Sulfur Flowers of sulfur
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StoryFlowers of sulfur.
This sulfur was purchased at a Walgreens pharmacy in April 2002. They had only one partially used bottle left, which no one knew the use of!

Many years ago I used to buy sulfur and saltpeter from pharmacies to grind up into gunpowder (the carbon came from readily available charcoal). I had to be sure not to buy both sulfur and saltpeter from the same pharmacist. Back then neither seemed to raise any eyebrows, and I don't think I ever had to use my planned excuse that "my mom asked me to buy this for her, I don't know what she's going to do with it".

But in 2002, it seems people don't buy sulfur at the pharmacy anymore. I actually had half seriously planned to say "my wife asked me to buy this for her, I don't know what she's going to do with it", but when the stern-faced pharmacist asked me, staring over his glasses, what I planned to do with it, I broke down and told him the truth. It worked.

Click the story book icon to read about making gunpowder.

Source: Walgreens Pharmacy
Contributor: Theodore Gray
Acquired: 18 April, 2002
Text Updated: 16 March, 2007
Price: $2
Size: 2.5"
Purity: >95%
Sample Group: Powders+Medical
Sulfur