set up for preparing tear gas.
NATURAL, NONLETHAL, AND LETHAL WEAPONS /
107
even dangerous if worn when nausea gas has been used.
Wet paper towels and surgical masks can be used to ease
breathing problems but are also ineffective against nausea
gas. So the most important consideration before treating a
gas or chemical victim is to determine the type of gas or
chemical used.
CS tear gas: This gas is dispensed in various-sized can-
isters, plastic grenades, and fog machines, and can be
sprayed over an entire area from a helicopter. When you
are hit with this type of gas, you will suffer coughing, run-
ning nose and eyes, burning of the eyes, a reddening of the
exposed area, nausea, and in some cases dizziness. To re-
lieve the burning and running eyes, wash them out with
one part boric acid and three parts water. If boric acid is
not available, use normal tap water. Standard eye drops
can be used effectively. The next step in the treatment of
CS gas is to get the actual gas off your skin. This can be
accomplished by applying mineral oil to the exposed por-
tions of your skin. If mineral oil is unavailable, use water,
but directly after you have applied the water, wipe the en-
tire exposed area, except eyes, with alcohol. This will re-
lieve the sting by substituting a cooling sensation. If the al-
cohol is not applied, the stinging and burning may last up
to two hours, whereas the alcohol will cut the time down to
a matter of minutes. A gas mask, or wet cloth or paper
towel, can effectively be used against this form of gas.
CN gas: This is basically the same as CS gas, but a much
milder form. It comes in the same type of container and has
the same type of effect, but it is not quite as unpleasant.
The treatment is just washing the exposed portions with
water. In most cases, the mineral oil and alcohol will not
be necessary.
Nausea gas: This is an extremely dangerous gas, as it
is colorless and odorless. It does not affect the tear ducts,
so chances are great that a person will not even know it has
been used until it’s too late. It comes in the same type of
containers as the CS and CN gas do. The effect this gas
has is pretty bad. I’ve never been hit with this stuff myself,
but I have spoken to some friends from the army, who
have. They told me that nausea gas is the worst there is. A
person exposed to it vomits instantly on inhalation, but it
is not a normal form of vomiting. It is a result of a muscle
contraction and is referred to as projective vomiting. Pro-
jective vomiting is the ejection of the contents of the stom-
ach over several feet. This can result in the ripping of the
stomach or throat lining. As well as vomiting, the person
experiences instant diarrhea. These are pretty disgusting
symptoms, but on top of these the individual also loses the
normal balance of his mind. He may find it extremely diffi-
cult to perform normal functions, such as walking or run-
ning. If a person has respiratory difficulties, he should be
taken to a doctor immediately. There isn’t much you can
do about nausea gas yourself, except wait for the symp-
toms to go away. If the symptoms do not disappear or be-
come more pronounced, get to a doctor. There is no pro-
tection against this type of gas. Gas masks, if worn, should
be taken off as soon as you realize that it is nausea gas, as
you might choke on your own vomit. The only effective
protection is just running like hell, and getting out of the
area. Because there is no effective form of protection
against nausea gas, its use is somewhat limited; since not
even the president can order the wind around.
Blister gas: This is even more strange and frightening
than nausea gas but, thank God, it is a great deal rarer. I
have had no experience with this form, but, from what I
can gather, it is pretty foul. It causes blisters on the ex-
posed portions of skin: They may come up in minutes after
the initial exposure or they can take up to several days
to appear. This type of gas does not affect the eyes or
throat, so it may be difficult to know whether the gas is
being used. The only protection against it is to cover up
all portions of skin. This may include gloves, hats, band-
ages, long pants, etc. (girls should never wear skirts to
demonstrations). The treatment for blisters is applying
mineral oil and keeping the blistered area from the air. Try
to get to a medic or doctor immediately. Anyone blistered
should keep off the streets, as the cops or military will be
able to identify anyone with blisters.
Mace: Mace is a liquid rather than a gas, and is used
more on a person-to-person basis than in crowd control. It
is made up of 10 percent CS gas, 70 percent a propellant
agent (sodium bicarbonate), and 20 percent kerosene.
The kerosene is the agent ingredient that causes the severe
burning sensations. If you have been hit with mace, you
know exactly what I am talking about. It feels as if you’re
thrown into a blast furnace, while your eyeballs are ex-
tracted from their sockets and submerged in a concentrated
solution of sulfuric acid. The pain that mace causes is in-
tense, and this in turn causes the breakdown of normal
physical and mental functions, such as running. If you
108 /
are sprayed in the mouth, it may lead to uncontrolled con-
vulsions. The treatment for a mace victim is as follows:
Wash out his eyes with the same boric acid solution de-
scribed in the section on CS gas, wash all exposed portions
of his body with water, then apply rubbing alcohol to di-
lute the kerosene and relieve the burning. The combination
of ski goggles and a thin layer of vaseline covering the face
has proven to work pretty well. The vaseline must be wiped
off immediately after exposure.
The thing to remember is that all these gases and chem-
icals have been developed for use against Americans. The
military isn’t using mace in Vietnam, but mace is being
used in Watts and Harlem. Millions of dollars are being
spent every year to find new ways to control the people
who supposedly control the government.
Figures 68 and 69 illustrate different forms of darts.
These could be extremely effective for the guerrilla fighter,
as they can be fired from an air gun with little or no sound.
Figure 68 is especially interesting, as it shows the complete
construction of a rapid injection dart, with a special com-
partment for the “drug of your choice.”
There is an old saying that “ignorance is no excuse.”
Well, at this point one could take it a step further and sa>
ignorance can be fatal. A young person today must have
the technology and the know-how. Never before have self-
sufficiency and education been so important, and they are
virtually inseparable from survival.
NATURAL, NONLETHAL, AND LETHAL WEAPONS /
Figure 68. Darts for rapid injection.
no
DYE MARKER DART
This dart is loaded with a nontoxic uranine dye — a
bright yellow fluorescent color. It can be loaded with vari-
ous liquids such as special stench liquids or vomit inducers.
The uses of such a projectile are to mark or identify in-
dividuals in a crowd where contact and arrest are imprac-
tical. It has the effect of destroying anonymity.
HYPODERMIC SYRINGE PROJECTILE
Hypodermic syringes in dart form for animal control.
This projectile can accurately deliver and inject a lcc dose
into unapproachable animals.
Pressurized ampules are available for loading by veterin-
arians. The serum is injected by compressed air behind a
piston after the needle has come to rest in flesh. The dart’s
accuracy is a considerable factor in its usefulness.
TRAINING DART
This projectile is provided in similar weight and balance
to the various “line” darts to give a similar trajectory pat-
tern so that the trainee can get the feel of the gun without
expending expensive rounds. It can be fired indefinitely at
“soft” targets — a mat or pad is suggested as a backstop
for training.
TEAR GAS DART
This dart is designed to carry 2.5 cc. of liquid tear gas
that covers an area of 12 to 15" in diameter. It has a safety
spring clip. The clip is withdrawn on loading, making the til l|Af
projectile ready for firing.
The tear.gas is extremely effective when applied to the
person even if the hit is not in the direct area of the eyes.
It’s practical to shoot at ranges from 10 to 50 yards.
\
Figure 69. Police projectiles
chapter four: Explosives
and Booby Traps
/
111
This chapter is going to kill and maim more people than
all the rest put together, because people just refuse to take
things seriously. The formulas and recipes in here are
real, they can be made by almost anyone, and they can be
performed in the kitchen. I offer a serious note of caution.
The people in the house on 11th Street (killed in New
York City early in 1970 in an explosion caused by bombs
they were making) did not know what they were doing.
Not only did they kill themselves, but also some innocent
people. Ignorance thus not only becomes fatal and inex-
cusable, but also criminal. If you are not absolutely sure
of what you are doing, do not do it. The revolution has too
many God-damn martyrs as it is.
Explosives, if used with care and all the necessary pre-
cautions, are one of the greatest tools any liberation move-
ment can have. Ninety percent of all sabotage is based on
some sort of demolitions, or booby traps. Most of the lethal
weapons in the previous chapter rely on a small explosive
charge. The actual application of explosives can be a really
thrilling and satisfying experience. I have a friend who
worked with demolitions in the Middle East, and he has
told me on several occasions that an explosion for him was
an experience very similar to a sexual orgasm. This may
seem strange to anyone who has no experience with ex--
plosives, but in many regards it is absolutely true. An
explosion is an amazing phenomenon. Coupled with the
destruction of an object of popular hatred, it can become
more than just a chemical reaction. It can take the shape of
hope for a nation of oppressed people. It is a total sensual
experience. It affects all the senses, and in primitive socie-
ties was considered a God, and worshiped. If you have
read about any guerrilla struggles, or experienced any, you
will realize that an explosion has many effects, especially
when it is controlled by the oppressed group. It will confuse
the enemy, cause destruction and death, impress and fright-
en the enemy with the power and technology of the people.
Maybe I should clarify some points for my own moral
conscience. These recipes are not in this book for use by
a minority. I do not place them here to be used by fringe
political groups. They are included in this book to edu-
cate, since we have already decided that ignorance is inex-
cusable, fatal, and criminal. They are for the people, rich
and poor, right and left, black, Spanish, white, middle-of-
the-road liberals, young and old. This is the type of training
the forces of fascism, communism, and capitalism get. It is
my belief that all the people should have access to these
skills, to be able to repel these oppressive forces.
Sometimes I wonder which side the so-called “liberation
army” is on, meaning that I cannot understand any man
who wishes to blow up department stores, unless he has an
outstanding bill, but even then that’s carrying capitalism a
bit too far. The real problem comes from the fringe politi-
cal factions, who at this point are so alienatedirom the real
people of America that they think they are living in Russia
in 1917. All of the faction groups cause great strife for the
forces that are. No longer can the arthritic armchair
politicos blame all the unrest on Cuban infiltrators, or
Canadian saboteurs. They are confused, poor bastards.
They really think that the Black Panthers were going to
blow up the Botanical Gardens. If that type of reaction
was observed under the controls of a psychology lab, I am
sure they would have a name for it.
The important thing to remember is that this kind of
reaction is madness, but an extremely clever and dangerous
form. Madness creates its own fatal hubris, and will destroy
itself; but sometimes it does need a push in the right direc-
tion.
There is a great misconception in some strata of our so-
ciety that an explosion, wherever it goes off, is better than
no explosion. I have spoken to many individuals who sub-
scribe to this belief, holding that everyone is guilty of some-
thing and must be punished for it. The corporations which
support the war should be bombed, the liberals who will
not get off their asses should be shot, the politicians who
don’t care about the people must die, anyone who lives in
the Middle West or South is a redneck and a potential
threat to the revolution, etc. This may be hard to appre-
ciate, but it is nevertheless true. Let us take as an example
an individual who wished to destroy the Roman Catholic
Church. He would not only be a fool, but a murderer,
if he threw a bomb into a full church on Sunday morning.
A much more intelligent and effective approach to the
problem would be a well-placed rumor, defaming the Pope,
so that the Catholic people themselves destroyed their own
church.
When I use the term revolution, I do not use it in the
same context or with the same meaning of Che Guevara, or
Lenin, or anyone else. I see “the revolution ” as a human-
istic change, which may or may not incorporate violence.
It must be a revitalization of the American system to take
us back to the real moral and political principles adopted in
1 776. Maybe I am not a revolutionary, but then it’s all
EXPLOSIVES AND BOOBY TRAPS / 113
terminology, and more intolerance has sprung out of se-
mantic misunderstandings than any other cause.
A freedom fighter, whether working within or outside
the system, must be a pragmatic opportunist, meaning that
he must be able to see his advantages, in any situation, re-
gardless of how bad conditions may seem at first. A free-
dom fighter can never surrender, for if he does he becomes
part of the problem. As for the guerrilla, the violent free-
dom fighter, there is no trial in times of trouble — just tor-
ture and death.
There are individuals, in our society, who claim that we
cannot exist without oppression and regulation, because we
are children. I agree that we are children, because we have
always had supervision, and have never been allowed the
freedom to see ourselves in a different light. We are all
children of the humanistic revolution, and, whether certain
individuals like it or not, American children are growing
up, fast.
Explosives fall into two basic classes. The first is high
explosives, which include dynamite, TNT, nitroglycerine,
and plastique. The second class is low explosives, which
have less of an explosive report and power than the higher
class. The low explosives include smokeless powder, black
powder, and other less powerful chemical reactions. I will
deal with each class separately, starting first with high
explosives, and then going on to the lower ones. Following
this, I have included a very important section, that must be
read. This is the safety precautions for and methods of
handling the different forms of explosives. Following the
safety precautions is a section on actual application of
demolitions and booby traps. I would like to make it clear
that no part of this chapter should be used without first
reading and studying the rest of it.
How to make nitroglycerin
Almost all modern explosives are a derivative of a nitric
acid base. Although fuming nitric acid (98 percent solution
in water) is not an explosive in itself, it is explosive when
mixed with many other compounds. This process of mix-
ing a compound with nitric acid chemically is called the
nitrating principle. The best-known nitrating agent is gly-
cerin, but many others can be and are used. Mercury,
sugar, cork, wheat germ, sawdust, starch, lard, and indigo
are all common nitrating agents and are used in modern
industry. For example when sawdust is nitrated, it be-
comes nitrocellulose, and is used in smokeless powder.
Mercury fulminate ( nitrated mercury ) is a very powerful
and effective detonator.
The next recipe is for nitroglycerin. Nitroglycerin is a
high explosive, with an incredibly unstable nature. It can
explode for the most minute reasons, such as a change of
one or two degrees in temperature, or a minor shock. Be-
cause of nitroglycerin’s unstable nature, I would suggest
that only people with an extensive background training in
both chemistry and explosives try this procedure.
Nitroglycerin C 3 H 3 (NO a )
1. Fill a 75-milliliter beaker, to the 13 -ml. level, with
fuming red nitric acid, of 98 percent concentration.
2. Place beaker in an ice bath and allow to cool below
room temperature.
3. After it is cooled, add to it three times the amount of
fuming sulfuric acid (99 percent ITSO 4 ). In other words,
add to the now-cool fuming nitric acid 39 milliliters of
fuming sulfuric acid. When mixing any acids, always do it
slowly and carefully to avoid splattering.
4. When the two are mixed, lower their temperature, by
adding more ice to the bath, to about 10 or 15 degrees
Centigrade. This can be measured by using a mercury-op-
erated Centigrade thermometer.
5. When the acid solution has cooled to the desired tem-
perature, it is ready for the glycerin. The glycerin must be
added in small amounts using a medicine dropper. Gly-
cerin is added, slowly and carefully, until the entire surface
of the acid is covered with it.
6 . This is a dangerous point, since the nitration will take
place as soon as the glycerin is added. The nitration will
produce heat, so the solution must be kept below 30 de-
grees C. If the solution should go above 30 degrees, the
beaker should be taken out of the ice bath and the solution
should be carefully poured directly into the ice bath, since
this will prevent an explosion.
7. For about the first ten minutes of the nitration, the
mixture should be gently stirred. In a normal reaction, the
nitroglycerin will form as a layer on top of the acid solu-
tion, while the sulfuric acid will absorb the excess water.
8 . After the nitration has taken place and the nitrogly-
cerin has formed at the top of the solution, the entire beak-
er should be transferred very slowly and carefully to an-
1U
other beaker of water. When this is done, the nitroglycerin
will settle to the bottom, so that most of the acid solution
can be drained away.
V After removing as much acid as possible without dis-
turbing the nitroglycerin, remove the nitroglycerin with an
eyedropper and place it in a bicarbonate of soda (sodium
bicarbonate) solution. The sodium bicarbonate is an alkali
and will neutralize much of the acid remaining. This pro-
cess should be repeated as many times as necessary using
blue litmus paper to check for the presence of acid. The
remaining acid only makes the nitroglycerin more unstable
than it normally is.
10. The final step is to remove the nitroglycerin from the
bicarbonate. This is done with an eye dropper, slowly and
carefully. The usual test to see if nitration has been suc-
cessful is to place one drop of the nitroglycerin on a metal
plate and ignite it. If it is true nitroglycerin, it will burn
with a clear blue flame. Caution: Nitroglycerin is extremely
sensitive to decomposition, heating, dropping, or jarring,
and may explode even if left undisturbed and cool. Know
what you are doing before you do it.
How to make mercury fulminate
When employing the use of any high explosive, an indi-
vidual must also use some kind of detonating device. Blast-
ing caps are probably the most popular today, since they
are very functional and relatively stable. The prime in-
gredient in most blasting caps and detonating devices in
general is mercury fulminate. There are several methods
for preparing mercury fulminate.
Method No. 1 for the preparation of mercury fulminate:
1. Take 5 grams of pure mercury and mix it with 35 ml.
of nitric acid.
2. The mixture is slowly and gently heated. As soon as
the solution bubbles and turns green, one knows that the
silver mercury is dissolved.
3. After it is dissolved, the solution should be poured,
slowly, into a small flask of ethyl alcohol. This will result
in red fumes.
4. After a half hour or so, the red fumes will turn white,
indicating that ihe process is nearing its final stage.
5. After a few minutes, add distilled water to the solu-
tion.
6. The entire solution is now filtered, in order to obtain
the small white crystals. These crystals are pure mercury
fulminate, but should be washed many times, and tested
with litmus paper for any remaining undesirable acid.
Method No. 2 for the preparation of mercury fulminate:
1. Mix one part mercuric oxide with ten parts ammonia
solution. When ratios are described, they are always done
according to weight rather than volume.
2. After waiting eight to ten days, one will see that the
mercuric oxide has reacted with the ammonia solution to
produce the white fulminate crystals.
3. These crystals must be handled in the same way as
the first method described, in that they must be washed
many times and given several litmus paper tests.
Many other fulminates can be made in the same manner
as above, but I will not go into these, since most are ex-
tremely unstable and sensitive to shock. All fulminates, in-
cluding mercury fulminate, are sensitive to shock and fric-
tion, and in no circumstances should they be handled in a
rough or careless manner.
How to make blasting gelatin
One of the nearly perfect explosive compounds, in tin-
sense of chemical combustion rather than stability, is bla-a-
ing gelatin. This was discovered by Nobel, and is a very
primitive form of plastique, as we know it today. It is mad.
by mixing a small amount of nitrocellulose (nitrated saw-
dust) with a larger amount of nitroglycerin. This creates a
stiff, plastic substance which has power as an explosive
greater than either of its ingredients. A person attempting
to make this should use 92 percent nitroglycerin and 8 per-
cent nitrocellulose, and pray. If you don't want to mes-
with making nitrocellulose and have access to guncotton, i :
can be substituted. Any recipe listed in this chapter which
employs unstable or sensitive explosive compounds, such a>
nitroglycerin, should be left alone by all those who do
not have access to a laboratory or previous training. This
book is noi enough training to mess with these compounds.
Formulas for the straight dynamite series
Probably one of the single greatest breakthroughs in ex-
plosives came by accident, when Nobel discovered a prim-
itive form of dynamite. One of the primary ingredients of
dynamite is nitroglycerin, which has great explosive power,
EXPLOSIVES AND BOOBY TRAPS
115
although it has the disadvantage of being ultrasensitive to
heat and shock. What dynamite does, is to combine the
high explosive power of nitroglycerin with a stabilizing
agent, to render it powerful but safely usable. Nobel de-
veloped what is called today the straight dynamite series,
which is nothing more than nitroglycerin and a stabilizing
agent. The most common straight dynamite formulas fol-
low (nitroglycerin will be referred to as NG) :
1) NG
32
10) NG
26
sodium nitrate
28
potassium nitrate
33
woodmeal
10
woodmeal
41
ammonium oxalate
29
guncotton
1
11) NG
15
sodium nitrate
62.9
2) NG
24
woodmeal
21.2
potassium nitrate
9
sodium carbonate
.9
sodium nitrate
56
woodmeal
9
12) NG
35
ammonium oxalate
2
sodium nitrate
37
woodmeal
27
3) NG
35.5
ammonium oxalate
1
potassium nitrate
44.5
woodmeal
6
13) NG
32
guncotton
2.5
potassium nitrate
27
vaseline
5.5
woodmeal
10
powdered charcoal
6
ammonium oxalate
30
guncotton
1
4) NG
25
potassium nitrate
26
14) NG
33
woodmeal
34
woodmeal
10.3
barium nitrate
5
ammonium oxalate
29
starch
10
guncotton
.7
potassium perchloride 27
5) NG
57
potassium nitrate
19
15) NG
40
woodmeal
9
sodium nitrate
45
ammonium oxalate
12
woodmeal
15
guncotton
3
16) Ng
47
6) NG
18
starch
50
sodium nitrate
70
guncotton
3
woodmeal
5.5
potassium chloride
4.5
17) Ng
30
chalk
2
sodium nitrate
22.3
woodmeal
40.5
7) NG
26
potassium chloride
7.2
woodmeal
40
barium nitrate
32
18) Ng
50
sodium carbonate
2
sodium nitrate
32.6
woodmeal
17
8) NG
'44
ammonium oxalate
.4
woodmeal
12
anhydrous sodium
19) NG
23
sulfate
44
potassium nitrate
27.5
woodmeal
37
S>) NG
24
ammonium oxalate
8
potassium nitrate
32.5
barium nitrate
4
woodmeal
33.5
calcium carbonate
.5
ammonium oxalate
10
The figures given in the right column are percentage
parts, adding up to a sum of 100 percent. Percentage parts
are always based on a weight ratio rather than volume.
When preparing any high-explosive formula, be sure you
know what you are doing. Have the correct equipment, and
the correct chemicals. Many of these chemicals are sold
under brand names, which are more familiar than their
chemical names, but, before assuming anything, read the
ingredients, and take nothing for granted.
These formulas listed above are for straight dynamite.
Straight dynamite is a very primitive form of what we know
today as dynamite. Later ammonium nitrate was added to
the dynamite. This substance produced a greater explosive
action, but less velocity. The intensification of the explosive
action results because ammonium nitrate furnishes more
oxygen for the dynamite. Ammonium nitrate has not only
been used in dynamite, but also in many other different ex-
plosive compounds, including NG., picric acid, and coal
dust. Ammonium nitrate when mixed with these substances
creates the cheapest form of high explosive known to man.
How to make chloride of azode
A good example of how ammonium nitrate can be chem-
ically mixed with other substances, and impart its explosive
qualities to these otherwise nonexplosive materials, is in
the preparation of chloride of azode.
1 . A quantity of chlorine gas is collected in a small glass
beaker, and placed upside down on another glass beaker
containing a water solution of ammonium nitrate.
2. NoW the solution of ammonium nitrate is heated gent-
ly. While it is being heated, the surface of the solution will
become oily, and finally small droplets will form and sink
to the bottom of the beaker.
3. After this process is finished, remove the heat and
drain off excess ammonium nitrate solution. The droplets
that remain at the bottom of the beaker are chloride of
azode of nitrochloride. Nitrochloride explodes violently
when brought into contact with an open flame, or when
exposed to temperatures above 212 degrees F.
There are hundreds and hundreds of formulas for the
use of ammonium nitrate, in different explosive com-
pounds. The ones on the following pages are only the ma-
jor, or well-known, ones. For further information, a chem-
istry manual or handbook of explosives can be useful.
Formulas for am m onium nitrate
compounds
1 ) ammonium nitrate
60
2) ammonium nitrate
34
potassium nitrate
29.5
potassium nitrate
34
sulfur flour
2.5
T.N.T.
17
charcoal powder
4
ammonium chloride
15
woodmeal
4
3) ammonium nitrate
59
4) ammonium nitrate
70
woodmeal
10
ammonium sulfate
9
nitroglycerin
10
nitroglycerin
6
sodium chloride
20
barium sulfate
7
magnesium carbonate
1
dextrin
8
5) ammonium nitrate
88
6) ammonium nitrate
75
charcoal powder
12
aluminum powder
25
7) ammonium nitrate
94
8) ammonium nitrate
64
potassium nitrate
2
T.N.T.
15
charcoal powder
4
sodium chloride
21
9) ammonium nitrate
60
10) ammonium nitrate
35
woodmeal
10
potassium nitrate
33
nitroglycerin
10
T.N.T.
12
sodium chloride
20
ammonium chloride
20
11) ammonium nitrate
87
12) ammonium nitrate
92.5
charcoal powder
13
potassium bichromate
! 2
naphthalene
5.5
13) ammonium nitrate
70
14) ammonium nitrate
65.5
ammonium sulfate
9
T.N.T.
15
nitroglycerin
6
sodium chloride
5
barium sulfate
7
potassium chloride
14.5
dextrin
8
15) ammonium nitrate
68
16) ammonium nitrate
76
woodmeal
8
woodmeal
2
nitroglycerin
9
T.N.T.
16
potassium chloride
15
potassium perchloride
6
17) ammonium nitrate
73
18) ammonium nitrate
80
barium nitrate'
19
woodmeal
10
potato starch
8
nitroglycerin
10
19) ammonium nitrate
63.5
20) ammonium nitrate
65
sulfur flour
2
sulfur flour
2
charcoal flour
18.5
charcoal powder
20
ammonium sulfate
7.5
rice starch
9
water
1
paraffin wax
3
copper sulfate
7.5
water
1
2 1 ) ammonium nitrate
85
22) ammonium nitrate
88
cellulose residue
15
dinitronaphthalene
12
23) ammonium nitrate 80.75
24) ammonium nitrate
88
charcoal powder
4.25
charcoal powder
4
pyro powdered
pyro powdered
aluminum
15
aluminum
8
25) ammonium nitrate
80
26) ammonium nitrate
89
charcoal powder
2
ammonium sulfate
6
pyro powdered
aniline hydrochloride
5
aluminum
18
27) ammonium nitrate
70
28) ammonium nitrate
90
sodium nitrate
20
charcoal powder
6
nitrated resin
10
pyro powdered
aluminum
4
29) ammonium nitrate
94.5
30) ammonium nitrate
?5
charcoal powder
2.5
copper oxalate aniline 24
pyro powdered
aluminum
3
powdered sugar cane
;
31) ammonium nitrate
70
32) ammonium nitrate
91
sodium nitrate
25
potassium nitrate
4
nitrated resin
5
resin
5
33) ammonium nitrate
94
34) ammonium nitrate
90
aniline hydrochloride
6
nitrated resin
10
35) ammonium nitrate
95.1
36) ammonium nitrate
8? 5
resin
4.9
dinitrobenzene
16 5
37) ammonium nitrate
84
38) ammonium nitrate
87
ammonium nitrocreasol
sodium creasol
sulphonate
16
sulphonate
13
39) ammonium nitrate.
86
40) ammonium nitrate
70
charcoal powder
2.5
charcoal powder
20
pyro powdered
zinc dust
5
aluminum
8
pyro powdered
potassium bichromate
3.5
aluminum
5
41 ) ammonium nitrate
60
42) ammonium nitrate
89.5
sodium creasol
T.N.T.
5
sulphonate
sodium sulphonate
10
30
wheat flour
5 5
43) ammonium nitrate
65
44) ammonium nitrate
66
T.N.T.
6
T.N.T.
15
sodium chloride
20
sodium chloride
10
wheat flour
4
wheat flour
4
rye flour
5
rye flour
5
45) ammonium nitrate
78
46) ammonium nitrate
81
T.N.T.
8
T.N.T.
17
calcium silicide
14
wheat flour
2
47) ammonium nitrate
85
48) ammonium nitrate
78.5
T.N.T.
15
tetryl
21.5
49) ammonium nitrate
80
50) ammonium nitrate
38.5
T.N.T.
12
potassium nitrate
29.5
nitroglycerin
4
T.N.T.
10
rye flour
4
ammonium 'chloride
22
51) ammonium nitrate
34.3
52) amrrfonium nitrate
35
sodium nitrate
33.3
potassium nitrate
33
T.N.T.
12.2
ammonium chloride
20
ammonium chloride
20.2
tetryl
12
53) ammonium nitrate
88
54) ammonium nitrate
89
T.N.T.
8
ammonium oxalate
1
mononitronaphthalene
: 4
T.N.T.
10
55)~ammonium nitrate
80
56) ammonium nitrate
88
woodmeal
10
T.N.T.
10
nitroglycerin
10
graphite
2
57) ammonium nitrate
61
58) ammonium nitrate
77
T.N.T.
15
woodmeal
3
sodium chloride
15
T.N.T.
12
wheat flour
4
nitroglycerin
3
rye flour
5
guncotton
5
59) ammonium nitrate
47.5
60) ammonium nitrate
57
potassium nitrate
24
T.N.T.
15
T.N.T.
10
sodium chloride
21
ammonium chloride
18.5
graphite
7.
EXPLOSIVES AND BOOBY TRAPS /
117
61 ) ammonium nitrate 38
potassium nitrate 35.5
ammonium oxalate 10.5
sulfur flour 4.5
charcoal 11.5
The formulas listed above are for high explosives. They
ire not for cherry bombs or Roman candles. The ingredi-
ents that make up these formulas have several functions:
The first is the explosive agent itself, the second is the
stabilizing agent, and the third is a texturizer (paraffin).
Below are listed the most important and common ingredi-
ents that are used to form an explosive compound, and a
description of their purpose and function.
Ammonium Nitrate
An extremely unstable, white ex-
plosive, usually in crystalline
form.
Aluminum
...A silver metallic powder, when in
pyro grade, it is a major ingredi-
ent in many ammonal explosive
compounds.
Ammonium oxalate ...
...A very valuable stabilizing agent,
especially for NG.
Barium nitrate
Nitrated barium, in white crystal-
line powdered form.
Charcoal Powder
...A fine black powder, which is ex-
tremely absorbent, and used ex-
tensively in pyrotechnics.
Guncotton
...Nitrated cellulose (sawdust) is
fairly stable, but usually used with
other ingredients rather than
alone. It is about 13-14 percent
nitrogen.
Naphthalene
...This is a sensitizing agent that is
normally in a white crystalline
form.
Paraffin
...This is a primary ingredient in
plastique, and acts as a texturizer.
Potassium nitrate
An explosive compound in itself,
which is stable. It is usually in a
white crystalline form.
Potassium perchloride
...A white powder used as an ignit-
ing agent in high explosives. It is
an extremely common ingredient
in low explosives.
Xcun
...A gummy substance, which is
flammable, and used in high ex-
plosives as an igniting agent.
Sodium carbonate This white crystalline powder acts
to neutralize acid, which may
make the explosive more unstable
than it normally is.
Sodium chloride This is nothing more than ordin-
ary table salt, and is used as a
cooling agent in many high ex-
plosives.
Sodium nitrate A stable explosive compound
which has the advantage of being
water-absorbent.
Sodium sulfate A stabilizing powder, which is
water-resistant.
Starch This can be either potato or corn
starch, and acts as an absorbent
in many explosive compounds.
Sulfur A yellow crystalline powder,
which should be used in flour
form only.
Vaseline A clear petroleum jelly used in a
similar manner as paraffin, as a
plasticizer, for many forms of ex-
ploding gelatins and plastic ex-
plosives.
Formulas for gelatin dynamites
The following few pages have some of the most import-
ant formulas for gelatin and semi-gelatin dynamites. As
with most of the explosive substances in this chapter, there
are hundreds of different recipes. Each chemist claims he’s
got the most powerful and safest recipe. What I have at-
tempted to do is collect the most common industrial and
military formulas, since these function in the correct con-
text that this book is written.
I ) nitroglycerin
12
2) nitroglycerin
88
guncotton
.5
potassium nitrate
5
ammonium nitrate
87.5
tetryl
7
3 ) nitroglycerin
9.5
4) nitroglycerin
9.5
guncotton
.5
guncotton
.5
ammonium nitrate
59
ammonium nitrate
59.5
woodmeal
6
woodmeal
6
ammonium oxalate
10
ammonium oxalate
5
sodium chloride
15
sodium chloride
19.5
5 ) nitroglycerin
24
6) nitroglycerin
12
guncotton
1
ammonium nitrate
87.5
ammonium nitrate
75
collodion cotton
.5
7) nitroglycerin
71
8) nitroglycerin
75
ammonium nitrate
23
guncotton
5
collodion cotton
4
potassium nitrate
15
charcoal powder
2
woodmeal
5
118 /
9) nitroglycerin
12
10) nitroglycerin
30
guncotton
.5
guncotton
1
ammonium nitrate
82.5
ammonium nitrate
68
potassium nitrate
5
sodium chloride
1
11) nitroglycerin
9.5
12) nitroglycerin
25
ammonium nitrate
67.5
ammonium nitrate
62
woodmeal
8
tetryl
1
sodium chloride
15
charcoal powder
12
13) nitroglycerin
80
14) nitroglycerin
60
ethylene glycol
dinitrotoluene
40
dinitrate
20
15) nitroglycerin
60
16) nitroglycerin
29
guncotton
4
guncotton
1
potassium nitrate
28
ammonium nitrate
65
woodmeal
8
potassium nitrate
5
17) nitroglycerin
55
18) nitroglycerin
27
guncotton
3
guncotton
potassium nitrate
18
ammonium nitrate
30
woodmeal
7
sodium nitrate
30
anhydrous magnesium
charcoal powder
11
sulfate (Epsom salts)
17
barium sulfate
l.:
19) nitroglycerin
29
guncotton
1
ammonium nitrate
70
How to make TNT
Probably the most important explosive compound in use
today is TNT (trinitrotoluene). This and other very similar
types of high explosives are all used by the military, be-
cause of their fantastic power — about 2.25 million pounds
per square inch, and their great stability. TNT also has
the great advantage of being able to be melted at 82 de-
grees F., so that it can be poured into shells, mortars, or
any other projectiles. Military TNT comes in containers
which resemble dry cell batteries, and are usually ignited
by an electrical charge, coupled with an electrical blasting
cap, although there are other methods.
Preparation of TNT
1. Take two beakers. In the first, prepare a solution of
76 percent sulfuric acid, 23 percent nitric acid, and 1 per-
cent water. In the other beaker, prepare another solution
of 57 percent nitric acid and 43 percent sulfuric acid (per-
centages are on a weight ratio rather than volume).
2. Ten grams of the first solution are poured into an
empty beaker and placed in an ice bath.
3. Add ten grams of toluene, and stir for several min-
utes.
4. Remove this beaker from the ice bath and gently heat
until it reaches 50 degrees C. The solution is stirred con-
stantly while being heated.
5. Fifty additional grams of the acid, from the first beaker,
are added and the temperature is allowed to rise to 55 de-
grees C. This temperature is held for the next ten min-
utes, and an oily liquid will begin to form on the top of the
acid.
6. After 10 or 12 minutes, the acid solution is returned
to the ice bath, and cooled to 45 degrees C. When reach-
ing this temperature, the oily liquid will sink and collect
at the bottom of the beaker. At this point, the remaining
acid solution should be drawn off, by using a syringe.
7. Fifty more grams of the first acid solution are added
to the oily liquid while the temperature is slowly being
raised to 83 degrees C. After this temperature is reached,
it is maintained for a' full half hour,
8. At the end of this period, the solution is allowed to
cool to 60 degrees C., and is held at this temperature for
another full half hour. After this, the acid is again drawn
off, leaving once more only the oily liquid at the bottom.
9. Thirty grams of sulfuric acid are added, while the oily
liquid is gently heated to 80 degrees C. All temperature in-
creases must be accomplished slowly and gently.
10. Once the desired temperature is reached, 30 grams
of the second acid solution are added, and the temperature
is raised from 80 degrees C. to 104 degrees C., and is held
for three hours.
1 1 . After this three-hour period, the mixture is lowered
to 1 00 degrees C. and is held there for a half hour.
12. After this half hour, the oil is removed from the acid
and washed with boiling water.
13. After the washing with boiling water, while being
stirred constantly, the TNT will begin to solidify.
14. When the solidification has started, cold water is
added to the beaker, so that the TNT will form into pellets.
Once this is done, you have a good quality TNT.
Note: The temperatures used in the preparation of TNT
are exact, and must be used as such. Do not estimate or use
approximations. Buy a good centigrade thermometer.
How to make tetryl
The next two recipes are for the preparation of tetryl and
picric acid, both of which are commonly used in com-
pounds containing TNT.
Method for the preparation of tetryl:
1 . A small amount of dimethyllaniline is dissolved in an
excess amount of concentrated sulfuric acid.
EXPLOSIVES AND BOOBY TRAPS /
119
2. This mixture is now added to an equal amount of
nitric acid. The new mixture is kept in an ice bath, and is
well stirred.
3. After about five minutes, the tetryl is filtered and then
washed in cold water.
4. It is now boiled in fresh water, which contains a small
amount of sodium bicarbonate. This process acts to neu-
tralize any remaining acid. The washings are repeated as
many times as necessary according to the litmus-paper
tests. When you are satisfied that the tetryl is free of acid,
filter it from the water and allow it to dry. When tetryl is
detonated, it reacts in very much the same way as TNT.
How to make picric acid
Method for the preparation of picric acid:
1 . Phenol is melted and then mixed with a concentrated
solution of sulfuric acid. The mixture is constantly stirred
and kept at a steady temperature of 95 degrees C., for
four to six hours, depending on the quantities of phenol
used.
2. After this, the acid-phenol solution is diluted with dis-
tilled water, and an equal excess amount of nitric acid
is added. The mixture of the nitric acid will cause an im-
mediate reaction, which will produce heat, so the addition
of the acid must be performed slowly, but more importantly
the temperature of the solution must not go above 110 de-
grees C.
3. Ten or so minutes after the addition of the nitric acid,
the picric acid will be fully formed, and you can draw
off the excess acid. It should be filtered and washed in the
same manner as above, until the litmus paper tests show
that there is little or no acid present. When washing, use
only cold water. After this, the picric acid should be al-
lowed to partially dry.
Picric acid is a more powerful explosive than TNT, but
it has disadvantages. It is much more expensive to make,
and is best handled in a wet 10 per cent distilled water
form, as picric acid becomes very unstable when com-
pletely dry. This compound should never be put into direct
contact with any metal, since instantly on contact there is
a formation of metal picrate, which explodes spontaneously
upon formation.
How to make low explosives
Up to this point, I have referred only to high explosives,
but there are many formulas and recipes for low explosives,
which, although they do not have the power or impact of
the high explosives, are generally speaking safer to use
and handle. It may seem at first that an explosive com-
pound that has less power is a disadvantage, but this is not
true. If a high-explosive charge were used to set off a
bullet in a gun, the gun would probably explode in the
user’s face. Therefore, low explosives have a definite pur-
pose and use, and are not interchangeable with high ex-
plosives. Although I stated above that, generally speaking,
low explosives are more stable than high explosives, there
are some low-explosive compounds that are as dangerous
as high-explosive compounds, if not more so. Below is a
chart of the most common low-explosive combinations and
their stabilities and merit.
Potassium and sodium nitrate gunpowders: These are
without a doubt one of the safest low explosives to handle.
They are especially good when packed into a tight contain-
er, and exploded under pressure.
Smokeless powder: This type of low explosive is^much
like the one mentioned above, in the sense that it is ex-
tremely stable, but it is much more powerful. It also needs
the element of pressure in the actual demolition work.
Potassium chlorates with sulfates: Any mixture of potas-
sium or sodium chlorates should be avoided at all costs,
since most combinations will explode immediately, on
formation, and those that don’t are extremely unstable and
likely to explode at any time.
Ammonium nitrate with chlorates: This is similar to the
compounds discussed above. These are extremely hazard-
ous compounds, with very unstable ingredients.
Potassium chlorate and red phosphorus: This combina-
tion is probably the most unstable and highly sensitive of
all the low explosives. It will explode immediately and vio-
lently upon formation, even in the open when not under
pressure.
Aluminum or magnesium with potassium chlorate or
sodium peroxide: Any of these combinations, although not
quite as unstable as the one discussed above, is still too sen-
sitive to experiment or play around with.
Barium chlorate with shellac gums: Any mixture em-
ploying either barium or barium nitrate and carbon, or
barium chlorate and any other substance, must be given
great care. Barium nitrate and strontium nitrate mixed to-
gether form a very sensitive explosive, but the danger is
greatly increased with the addition of charcoal, or carbon.
Barium and strontium nitrate with aluminum and potas-
sium perchlorate: This combination is relatively safe, as is
the combination of barium nitrate and sulfur, potassium ni-
trate, and most other powdered metals.
Guanidine nitrate and a combustible: This combination
of guanidine nitrate and a combustible (i.e. powdered anti-
mony) is one of the safest of all the low explosives.
Potassium bichromate and potassium permanganate:
This is a very sensitive and unstable compound, and should
be avoided, as it is really too hazardous to work with or
handle.
The low-explosive reaction is based on the principle of
a combustible material combined with an oxidizing agent,
in Other words combining a material that burns easily with
another material which in the chemical reaction will sup-
ply the necessary oxygen for the combustible’s consump-
tion. Listed below are the most common low-explosive
combinations of oxidizing agents aryl combustibles. The
first ingredient listed is the oxidizer, and the second is the
combustible:
1. Nitric acid and resin.
2. Bariijm nitrate and magnesium.
3. Ammonium nitrate and powdered aluminum.
4. Barium peroxide and zinc dust.
5. Ammonium perchlorate and asphaltum.
6. Sodium chlorate and shellac gum.
7. Potassium nitrate and charcoal.
8. Sodium peroxide and flowers of sulfur.
9. Magnesium perchlorate and woodmeal.
10. Potassium perchlorate and cane sugar.
1 1 . Sodium nitrate and sulfur flour.
12. Potassium bichromate and antimony sulfide.
13. Guanidine nitrate and powdered antimony.
14. Potassium chlorate and red phosphorus.
15. Potassium permanganate and powdered sugar.
16. Barium chlorate and paraffin wax.
The combinations that are most unstable and sensitive
are Nos. 3, 5, 7, 13, 14, 15, 16. These should be avoided.
Formulas for black powder
Gunpowder is the great-granddaddy of all the rest of
the high- and low-power explosives, and still to this day
is one of the most important explosives. As with all the
rest of the explosive formulas, it seems everyone has his
own recipe, which he claims to be the best. 1 have collected
11 of the safer, more functional, methods of preparing
gunpowder. The most important thing to remember when
dealing with black powder is its incredible sensitivity to
sparks. Note: A cook, a book does not make.
1) potassium
2) potassium chlorate
75
perchlorate
69.2
charcoal
12.5
sulfur
15.4
sulfur
12.5
charcoal
15.4
3) potassium nitrate
70.4
4) potassium nitrate
79
sulfur
19.4
sulfur
3
sodium sulfate
10.2
straw charcoal
18
5) potassium nitrate
64
6) potassium nitrate
70.6
sulfur
12
sulfur
23.5
lamp black
7
antimony sulfate
5.9
sawdust
17
7) potassium nitrate
50
8) potassium nitrate
37.5
ammonium
starch
37.5
perchlorate
25
sulfur
18.75
sulfur
12.5
antimony powder
6.25
powdered willow
charcoal
12.5
9) barium nitrate
75
10) guanidine nitrate
49
sulfur
12.5
potassium nitrate
40
charcoal
12.5
charcoal
11
1 1 j sodium peroxide
67
sodium thiosulphate
33
When preparing black powder for use in firearms, it is
important to keep in mind that these formulas are more
powerful than ordinary potassium nitrate gunpowder, and
for that reason smaller quantities should be used. The cor-
rect amount can only be discovered by trial-and-error ex-
perimentation, but caution must be taken to prevent over-
loading. '
Although black powder is one of the safest explosives,
it has disadvantages: It is extremely sensitive to sparks;
and it leaves a messy residue in gun barrels, which neces-
sitates frequent cleaning. The advantage of smokeless
powder is that it is an extremely stable high-powered ex-
plosive in the low-explosive class, which gives off only gas-
eous products upon explosion. The first type of smokeless
powder used by the army was basically nitrocellulose with
a small amount of diphenyl amine, for stabilizer. Smoke-
less powder is perhaps the safest of any explosive com-
pound discussed in this chapter, and for that reason is ex-
tremely popular today.
EXPLOSIVES AND BOOBY TRAPS /
121
How to make smokeless powder
1 . Boil cotton for 30 minutes, in a 2 percent solution of
sodium hydroxide.
2. Wash the cotton in hot water and allow it to dry.
3. Mix slowly and carefully at 25 degrees Centigrade,
250 cc. of concentrated sulfuric acid, 150 cc. of con-
centrated nitric acid, and 20 cc. of water. They must be
kept at 25 degrees C.
4. Next place the dried cotton in the acid solution, and
stir well with either a glass or porcelain rod (do not use
metal). This should be done for 35 minutes.
5. After nitration, the acids are washed away, and the
cotton is washed in boiling water five times, each time for
25 minutes. The cotton is given several tests with litmus
paper. If the litmus test proves that there is still some acid
present, a 2 percent solution of sodium bicarbonate should
neutralize whatever is left. This is important, since any re-
maining acid acts as an impurity to make the explosive
more unstable.
How to make nitrogen tri-iodide
Probably the most hazardous explosive compound of all
is nitrogen tri-iodide. Strangely enough, it is very popular
with high school chemists, who do not have the vaguest
idea of what they are doing. The reason for its popularity
may be the ready availability of the ingredients, but it is
so sensitive to friction that a fly landing on it, has been
known to detonate it. The recipe has only been included as
a warning and as a curiosity. It should not be used.
Preparation for making nitrogen tri-iodide:
1 . Add a small amount of solid iodine crystals to about 20
cc. of concentrated ammonium hydroxide. This operation
must be performed very slowly, until a brownish-red preci-
pitate is formed.
2. Now it is filtered through filter paper, and then
washed first with alcohol and secondly with ether.
Tri-iodide must remain wet, since when it dries it be-
comes supersensitive to friction, and a slight touch can set
it off. This is an extremely unstable compound and should
not be experimented with.
Formulas for different-colored
smoke screens
An interesting aspect of explosives is the extra ingredi-
ents which can be added to give the explosion character-
istics it would not normally have. A smoke bomb is like
this, in the sense that it is not only useful to create con-
fusion and chaos, but also for smoking persons out of an
enclosed area, as well as signaling.
Formulas for the preparation of a black smoke screen:
1 ) magnesium powder
19
2) magnesium powder
20
hexachloroethane
60
hexachloroethane
60
naphthalene
21
naphthalene
20
3) hexachloroethane
55.8
4) black powder FFF
50
alpha naphol
14
potassium nitrate
10
athracene
4.6
coal tar
20
aluminum powder
9.3
powdered charcoal
15
smokeless powder
14
paraffin
5
naphthalene
2.3
Formulas for the preparation
of a white smoke screen:
1) potassium chlorate
44
2) zinc dust
28
sulfur flour
15
zinc oxide
22
zinc dust
40
hexachloroethane
50
sodium bicarbonate
1
3) zinc dust
66.67
hexachloroethane
33.33
Formulas for the preparation
of a yellow smoke screen:
1 ) potassium chlorate
25
2) potassium chlorate
30
paranitraniline
50
naphthalene azodimethyl
lactrose
25
aniline
50
powdered sugar
20
3 ) potassium chlorate
21.4
naphthalene
azodimethyl aniline
2.7
auramine
38
sodium bicarbonate
28.5
sulfur flour
9.4
Formula for the preparation of a green smoke screen:
1 ) potassium nitrate 20
red arsenic 20
sulfur flour 20
antimony sulfide 20
black powder FFF 20
Formulas for the preparation of a red smoke screen:
1 ) potassium chlorate
20
2) potassium chlorate
26
lactose
20
diethylaminorosindone
paranitraniline red
60
48
powdered sugar
26
3) potassium chlorate
27.4
4) potassium
methylaminoanthra-
perchlorate
25
quinone
42.5
antimony sulfide
20
sodium bicarbonate
19.5
rhodamine red
50
sulfur flour
10.6
dextrin
5
122
Household substitutes
On the next few pages 1 have included a chart of the
chemicals’ names and their more common household
names. This chart is not entirely correct, although it may
seem so. The household substitutes must be checked before
using to be absolutely certain they are what you want. Be
sure that the chemical you want is alone, since if it is in-
cluded in the household substitute, but not isolated, the
extra ingredients may counteract the desired results.
CHEMICAL NAME
HOUSEHOLD SUBSTITUTE
acetic acid
vinegar
aluminum oxide
alumia
aluminum potassium sulfate
alum
aluminum sulfate
alum
ammonium hydroxide
ammonia
carbpn carbonate
chalk
calcium hypochloride
bleaching powder
calcium oxide
lime
calcium sulphate
plaster of Paris
carbonic acid
seltzer
carbon tetrachloride
cleaning fluid
ethylene dichloride
Dutch fluid
ferric oxide
iron rust
glucose
corn syrup
graphite
black lead (pencil lead)
hydrochloric acid
muriatic acid
hydrogen peroxide
peroxide
lead acetate
sugar of lead
lead tetroxide
red lead
magnesium silicate
talc
magnesium sulfate
Epsom salts
naphthalene
mothballs
phenol
carbolic acid
potassium bitartrate
cream of tartar
potassium chromium sulfate
chrome alum
potassium nitrate
saltpeter
silicon dioxide
sand
sodium bicarbonate
baking soda
sodium borate
borax
sodium carbonate
washing soda
sodium chloride
salt
sodium hydroxide
lye
sodium silicate
water glass
sodium sulfate
Glauber’s salt
sodium thiosulfate
photographer’s hypo
sulfuric acid
battery acid
sucrose
cane sugar
zinc chloride
tinner’s fluid
Safety precautions
The next few pages are the most important in this chap-
ter. More people, young and old, political and apolitical,
have executed themselves with some form of explosives
than I would care to state here. The safety procedures for
all explosives are nothing more than common sense and
reasoning. Yes, smokeless powder is stable, but if you put
it in the oven, it will explode. That may sound stupid, but
a 14-year-old in Ohio did it two years ago and killed him-
self. Plastique is a very stable explosive compound, but it
needs to be softened before use. Some guy in New Jersey
softened his plastique with a hammer, and he is no more.
TNT can be burned and it will not explode — most of the
time — whereas gunpowder will ignite with the smallest
spark. Moral: Read the next few pages and study them, do
not assume anything.
Safety precautions for the storing of explosives:
1 . The most important factor in picking a storage place
is its location. You will want the place close enough to be
under your surveillance, but not close enough to be a haz-
ard to you or your family. All explosive magazines or
dumps must have secure locks on all the doors.
2. Do not store blasting caps, electrical caps, or primers
in the same container or even the same magazine with any
other form of high or low explosives.
3. Do not store fuses or fuse lighters in a wet or damp
place, or near the storage of flammables such as oil, gaso-
line, cleaning solvents, or paints. Fuses should also be kept
away from radiators, steam pipes, stoves, or any other
source of heat, because the very nature of nonelectrical
fuses is such that any one of these things could start a
large fire.
4. Metals should be kept absolutely away from explo-
sives, meaning that metal tools should not be stored in the
same magazine with explosives.
5. In no circumstances, allow any open flame or other
fire, including a lighted cigarette, around an explosive stor-
age dump.
6. Spontaneous combustion is a real problem when stor-
ing explosives. For this reason, do not allow leaves, grasses,
brush, or any debris to collect or accumulate around the
explosives storage area.
7. Do not discharge weapons near an explosive maga-
zine. Do not shoot into the storage dump. Keep the shoot-
ing away from the explosives.
8. Certain types of explosives require certain types of
storage, including temperature regulation and other con-
trols. Be sure that you understand all aspects of the com-
pound’s nature before handling or storing it.
9. At all times use common sense, and allow only quali-
fied persons to be near or handle explosives.
EXPLOSIVES AND BOOBY TRAPS /
123
Safely precautions for handling explosives:
1 . When transporting explosives, know what the federal
and state laws and regulations are. Many of these regulations
are just common-sense protection for yourself.
2. Make sure that any vehicle used to transport explosives
is in proper working order and equipped with a tight wood-
en or nonsparking metal floor, with sides and ends high
enough to prevent the explosives from falling off. The load in
an open-bodied truck should be covered with a waterproof
and fire-resistant tarpaulin. Wiring should be fully insulated
so as to prevent short circuiting, and at least two fire exting-
uishers should be carried. The truck should be plainly
marked, if possible.
3. In no circumstances allow metals of any sort, except
the nonsparking type, to come into contact with the ex-
plosive casing. Metal, flammable, or corrosive substances
should not be transported with explosives.
4. Never in any circumstances allow smoking around any
explosive, regardless of its stability.
5. Do not allow unauthorized persons to go near the ex-
plosives. This is for two reasons; first, because they might
not know what they are doing and accidentally set off an
explosion, and secondly, because they might be undercover
agents from the enemy.
6. When loading or unloading explosives, do it with the
utmost care. Whenever dealing with explosives, in any capa-
city, do not rush. Take your time and exercise extreme
caution.
7. If you must transport both high explosives and blast-
ing caps in the same vehicle, be sure that they are com-
pletely separate from one another.
Safety precautions when using explosives:
1. When opening a case of explosives, in no circum-
stances use a metal crowbar or wedge. Use a wooden
wedge or nonmetallic tool.
2. Do not smoke or allow anyone to smoke. Do not carry
an open flame, or any other form of heat source or fire
near an area where explosives are being used.
3. Do not place explosives where they may be exposed
to a flame, excessive heat, sparks, or shock.
4. Replace the cover or close the top of the explosives
container after use.
5. Do not carry explosives in your pocket or on your
person at any time. Even when on a mission of sabotage,
it is better to carry explosives in a separate container.
6. When making up primers or crimping blasting caps,
do not do it near any other explosives, high or low.
7. Blasting caps, although they may look like firecrack-
ers, are a powerful explosive charge and must be treated
accordingly.
8. Never insert anything but a fuse into a blasting cap.
Since blasting caps, to be functional, must be sensitive, a
great degree of care must be used in handling them.
9. Never experiment with, disassemble, strike, tamper
with, or in any way try to remove the contents of a blast-
ing cap. Do not try to pull the wires out of an electrical
blasting cap.
10. When handling explosives, the only persons who
should be present are those who are absolutely necessary.
All unnecessary and unauthorized persons should be
cleared from the area. This, of course, includes animals
and children.
1 1 . Do not handle explosives, or stay in an area where
explosives are being stored, when an electrical storm is ap-
proaching. Clear the area and retire to safety.
12. Inspect all equipment before use, and never use any
equipment that appears damaged or deteriorated.
13. Never attempt to reclaim any explosive or blasting
material that has been water-soaked.
Safety precautions to be taken when drilling:
1. Check what you are about to drill into, to be sure
there is not a charge already there. Never drill into an ex-
plosive charge.
2. Never stack surplus explosives near the drilling area.
3. Since the act of drilling is based on the principles of
friction, heat will be created. Never load a bore hole with-
out first checking the temperature. Also check to see if
any pieces of burning material are present. Temperatures
above 150 degrees F. are extremely dangerous.
Figure 71. Opening explosives.
124
4. A common practice in demolitions is what is called
springing a bore hole. This is when a small explosive
is used to enlarge a bore hole, so that a much larger explosive
charge can be placed in it. This should require extreme
caution. Check to see if there are any other charges nearby.
• 5. Never force explosives into a bore hole. Recheck your
hole and dear the obstruction before attempting to reload.
6. Never force a blasting cap or electrical blasting cap
into a stick of dynamite. Use the hole made by the punch.
7. Do not tamper in any manner with the primer.
8. Figure out what quantity of explosives you will need,
according to the formulas given later in the chapter, and
then put in that amount. Do not use more than necessary.
Safety precautions to be taken when tamping:
(Tamping is the process of placing materials, such as
sandbags, around the explosives so as to send the force of
the explosion in one certain direction.)
1. Tamping is a gentle process and should never be
performed violently.
2. When using tamping tools, be sure that these are
made of wood or some other nonmetal sparkfree material.
3. When tamping a bore hole that has recently been
drilled, use clay, sand, dirt, or some other noncombustible
material.
4. Take extreme care not to damage or injure the fuse
or electrical blasting cap wire when tamping.
5. One should always tamp if possible, since it cuts down
the amount of explosives necessary.
Safety precautions to be taken when detonating electric-
ally:
1. Do not uncoil the wires of an electrical blasting cap,
or employ their use, during a thunderstorm, dust storm, or
when any other source of static electricity is present.
2. Be very careful about the use of electrical blasting
material near a radio frequency transmitter. Consult Radio
Frequency Hazards, a pamphlet issued by the Institute of
Makers of Explosives.
3. Keep your firing circuit completely insulated from all
conductors except the one circuit you intend to use. This
means extreme care in insulation against the ground, bare
wires, rails, pipes, or any paths of stray current.
4. Keep all cables, wires, or other electrical equipment
away from electrical blasting caps, except at the time of the
blast, and for the purpose of that blast.
5. Be very careful in the use of more than one blasting
cap. Never use more than one type of blasting cap in a
single operation.
6. Use the correct current stated by the manufacturer to
set off electrical blasting caps. Never use any less.
7. Be sure that all the ends of the wires which are to be
connected are bright and clean.
8. Keep the electrical cap wires or lead wires short-cir-
cuited until ready to fire.
Safety precautions to be taken when using a fuse :
1 . Handle the fuse carefully. Avoid damaging the cover-
ing. In cold weather, warm the fuse slightly before using.
Avoid cracking the waterproof outer coating.
2. Never use a short fuse. Always use a fuse which is
over two feet in length. Be absolutely sure you know the
burning speed of the fuse, and have calculated the amount
of time you will need to get to safety.
3. When placing the fuse in the blasting cap, cut off an
inch or so to insure dryness. Cut straight across the fuse
with a clean new razor blade. Once the fuse is in place, do
not twist, pull, or otherwise cause friction.
4. Once the fuse is in place, it is necessary to crimp the
fuse into the blasting cap. Crimping is the procedure of at-
taching a nonelectrical blasting cap to a fuse, by bending
the ends of the cap around the fuse. This must be done
only with a special tool, called a crimper. Although crim-
pers may look like pliers, they are not, and pliers must not
be used. When crimping, be absolutely sure you know
what you are doing, since, if you squeeze the explosive
within the cap rather than the ends, there is a good chance
you will blow your hand off.
5. Do not light the fuse until you are sure that the
sparks that come from it will not set off the explosive until
the fuse has burned down.
Safety precautions to be taken when firing explosives:
1. Never hold an explosive in your hands, when lighting.
2. Before exploding any charge, make sure a complete
check of the area has been made, and sufficient time and
warning have been given.
3. Do not return to the area of the blast until all the
smoke has cleared.
4. Do not attempt to investigate a misfire too soon. Wait
EXPLOSIVES AND BOOBY TRAPS /
125
at least one hour, and be sure, if you are using an electrical
circuit, that you have disconnected it.
5. Never drill out misfires.
6. Never abandon any explosives.
7. Do not leave any explosive equipment, packing
material, or empty cartridges where children or animals can
get at them.
Basic formulas for demolitions use
1. Computation of minimum safety distance
For charges less than 27 pounds, the minimum safety
distance is 900 feet. Over 27 pounds, the minimum safety
distances can be figured by using the following formula:
300 x C pounds of explosive (T.N.T.)
2. Steel cutting
When cutting, with explosives, part of a steel structure,
determine the area in square inches of the member to be
cut. This area is then labeled “A,” and one can use the
following formula :
P= 3 / 8 A
P— the number of pounds of T.N.T. necessary.
3. Steel cutting
When a steel member is not part of a greater structure,
a different formula is used. This is based on the diameter
of the individual member.
P=D 2
P = the amount of T.N.T. required, and D is the dia-
meter of the piece of steel.
4. Train rails
To cut rails that weigh less than 80 pounds, use one-
half pound of explosives. To cut rails that weigh over 80
pounds, use a full pound of explosives.
5. Timber cutting
When the charge is to be external and untamped, the
formula is as follows:
C 3
P=--
30
P equals the pounds of explosives required, and C equals
the circumference of the tree in feet (this formula is given
for plastique) . When figuring an internal tamped charge, the
formula is:
250
P equals the pounds of explosives, and D equals the
diameter of the tree in inches.
Some important principles
A basic rule to follow in all calculations having to do
with explosive compounds is to round off the amount to the
next highest unit package. At times you may use a little
more than necessary, but you will be assured of success.
Another rule when calculating charges is to add one-third
more explosives if you do not intend to tamp. If a formula
is given for plastique (composition 4), as was done for
both timber-cutting formulas, you are able to compute
poundage in T.N.T. by adding one-third to the weight of
the plastique.
When using the principle of cratering to destroy a paved
surface with explosives, use several charges rather than
just one. The use of a bore hole is especially effective
here. It is pointless to attempt cratering a roadway without
tamping, since most of the destructive force of your
charge will go straight up in the air.
In the first two sections of this chapter, I have discussed
explosives chemically and written about their safe handling.
In the third section, I intend to go into their specific appli-
cation. Bombs, like spies, have no allegiance, even to their
creators.
Bombs and booby traps incorporate more than just tech-
nical knowledge, they are based on human nature. To
create an effective booby trap, one must have a primitive
insight into his enemy’s actions, thoughts, and methods.
Before I get into the nitty-gritty of constructing booby
traps, bombs, land mines, grenades, etc., it is important to
explain the basic working principles and mechanisms be-
hind these devices.
In the acquisition of equipment I would recommend pur-
chasing or stealing, rather than making your own. Manu-
factured equipment is much safer to work with, and usually
more effective. Once you have your explosive compound,
you will need a way to set it off, or detonate it. With all
high explosives, you will need a detonator or blasting cap,
unless you decide to lace the fuse into the explosive, al-
though this is not recomended. A blasting cap is a low-
explosive compound that is connected to a high explosive,
for the purpose of detonating it. There are two types of
blasting caps — electric and nonelectric.
To use a nonelectrical blasting cap, one gently pushes
the fuse into the hollow end, until it is fully in. He then
crimps the hollow metal end around the fuse, and puts it
into the high explosive. When the fuse burns down, it ig-
nites the flash charge. That in turn explodes the priming
126
Hollow Copper Shell Priming Charge
*'r*sso&i
Base Charge
charge, which detonates the base charge, and finally creates
enough heat to set off the high-explosive charge. The fuse
is ordinary safety fuse or detonating cord.
Waterproofing
Figure 73. Safety fuse.
Flash Charge
Figure 72. Nonelectrical blasting cap.
ly creates When the fuse is put into the blasting cap, it is necessary
The fuse to seal it. This act of sealing is called crimping. When in-
volved with this sort of thing, one must use the standard
safety precautions set down in the previous section. Crimp-
proofing ers j 00 ]^ like a p a i r G f pliers, and their function is very sim-
, ilar, although pliers cannot be used for crimping. With the
Black Powder
Core crimper in your right hand and the blasting cap m your
left, slowly squeeze the hollow end of the blasting cap until
Fabric i s q r mly against the fuse. Use care so that you do not
Y squeeze the charge within the cap, as this may detonate it.
Whereas nonelectrical blasting caps are functional and
y have proven that they can be relied on, electrical blasting
\ ^ > Crimpers
Cap
Figure 74. Crimpers.
caps offer a much greater variety of uses, The basic prin-
ciple of the electrical blasting cap is that an electrical
charge moves through an insulated wire until it reaches a
small section of that same wire which is not insulated and
which is surrounded by a primary flash charge. The heat
from the electrical charge will explode the flash charge,
which in turn will set off a series of minor explosions, fin-
ishing up with the high explosive.
Both types of blasting caps should be placed within the
high explosive itself. This is easy when working with
plastique or a pliable substance. Manufactured T.N.T. has
3 small hole designed at the top for just this reason, but in
dynamite one has to make his own hole. This hole should
be made with a wooden or nonsparking metal object. The
ends of the crimpers, illustrated on the previous page, are
ideal. The hole can be made in one of two ways: the first
is bored carefully and gently straight down from the top
of the stick, to exactly the length of the cap itself; the sec-
ond type of hole is made from the side in a downward
diagonal direction. Both of these methods have proven
effective.
EXPLOSIVES AND BOOBY TRAPS /
127
Method 1
Method 2
Figure 76. Priming dynamite electrically.
Another method of priming dynamite, which is not as
reliable as either nonelectrical or electrical blasting caps, is
called “lacing.” The principle behind most detonating de-
vices is simply to create a temperature which is hot enough
to ignite the high explosive. This increase in temperature
can be accomplished with a relatively good degree of suc-
cess by weaving the fuse throughout the high explosive so
that, as the fuse burns down, the heat created from the
burning process is captured and held within the high ex-
plosive until the detonation temperature is reached.
There are different methods of lacing, depending on
what type of high explosive you happen to be working with.
For dynamite, the most common and most functional
method is literally to sew the detonation cord into the stick.
This preparation entails the individual’s making several
holes directly through the dynamite itself. This hole-mak-
ing should be performed just as the planting of the blasting
cap was handled. The holes must be dug gently and slowly
with a nonmetallic instrument. “Lacing” should be done
only when there is no alternative, and blasting caps are not
available.
Figure 77. Lacing dynamite.
When using TNT, you can lace it by wrapping the
detonating cord around the body of the explosive at least
five or six times, and then tying it off with a clove hitch.
This will result in a great amount of heat being transferred
into the TNT from the fuse, and its detonation.
Plastique can also be ignited in this fashion, by employ-
ing a heavy-duty detonation cord, and tying a double knot
in one of its ends. This large knot is then buried deep in the
center of the composition. It must be at least one inch from
any side.
128
Tamping
Tamping is nothing more than an operation performed
before the explosion, to regulate and direct the destructive
power of the explosion. In other words, if a pound of black
powder is ignited with a match, the explosion will occur
but most of the destructive force will take the path of least
resistance — into the atmosphere. Now, if the same pound
of black powder was placed within a steel pipe, and sealed
at both ends, except for a tiny hole for the fuse, the ex-
plosion could be regulated with ease. This tamping opera-
tion is necessary for any forms of demolitions in order that
the operation be successful. A stick of dynamite placed on
a concrete roadway untamped, when exploded will create
a very small crater, perhaps a few inches. If this same stick
of dynamite were tamped, by placing several sandbags on
top of it and around it, the explosion would create a much
greater crater. This tamping operation is absolutely neces-
sary for the demolition of a large structure or building.
1. When attempting to sever a steel rod or pole, through
the use of explosives, place a charge on each side, leaving
a small gap between the butts of the explosives.
2. When cutting a chain, place the explosive charge on
one side and tape it securely into place.
3. When cutting any odd-shaped object, the best ex-
plosive to use is plastique, because of its flexibility. It is
especially useful and effective when cutting heavy metal
cables. The compound should be placed around the side
of the cable that is to be cut, about a half-inch thick.
When sabotaging railroad tracks with explosive, use
plastique if available, since this is the easiest substance to
use when trying to sever objects of irregular shapes. The
most common way of cutting train tracks is by placing a
charge of high explosives on either side of the “1” beam
track, so as to have the forces of the two explosions act
upon each other, thus causing the middle object maximum
destruction.
Another method which has proven equally effective is
placing a charge between the rail and the switch. The
switch is one of the weakest points along the line, and a
relatively small charge will not only sever the switch and
rail, but will also rip up the ties and the railroad bed.
Tamping with sandbags can and should be used if at all
possible, since the extent of the damage is multiplied sev-
eral times by the addition of the sandbags. Tamping can be
useless if you are on a silent lightning-fast mission. In this
case, a two-pound charge of TNT carefully placed between
the switch and rail will almost certainly do the trick without
tamping. The best procedure when engaged in this type of
sabotage is to repeat the acts every three-quarters of a mile
or so, so as to delay the repairmen and create confusion.
Placement of charges
In demolition work, the greatest problem is the actual
placement of the charges. When an individual is working
on a large structure such as a building or a bridge, it is
imperative that he have an understanding of the directional
force of explosives, and the structure’s weaknesses. These
large-type structures are built to bear up under abnormal
stress, so the chances are good, unless the charges are
placed correctly, that the sabotage will have little or no
effect.
When attempting the demolition of a building, the first
130
thing to do is to determine the weakest point in the struc-
ture. This is the point where a charge can be placed and
well-tamped, and will result in maximum destruction. A
large building will usually take more than just one charge.
The best bet is to place large explosive charges on either
side of a weak point in the foundations. These charges
should be tamped from the outside, so as to drive the force
inward.
There are several basic methods of planting explosives.
The advantage to most of the ones listed below is that they
have a natural tamping factor, built-in.
1. Bury the explosive beneath the object of destruction.
2. Drill a bore hole into the object and fill with ex-
plosives.
3. Form a brace to hold the explosives tight against the
object of destruction. A good brace can be made from
wood placed on a diagonal, with one end jammed into the
ground.
4. Place a charge out in the open, with the tamping
material surrounding it, and directing its force.
Bridge destruction
Bridges are much harder to destroy than buildings, and
this is for several reasons:
1. Most of the bridges to be destroyed will be far larger
than the buildings.
2. They are built strongly, to last for long periods of
time.
3. They have many reinforcements that are not visible.
4. Everyone realizes the strategic importance of bridges,
therefore everyone should realize how well guarded they
are.
An important factor to bear in mind, when working on
bridge demolition, is the extent of real damage desired.
Total destruction of a bridge is useless, a waste of good
explosives. It may even be harmful, since there may come
a time when a friendly force will need the use of that
bridge. Bridge destruction should therefore be considered a
tactical-delay operation. It will slow the enemy down, and
cause them much expense and time to rebuild. Since types
of charges differ for different types of bridges, I will go into
specific types of bridge demolitions.
Stringer bridges are the most common type of concrete,
steel, or timber bridges in existence. They are usually one
or more spans, but this makes little difference in the actual
placement of charges. If more than one span is to be de-
stroyed, one should just copy the first placement on the
second span. The stringer-type bridge is on basically two
or three steel “I” beams, referred to as stringers. The ob-
vious method is to attempt to sever these primary aspects
of the entire structure. This can be accomplished by placing
charges on either side of each stringer. Each charge should
be tamped either with sandbags or a wooden brace. The
result of placing all the charges on the same side of the
stringer is the twisting and forced warping of the steel
beams beyond any future use. When dealing with a bridge
of this type which incorporates more than one span,
place the charges along the joints of the stringer, since this
is the weakest point along the line.
A slab bridge is a simple structure, consisting of a flat
slab of either concrete or timber held together in such a
way that it forms one continuous slab. These are the easi-
est bridges to destroy, since all that is required is a diag-
onal line of explosive charges placed either under, or dril-
led into, the structure itself. If the charges are placed be-
Figure 84. Slab bridge.
EXPLOSIVES AND BOOBY TRAPS /
131
neath the bridge, they should be attached by some means,
and tamping should be used.
The T-beam bridge is very similar to the stringer-type
bridge, except it is without the bottom reinforcements. This
doesn’t mean that the T-beam type is any weaker or easier
to destroy. This type of bridge is based on three or four
concrete or steel T-beams, with a large slab of concrete
covering them. The space between the T-beams on the
underneath of the bridge is ideal for the placement of ex-
plosive charges, since 75 percent of the tamping has al-
ready been constructed, by the very nature of the bridge
itself. This type of bridge may have more than one span
but, since bridge destruction is only a tactical-delay opera-
tion, the destruction of one span should be enough. If you
wish to destroy more than one span, just repeat the same
operation, on the second span, paying close attention to the
joints. Like the stringer-type bridge, the charges are placed
beneath the bridge, between the beams themselves. A steel
or wooden platform should be constructed to so hold the
explosives, and direct their force upward into the bridge.
Figure 85. T-beam bridge.
The concrete cantilever bridge is probably better known placed along the joints of the separate sections or spans,
as a causeway. It is usually a very low bridge, with many Place charges of explosives at the foot of the correspond-
segments or spans supported by a series of concrete col- ing column to insure destruction. The charges placed at the
umns. The same basic procedure should be followed as pre- foot of the columns should all be tamped and placed on
viously outlined, in that one should look for the weakest the same side of the respective columns, so as to encour-
point in the entire structure, and fix the charges at that age maximum destruction. This type of bridge has many
point. The weakest point in most structures is the place spans, but usually it is only necessary to destroy several of
where two objects join, so the explosive charges should be the middle sections, as shown below.
The “X”s mark the location of the explosive charges. All
charges placed at the foot of the columns should be situated
on the same side, so as to channel the movement of the
destructive force in one direction.
The truss bridge is usually used for railroad crossings,
and is built of steel. This type of bridge is one of the
strongest in the world, and offers many problems for the
saboteur. The best method is to run several different ex-
plosions at thirty-minute intervals, so that one can see ex-
actly what needs destruction, but this is not feasible for the
guerrilla operation. Figure 87 is a diagram of this type of
bridge. The “X”s show the location of five charges, which
can be placed hastily and are reasonably effective. Be very
careful when attempting a sabotage operation of this type.
132
especially with a truss bridge, since, as it is a train crossing,
it will undoubtedly be guarded heavily.
Figure 87. Truss bridge.
Suspension bridges are, generally speaking, the largest
bridges in the world, and accordingly the strongest. It is a
good idea to allow yourself three or four separate charges
with a time lapse between them. If this not possible, con-
centrate your charges on the main cables, and the center
section of the bridge. Six — no less important — charges
should be placed on the two towers at either end of the
bridge and tamped down. “X”s mark the location of the
explosive charges in Figure 88.
Detonators
The most common time-delay device is an ordinary
safety fuse. These fuses usually consist of a black-powder
core surrounded with a fabric and then a layer of water-
proof material. Although there are many different types, it
can generally be said that safety fuses burn between 30
and 45 seconds per foot; however, check these figures
when you make your purchase. Fuses can be bought from
any mail-order pyrotechnics company. Two with whom I
have dealt are:
Ecco Products
Box 189
Northvale, New Jersey 07647
Westech Corporation
P.O. Box 8193
Salt Lake City, Utah 84108
Double-coated waterproof fuse usually sells for 20 to 25
dollars for a thousand to fifteen hundred feet. I would ad-
vise purchasing this equipment, since homemade fuses are
not to be trusted.
Bombs can be detonated in many ways. The detonation
and use of certain devices are based mainly on the clever-
ness and imagination of the saboteur. In the following sec-
tion I have discussed several basic forms of detonators,
both nonelectric and electric. However, there is an infinite
number of variations, which may be better suited to indi-
vidual situations.
The first type is referred to either as a tension-release,
or a wiretrip device. It operates on the principle of releas-
ing the tension caused by a wound spring, on the firing
pin, and allowing it to strike and set off a nonelectrical
blasting cap. The nonelectrical blasting cap will in turn gen-
erate the necessary heat to ignite the T.N.T. or dynamite.
This can be implemented in many ways. Two simple meth-
ods are illustrated in Figures 89 and 90. A common method
in which the wire-trip device can be employed is stretching
a trip wire about six inches above the ground. Another
EXPLOSIVES AND BOOBY TRAPS /
133
equally popular method of employing the tension-release
device is attaching the taut wire to the back of a door, so
that, when the door is opened, the tension is released, and
the explosive ignites.
A device very similar to the last one is the pull-trigger
electric detonator. It functions in the same manner, in that
a safety pin is removed from the striker or firing pin, caus-
ing it to move forward and connect with a metal plate.
This connection with the metal plate completes the elec-
trical circuit. The batteries have been connected by wires
to an electrical blasting cap, a metal plate, and finally to
the firing pin. (See Figure 91.) Although professional sup-
plies for this equipment are available at reasonable prices,
the diagram shows the detonating device constructed from
household items. The construction of this device is as fol-
lows: Two flashlight batteries are connected to each otheT,
and then one wire is run from one end of the batteries to
the electrical blasting cap, the other wire from the opposite
end of the batteries to the metal plate. A third wire is run
from the blasting cap to the firing pin. This now completes
the fully cocked device.
Figure 89. Tension-release detonator.
134
/
In the same manner as the explosive in Figure 89 is
detonated, so is the common military grenade. The prin-
ciple of a tension release is the same. After the pin is pulled
out of the military grenade, the spring is free to react, caus-
ing the primer to ignite the lead-spitter fuse, and it in turn
will ignite the lead oxide and pentolite. The pentolite will
release enough heat to ignite the T.N.T. and cause the frag-
mentation of the metal casing.
The next type of detonating device I am going to discuss
is called the pressure-trigger device. It is based on the ap-
plication of pressure rather than its release, as in the pre-
vious devices. This mechanism is primarily used when an
electrical circuit is employed. The plunger is pushed down;
it forces one thin metal plate against another thicker metal
plate. The batteries are connected, via the blasting cap, to
each of these metal plates. Therefore, when they touch,
the electrical circuit is complete, and the explosive will
ignite.
This type of device has several important advantages.
First of all, it can be constructed away from the area it will
be used in. This will cut installation time down to seconds.
Later in the chapter, I discuss a type of booby trap that can
be rigged into the ignition system of a car. Although the ig-
nition-system booby trap works very well, it takes time
to install. This pressure-trigger device will act almost in the
same manner if placed beneath the driver’s seat, and can
be installed in a lot less time. (See Figures 92 and 93.)
Lead Azkk
Cast-Iron
Body.
Figure 90. Military grenade.
EXPLOSIVES AND BOOBY TRAPS /
135
Figure 92. Pressure-trigger device under driver’s seat.
Release of pressure detonators
The next type of detonating device I will discuss is called
a release-of-pressure mechanism. This device employs ex-
actly the same principles as the pressure-trigger device, ex-
cept in reverse. The movement of the pressure plate, rather
than down, is now up. This can be used effectively when a
weight is placed on the pressure plate. Then when it is re-
moved, the explosives will be ignited. To construct, use a
heavy-duty spring beneath the first metal plate, as shown in
Figure 93. Connect a wire from the blasting cap to the first
metal plate. The second wire is then stretched from the bot-
tom of battery “A,” to the second metal plate. The third wire
is run from the electrical blasting cap to the top of battery
“B.” When this is accomplished, the booby trap is fully
cocked. When the weight on the pressure plate is removed,
the spring will force the second metal plate against the first
metal plate, thus completing the electrical circuit and ex-
ploding the device.
Figure 95 shows a booby trap which incorporates a ten-
sion-release device. When the tension, resulting from a
wire pulling on a pliable metal strip, is released, the' metal
strip (will snap back into another metal strip. Since the
wires from the batteries and blasting cap are connected to
either metal strip, when they touch, the circuit will be com-
plete and it will detonate the explosive charge. This type
of detonator is especially effective when attached to draw-
ers, doors, or any movable objects.
Time delay devices
There are three different types of time-delay devices;
1 . Metal strip under tension until it breaks.
2. Chemical action that will, after a period of time, pro-
duce enough heat to detonate the explosive charge.
3. An alarm clock set for a certain time, so that when it
rings it will complete an electrical circuit, thus detonating
an electrical blasting cap. The first method, metal under
tension until breakage, I will not discuss, since it is ex-
tremely hazardous and unreliable. You can have little or no
control over timing, and such devices are notorious for
backfiring.
The chemical-action time-delay methods have proven
to be pretty reliable. Most of this action incorporates the
amount of time taken by a certain solution of acid to eat
its way through another substance. The time length can be
determined by the concentration of the acid and by the sub-
stance to be eaten through.
An example of this type of chemical action is the Nipple
Time Bomb, which is very effective. One must obtain a
short section of steel pipe and cap each end accordingly.
Place inside the steel pipe a stick of dynamite, and drill a
quarter-inch hole at one end of the cap. Now, into this hole
you must place a small amount of potassium chlorate and
gunpowder. Now, separately from the pipe, take a small
glass vial and fill it with a concentrated sulfuric acid solu-
tion, then stop up the end with a paper or cork stopper. To
arm the bomb, place the vial of acid upside down in the
hole at the top of the pipe. Now, when the acid has eaten
its way through the stopper, it will come into contact with
the potassium chlorate and gunpowder. The mixture of
these chemicals will cause a minor explosion, but it will be
large enough to produce the heat necessary to detonate the
dynamite. The detonation time is usually between three
and six hours. If a solution of sulfuric acid and glycerin is
used, rather than just pure sulfuric acid, the time delay will
be up to five or six days. (See Figure 96.)
Figure 97 is a diagram of an incendiary time bomb. This
is very similar to the Nipple Time Bomb, in that it relies
on the same chemical action, but without the dynamite.
The procedure is very simple. A cardboard or iron tube is
filled with a mixture of three-quarters potassium chlorate
and one-quarter sugar, and then sealed. At one end a hole
is made. Into that hole is placed an inverted vial of sulfuric
acid, with a paper or cork stopper. When the acid has
eaten its way through the stopper, it will come into con-
tact with the potassium chlorate-sugar mixture. This will
result in a very hot, powerful fire.
The Magnifying-Glass Bomb, illustrated in Figure 98,
Figure 91. Pull-trigger electric detonator.
EXPLOSIVES AND BOOBY TRAPS /
137
Figure 93. Pressure-plate detonator.
1st
Metal
Plate
2nd
Metal
Plate
Figure 94. Release of pressure detonator.
Spring
EXPLOSIVES AND BOOBY TRAPS /
139
Figure 95. Tension-release detonator.
140
/
Cap Opening
Inverted
Vial of
Sulfuric Acid
Stopper
Potassium
Chlorate
* Gunpowder
Stopper
Air
^ulfuric
Acid
Figure 96. Nipple time bomb.
Opening
Figure 97. Incendiary time bomb.
EXPLOSIVES AND BOOBY TRAPS / 141
M //
tl //
Sun’s Rays
Figure 98. Magnifying-glass bomb.
Figure 99. Alarm-clock time bomb.
EXPLOSIVES AND BOOBY TRAPS
/
143
Gasoline-soaked Rag Fuse
2 A Gasoline
‘/a Oil
Figure 103. Molotov Cocktail.
Figure 104. Homemade grenade.
144
Figure 105. Book trap.
Figure 106. Door-handle traps.
EXPLOSIVES AND BOOBY TRAPS /
Loose Board
Figure 107. Loose floorboard trap.
As gate swings
open, it releases
pressure plate,
exploding cap,
and detonating
grenade.
Figure 108. Pressure-release gate trap.
148
is effective, but it has many disadvantages. The procedure
is very simple. Take a tin can and fill three-quarters of it
with highly compressed gunpowder. Now attach to the top
of the can a small magnifying glass, so that the sun’s light,
when magnified through the glass, will cause the heat
necessary to detonate the charge. This works very well, as
long as the sun shines, and it doesn’t rain.
The alarm-clock detonating method is the most accurate
device, in that a person can set the time he wishes the bomb
to explode. It is connected in the same fashion as the other
electrical-circuit booby traps. Wires are connected to the
hammer of the bell and to the bell itself, via the blasting
cap, to a dry cell (as shown in Figure 99). The clock
should be set before the booby trap is built. When the
alarm goes off, the hammer and bell connect completing
the electrical circuit and detonating the explosive.
Up to now I have been primarily concerned with deton-
ating devices, rather than the actual application of these
bombs and booby traps. In this last section on explosives,
I will deal with just a few of the many applications for
these booby traps. Each situation calls for different tech-
niques, so use your imagination and your cunning.
Road trap
The first type of application I will discuss is a basic road
trap. This incorporates a wire-trip action to complete the
electrical circuit. It is extremely simple to make, since all
the equipment can be gathered in or around the house.
The great advantage to this particular device is that the ex-
plosives are detonated, when the vehicle is directly over it,
so insuring maximum destruction. (See Figure 100.) To
construct a road trap, begin by digging three holes across a
roadway. Into two of the holes place the explosive charges,
and into the third place a regular car battery. Connect the
first wire from the negative terminal of the battery via each
of the blasting caps, in each charge, to a metal pin on
one side of an ordinary clothespin. The second wire should
be connected directly from the positive terminal of the bat-
tery to the opposite metal pin, located on the same clothes-
pin. The clothespin must be kept open by a small wooden
wedge, which is attached to a thin black wire stretched
across the roadway. When the semi-invisible wire is pulled,
the wooden wedge will fall out of the clothespin, thus clos-
ing the clothespin. When the clothespin is closed, the two
metal pins will connect and complete the electrical circuit,
thus exploding the charges.
Walk trap
In Figure 101 is illustrated what is known as a walk trap.
This incorporates the same type of wire-trip action as de-
scribed in the road trap. The walk trap is not electrically
operated, it relies on a percussion detonator. When the wire
is pulled, it pulls the safety pin out of the heavy firing pin.
The heat created from the detonator’s explosion will be
sufficient to set off the TNT. This type of booby trap is
especially effective in dense undergrowth, where the trip
wire cannot be readily seen.
Bangalore torpedo
In Figure 102, the Bangalore torpedo is illustrated. This
is nothing more than a few sections of pipe filled with sticks
of dynamite, sealed at the ends, and joined in the middle by
couplings, thus permitting the torpedo to be of varying
lengths. The cap at one end must have a small hole drilled
in it, so that a fuse and blasting cap can be inserted. It can
be used very effectively to destroy walls, barricades, and
steel or iron doors. These are also great weapons against
cars, trucks, and even trains. If piping of this sort is not
available, you can make a substitute torpedo by taking a
stick of dynamite and wrapping it tightly with electric tape
and thin copper wire. To be effective, it should have many
layers of each.
Molotov cocktail
Figure 103 shows a Molotov Cocktail. This is an incen-
diary bomb, which bursts into flame on breaking. A quart
bottle is filled with two-thirds gasoline and one-third oil. A
fuse is made of an old gasoline-soaked rag, and then stuffed
into the mouth of the bottle. The bottle is corked, and the
fuse is lit. It is thrown and, when it breaks, it wilFbiirst into
flame. The enemy will not be able to extinguish the fire
with water. These were used with varying degrees of suc-
cess in the struggle in Hungary. According to reports they
can disable a tank.
Homemade hand grenade
A homemade grenade is shown in Figure 104. This is
constructed from an empty, clean, condensed-milk can, at-
tached to a wooden handle. It is then filled halfway with
a layer of dynamite. In the dynamite is placed a nonelectric
blasting cap, with a five- to six-second fuse. The dynamite
is then covered with small pieces of iron, until the can is
EXPLOSIVES AND BOOBY TRAPS /
149
full. Seal the top of the open end closed, leaving a small
hole for the fuse.
How to make an anti-personnel grenade
Even more effective than the grenade described above
is an anti-personnel grenade. This is constructed by taking
a piece of pipe and closing it at one end, either by soldering
or by screwing a cap on it. The pipe is packed tightly with
dynamite, and sealed at the other end, leaving a small hole
for the detonator, which is made in the following manner.
A piece of one-eighth-inch tubing is fastened to the end of a
piece of fuse, which in turn is attached to a detonating cap.
On the other end of the fuse, a bit of cotton, saturated with
chlorate of potassium and common sugar, is placed, fol-
lowed by another piece of cotton and a little vial of sulfuric
acid. (This vial must be hermetically sealed, to prevent
leakage.) Finally, a piece of wood or iron, which can be
easily moved, is packed in the remaining empty space. The
piece of wood is placed there, so that when the pipe is
moved the piece of iron or wood will fall against the vial of
sulfuric acid and break it. Once the sulfuric acid contacts
the potassium chlorate, the chemical reaction will cause a
very hot flame, which will ignite the fuse and cause the
explosion. If this type of device is placed in a roadway, or
directly in the path of the enemy army, there is a good
chance it will be set off — either by a kick or by curiosity.
Book trap
Figure 105 depicts a book trap. To construct this, you
will need a large book, perhaps a thousand pages. The
book should be hollowed out, leaving the edges intact. In
this hollow place, put a dry cell battery and your explosive,
and connect the wires. Fix two metal contact points to the
edges of the book, and separate them with a wooden
wedge, which is attached to the rear wall of the bookcase.
This must be accomplished in such a manner that, when
the book is removed from the shelf, the metal contact
points will touch and complete the electrical circuit, thus
causing the detonation of the explosive charge.
Door-handle traps
Two basic methods of booby-trapping door handles are
illustrated in Figure 106. The first employs a short test
tube, a cork, two needles, three wires, one electric blasting
cap, one metal ball bearing, and one stick of dynamite. The
two needles are pushed through the cork to an equal length,
and the ball bearing is placed within the tube. The test
tube is corked, and taped to the inside of a door handle.
The wires are then connected from the eyes of the two
needles to the battery, with one wire going via the blasting
cap. Next, the battery and stick of dynamite are taped to
the back of the door. When the handle is turned, the ball
bearing will roll and touch both points of the needles, thus
completing the electrical circuit and exploding the dyna-
mite.
The second door-handle trap is much the same, except
it uses a mercury thermostat switch, rather than a ball
bearing.
Loose floorboard trap
The loose floorboard trap (Figure 107) utilizes the same
principles as the Book Trap, in that it relies on two metal
contact points touching to complete the electrical circuit.
Beneath the loose floorboard are two strips of pliable metal
or bamboo, each with a metal contact point, which will
touch when pressure is brought down on the loose floor-
board.
Gate trap
Illustrated in Figure 108 is the utilization of a regulation
military grenade in a booby trap. This is an extremely
simple, effective, and relatively safe booby trap. To cock
the booby trap, pull the pin on a regular tension release
grenade, and place beneath a swinging gate, or anywhere
that will supply the pressure necessary. When the gate is
moved (either opened or closed), the pressure will be re-
leased and the grenade detonated.
Chimney trap
An extremely simple but effective booby trap can be
placed in a fireplace in a matter of seconds. Take three or
four sticks of dynamite and tape them together. Attach a
nonelectrical blasting cap, with a three- or four-foot fuse.
Now tape the dynamite about five feet up on the inside of
the chimney, leaving the fuse hanging loose downward.
The end of the fuse should be about a foot or so up the
chimney so that it is out of sight. When a fire is lit, the heat
generated will ignite the fuse, and it will explode the
charge, further up the chimney. This works extremely well,
since most of the tamping is supplied by the very structure
of the chimney.
Lamp trap
A personnel booby trap can be made by taking any oil
or kerosene lamp and draining it of all the fuel. Now re-
place the oil with high-octane gasoline. When lit, this will
cause a massive incendiary explosion. A candle can also
be booby-trapped, by stuffing a small amount of lead
azide or tetryl pellets into the wax, near the wick. The ex-
plosives will detonate from the flame of the candle.
Car trap
It is an extremely simple procedure to booby-trap a
car. It has many advantages, the most important being that
you do not have to carry your own power supply, but
rather use the ignition system of the car itself. Wires are
run from the electrical blasting cap to points along the elec-
trical ignition system, and attached with alligator clips.
When the key is turned, it will complete the ignition sys-
tem, and thus explode the bomb. A good place to hide ex-
plosives is in the hollow cavity behind the dashboard, since
then the full force of the explosion will be directed at the
individuals in the front seat.
Pipe trap
There are basically two methods of booby-trapping
pipes. The first is very similar to the chimney trap, except
the intent is to blow off the smoker’s head. A small amount
of tetryl or lead azide is placed in the mouthpiece of the
pipe, and a fuse is attached, which leads through the rest of
the pipe to a point about one-quarter-inch beneath the
bowl (Figure 109). When the smoker lights the pipe, the
fuse will be lit, and burn down untouched, until it deton-
ates the explosives in the mouthpiece, and blows the
smoker’s head off.
The second method (illustrated in Figure 109) is a little
more complex but just as effective. A very sensitive ex-
plosive is placed in the mouthpiece, as before, except an
activated firing pin is placed in the stem of the pipe. The
smoker will attempt to light the pipe and find he cannot
suck through it. Believing the stem to be blocked with tar
or nicotine, he will unscrew the threaded joint. The act of
unscrewing will release the firing pin, and detonate the ex-
plosives.
Pen trap
An ordinary plastic or metal retractable ball-point pen
can be turned into a lethal weapon in a matter of minutes.
The refill ink cartridge is removed, and in its place is put
a small amount of tetryl. Above the charge is placed a
firing pin, similar to the one used in the second method of
the pipe trap. This firing pin will be held under pressure
created by the pen’s own spring. The tension is released by
reversing the firing-pin motion. When the user snaps the
plunger at the end of the pen, the firing pin is released and
goes crashing in the tetryl, and detonates it. (See Figure
110 .)
Whistle trap and other handy devices
A booby trap that has an effect similar to the one
created by the pipe trap, is the whistle booby trap. It is
constructed by separating the metal or plastic sides into
their natural halves. This can be accomplished by steam-
ing. Now, fill each half one-fourth full of an extreme-
ly friction-sensitive explosive. Before gluing the two halves
together, include a small ball made of a rough sandpaper-
like substance. When the whistle is blown, the ball will
bounce around inside the shell, creating enough friction
heat to set off the explosive charge.
An interesting booby trap can be constructed by using
a bottle, full of a highly sensitive liquid explosive, which
will detonate on the extraction of the cork. The cork is de-
signed with a friction element that pulls through a sensitive
explosive. When this booby trap explodes, it does extensive
damage, due to the fragmentation of the glass.
An extremely simple device for setting a time-delay fire
is a book of matches, with a lighted cigarette stuck in it.
This is then left upon combustible material. The cigarette,
as it burns down, will light the matches, and they in turn
will generate the heat necessary to ignite the other larger
combustible material.
Another incendiary time-delay device is constructed out
of a candle, friction matches, and several rags soaked either
in gasoline or kerosene. The candle is placed upright in the
center of the bundle of matches. The soaked rags are
placed around the base of the matches. As the candle burns
down, it will ignite the matches, and they will ignite the
rags. One can usually expect about a fifteen-minute delay
with this device.
Cacodyal
To conclude this chapter, I will present the most horren-
dous recipe I could find. Since it is not feasible to make
napalm in your kitchen, you will have to be satisfied with
cacodyal. This is made by chemically extracting all the oxy-
EXPLOSIVES AND BOOBY TRAPS /
151
gen from alcohol, and then replacing it, under laboratory
controls, with metal arsenic. The formula for alcohol is CL
H.-, O, whereas for cacodyal it is C 4 H n AR. Now, this new
substance, cacodyal, possesses spontaneous inflammability,
the moment it is exposed to the air. Therefore it can be
put into a bottle and used like a Molotov Cocktail. If it is
thrown, it will explode on impact, but this is not its real
advantage. When it explodes, a dense white smoke is given
off. This is white arsenic, a deadly poison. One inhalation
will probably cause death in a matter of seconds.
Postscript
This is the section I had hoped would not be necessary.
When I began the book, 1 said to myself that there was a
relatively good chance that we .might have more degrees of
real freedom by the time the book was finished. Well,
finished it is, and Vietnam is still there, Cambodia has been
added, the corporations are still polluting, and the govern-
ment is still lying. Since we can still legally call ourselves
oppressed people, I find this last section on legal crap
necessary.
It is amazing with so many so-called “intelligent” people
running about that we still have a state, a government, a
bunch of archaic laws, and a multitude of psychotics will-
ing to enforce them. If people depend on the state to make
laws, to prevent themselves from doing what they really
want to do, then I say that these people are nuts. I mean
to say, if I really want to do something, I don’t particularly
care if it’s legal, illegal, moral, immoral, or amoral. I want
to do it, so I do it. The only laws a man can truly respect
are the ones he makes for himself.
Have you noticed that the people who actually make the
laws, the people in power, never make laws for themselves?
They pass legislation for the other people, who don’t want
the laws to begin with. This government is a vicious
bureaucratic cycle, with the people in power denying they
have the power, passing legislation to protect their power,
and conveniently losing any legislation which does not con-
form to their own particular brand of megalomania, in one
of their many advisory committees.
I do not want laws that protect me from myself. Does it
sound absurd? If I wish to ride a motorcycle without a
helmet, it is my absolute right to do so. If I wish to be a
fool, it is my right, since the only person who could be hurt
by my action is me. If I want to sleep with men, or take
LSD, or march naked across Sheep Meadow, or do per-
verse things to my dog, then by what right does the govern-
ment stop me?
Robert Heinlein, in a recent book The Moon Is a Harsh
Mistress, talks about an idea for taxation which I think
could be extremely functional. It is that the people in
power — the senators, congressmen, presidents, et al —
should pay all the taxes themselves. Since these officials
are making laws nobody wants anyway, why shouldn’t the
people keep the government as financially weak as pos-
sible?
Since the revolution hasn’t taken place yet, I have in-
cluded here some basic common-sense legal advice.
I was busted about two years ago at a demonstration.
The charges were trumped up and finally dropped, but the
affair cost me five hundred bucks in legal expenses. That
five hundred I couldn’t afford. I had to borrow it from
friends but, whatever it cost, it was worth it. It showed
exactly where the legal system of this country was at.
Ninety percent of the guys in jail with me were black, and
Spanish, because they couldn’t dig up the outrageous bails.
I sincerely hope that, if and when they ever get out, they
will still be able to see the injustice with the same clarity
and passionate hatred.
Prison does strange things to men. Although its purpose
is to break the free spirit of a man, in many cases it just
adds fuel to the fire that has never been and never will be
extinguished.
The wheel of the law turns
without pause.
After rain, good weather.
In the wink of an eye.
The universe throws off
its muddy clothes.
153
154 /
For ten thousand miles
the landscape
spreads out like a beautiful brocade.
Light Breezes. Smiling flowers.
High in the trees, amongst
the sparkling leaves
all the birds sing at once.
Men and animals rise up reborn.
What could be more natural?
After sorrow, comes happiness.
— Ho Chi Minh
Written in prison
The cop is a phenomenon, unto himself. He is a para-
noiac. He is a megalomaniac. He can be a sadist. He can
be vicious and cruel. He can be nice and sweet, especially
if he wants something. He can break the laws that he pre-
tends to be enforcing, with impunity. He is very sensitive
to being called names, and tends to react the only way
he knows how. He is armed to the teeth, with clubs, chem-
icals, gases, firearms, and the most frightening weapon of
all, righteous indignation. He tends to be stupid, and un-
educated, and very aware of his shortcomings, although
he doesn’t appreciate people’s comments on them. He
travels in packs or gangs, and feels a certain degree of se-
curity when he is with his own kind. His word is taken
without question in all courts, and he relies on this.
When unarmed and confronted by a police officer, you
must take all these factors into consideration, before decid-
ing what course of action you intend to follow. Most indi-
vidual confrontations between police and individuals take
place in the street. If you are black, Puerto Rican, or white
with long hair, you can expect this. Cops have the legal
right to stop and frisk any person, in suspicious circum-
stances. Suspicious circumstances are solely the cop’s in-
terpretation. He can always bust you for something like
disturbing the peace, or disorderly conduct, and then throw
in a resisting-arrest charge.
I can fully appreciate the fury and anger that a person
can feel when put through a humiliating experience by a
cop, but I would recommend strongly that a person main-
tain his cool, and in no circumstances lose his temper. If
you lose your temper, you are playing right into the cop’s
hands.
The cop will probably ask you a bunch of questions:
Name? Address? What you are doing? Where you are go-
ing? Etc. I would suggest that you answer all his questi'ons,
although you are not legally bound to. In no circumstances
should you answer any questions about drugs truthfully
(unless you have none and have never used them). By re-
fusing to answer questions, you will antagonize the cop,
and probably get yourself busted for loitering, or refusing
to obey a policeman’s orders. Be polite and concise, but do
not give any information that is not asked for, and in no
circumstances use anyone else’s name. It is a good idea to
refer to the cop as “officer,” since it helps his ego, and en-
hances your chances of staying out of jail.
Cops may go further than just harassment. They may
actually assault you. In these circumstances, you still have
no legal right to defend yourself. In these conditions stay
calm, if possible. Do not attempt to defend yourself other
than just to cover your groin and head. If you see an op-
portunity to grab a nearby weapon, and are reasonably
sure that you can be successful, then defend yourself, but
never forget that the cop has a gun, and he has used it,
and will use it.
When confronted on the street by the police, a common
emotion for a person to feel is fear. There is nothing wrong
with this. In fact, it's quite healthy, but do not show it to
the cop. If the cop realizes you are afraid of him, he will
take full advantage of the situation and play on your fear.
This doesn't mean to act belligerently, and, for God’s sake,
do not be a high school or college lawyer, and explain to
the cop what he can and cannot do. He can do anything,
he’s got the gun.
As I have stated before, I hate demonstrations. I feel
they must be sponsored by the government to give the cops
a heyday. But some demonstrations are necessary, al-
though the reason for this escapes me at the moment.
When taking part in a demonstration, you have opened
yourself up to brutality and arrest, and you must under-
stand this. Do not go to a peace rally thinking about peace.
Peace is won, and respect is earned. At all mass street
meetings, use common sense. In no circumstances carry
drugs, cherry bombs, stink bombs, spray paint, or any
object that might be considered a concealed weapon. These
include penknives and nail files. I have always made it a
policy never to take my wallet or any identification, but
this does risk arrest for not possessing a draft card.
If you are going to a demonstration that you think might
POSTSCRIPT /
155
be violent — this means all demonstrations — do not wear
jewelry. Women should not wear skirts, and everyone
should wear helmets, and carry a gas mask. If you smoke,
carry an extra pack of cigarettes with you, as it is a real
bitch getting cigarettes in jail.
One of the most threatening aspects of any demonstra-
tion is the plain-clothes cops. Over the past few years they
have proved more and more successful, and accordingly
their numbers have increased. Plainclothes cops are not
plainclothed, they are in disguise. Generally they try to
grow long hair and beards but, if you have any perception
at all, it is not hard to pick them out. If you are perform-
ing an illegal act, be especially careful and aware of who is
standing behind you.
Believe it or not, if you are arrested and attempt to
resist, and the original charge you were arrested for is
thrown out of court, you still can be jailed for resisting ar-
rest. So, when resisting arrest or making an attempt to
escape, be pretty sure that you have a good chance of suc-
cess, and never forget the gun. Many persons have man-
aged to escape from their arresting officers during demon-
strations, with help from their brothers and sisters creating
confusion.
Remember the cop doesn’t have to use the phrase, “You
are under arrest.” He may just grab you. This act in itself
will hold up in court as a legal arrest. The cop also has
the prerogative of not arresting you; he may just detain you
for questioning. Detainment can last as long as the cop likes,
but usually it does not last more than several hours. If
you are held for questioning, you are treated the same way
as if you were arrested, but you have none of the legal
rights you have if you are under arrest.
If you are arrested, do not talk. The more you say, the
more you will incriminate yourself, and probably other
people as well. You have the right to remain silent, and by
talking or trying to find out what you are charged with,
you may make a confession, without even realizing that
you have done so.
There are three things you should do as soon as you are
arrested:
1. Shout out your name, so that somebody knows-you
have been busted — not that he will do anything about it,
but it helps your peace of mind.
2. Try to remember anyone who saw you busted, since
they may be useful as witnesses.
3. Get and memorize the cop’s badge number and name.
If a different cop shows up in court, and you can prove it,
there is a good chance that the charges will be dismissed.
At the police station, you will be booked. This is a form-
filling-out time, where they will persist in asking every in-
criminating question possible, and you, of course, should
answer none of them. Although you are supposed to have
the right to call an attorney before being questioned, don’t
count on it. In fact, don’t count on anything at all. If you
are lucky enough to be allowed to call a lawyer, do so im-
mediately. if you don’t know a lawyer, and are busted in
New York City call any of the organizations listed below
and explain your situation. If you are communicating with
your parents, call them at once. Parents can get you out of
jams faster than any lawyer.
National Lawyers Guild — 227-0385, 227-1078,
962-5440
Emergency Civil Liberties Committee — 683-8120
New York Civil Liberties Union — 929-6076
Mobilization for Youth Legal Services — 777-5250
Part of being booked is the arresting officer’s filling oul
a Vera form. This is a test to see if you qualify for a sum-
mons. If you do, you will be released immediately and given
a date to appear in court. Vera summonses are only given
for nondrug-related misdemeanors. To be eligible for Vera,
you must have someone verify your address and occupa-
tion, by phone, to the arresting officer. The police will also
check your previous record. This is an extremely easy sys-
tem to beat, if you have good friends. I was arrested in
Brooklyn, for disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace.
About a week before the bust, a friend and I had worked
out a series of aliases and phony addresses, for just such
occasions. The arresting officer called my friend, and asked
him if he was indeed my father. After he had verified my
phoney name,«address, and occupation, I was released with
a summons, never to appear again.
Vera works on a point system. If you manage to verify
your existence and accumulate the correct number of
points, you will be released. The actual scale of points ap-
pears a few paragraphs below.
After you are booked, if you don’t rate Vera, you will
be taken to a larger city jail. In New York City, it is 100
Centre Street, better known as the Tombs. The Tombs is a
large prison, without windows. It houses about twice as
many people as it is supposed to. This incredible over-
crowding has resulted in bureaucracy. These impersonal
bureaucratic systems are the really frightening aspect of
any large city jail. Everything is performed like clock-
work, except if you get lost. What if someone loses your
card, and you don’t have any friends on the outside? Ab-
surd? No, this. isn’t absurd. It has happened many times:
A guy gets lost in the Tombs, and he’s found a year or so
later. He was originally charged with disorderly conduct,
which has a usual maximum sentence of 30 to 60 days.
When he is found, he has already spent a year in jail.
If you are under 21, in New York City you have a
special treat in store for you — either Atlantic Ave., or
Rikers Island. Either one of these places is many times
worse than the Tombs. The prison officials have a great
deal of difficulty understanding why the suicide rate is so
high in these locations. I have a great deal ot difficulty
understanding the prison officials.
When you are put into a big-city jail, you will probably
be frightened, lonely, humiliated, and completely drained
of any spirit. This is normal. Talk to the fellow prisoners,
write, play cards, read, doodle, do anything to keep your
mind occupied, but above all do not verbalize your mis-
fortune to your fellow prisoners. Each one of them has had
similar situations, and is sick of thinking about it.
Vera Point System:
To be released with a summons a defendant needs:
1. A New York area address where he can be reached.
2. A total of five points from the following categories.
PRIOR RECORD
2 No convictions.
1 One misdemeanor conviction.
0 Two misdemeanor convictions or one felony
conviction.
1 Three or more misdemeanor convictions or two
felony convictions.
EMPLOYMENT
3 Present job one year or more.
2 Present job four months, or present and prior job
six months.
1 An on-and-off job in either of the above two lines.
Or a current job.
Or unemployed three months or less, with nine
months or more on prior job.
Or receiving unemployment compensation, or wel-
fare, or supported by family.
FAMILY TIES (in New York Area)
3 Lives with or has contact with other family
members.
2 Lives with family or has contact with family.
1 Lives with nonfamily person and gives this person
as reference.
RESIDENCE (in New York area, not on-and-off)
3 Present address for one year or more.
2 Present residence six months, or present and prior
one year.
1 Present residence four months, or present and prior
six months.
TIME IN NEW YORK CITY
1 Ten years or more.
Depending on the time of day that you are arrested, the
time will be set for your arraignment. If you are busted
late at night, the chances are very good you will be held
overnight. (A word of advice: If you get the choice be-
tween the upper and lower bunks in a cell, choose the
lower. Prisons do not turn off their lights at night, and I
spent a sleepless night, without a mattress, with a five-
hundred-watt bulb shining directly into my eyes.)
The arraignment is nothing more than the judge telling
you what you are charged with, and setting bail for you.
You should have a lawyer present, since, if you don’t, the
judge will assign a moron from the Legal Aid Society. If
you can’t get a lawyer on your own, accept one from the
Legal Aid Society, but do not let the guy make any deals
for you. Legal Aid lawyers are notorious for wheeling and
dealing themselves out of work, and you into jail. It is
better to use a lawyer, rather than to attempt to defend
yourself, because the lawyer knows all the legal hocuspocus that might reduce your bail. Judges get pissed-off
when defendants try to defend themselves. I was once
called “a dirty layman,” when trying to defend myself in a
civil case, by some old asshole judge.
At the arraignment you will be required to plead guilty
POSTSCRIPT
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or not guilty to any violation. Never plead guilty to a violation. If necessary, you can change your plea later. If you
are charged with a misdemeanor, you will be given an opportunity to plead, but you are not required to do so. Do
not plead on a misdemeanor. You will not be allowed to
plead on a felony.
In most circumstances, if the judge does not release you
on your own recognizance (without bail), he will set a
figure and often a cash alternative. In other words, if your
bail is set at $500, he may only require a small percentage,
say $50 in cash. This is good, since if you have to go to a
bondsman it is a big hassle, and he will require incredible
amounts of security, such as automobiles, title deeds to
houses or property, bank books, etc.
The best advice possible on any legal matter is (1)
maintain your cool and temper, (2) keep your mouth shut,
(3) get a good lawyer and call your family, and (4) never
forget what you have been through. Allow the fear and
loneliness, and hatred to build inside you, rather than diminish with time. Allow your passions to fertilize the seeds
of constructive revolution. Allow your love of freedom to
overcome the false values placed on human life. For the
only method to communicate with the enemy is to speak
on his own level, using his own terms. Freedom is based on
respect, and respect must be earned by the spilling of
blood.
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