Various methods are used to deliver a fire charge to the capsule of an explosive device . You can use gasoline spilled from the charge to the fuse point, or sprinkle gunpowder. Powder stopin is also used, which is placed in paper packaging, or other available methods. However, they are not reliable, since they cannot provide an exact burning time at a certain distance, they cannot be used in bad weather or a specific landscape.
At one time, the Bikford cord was very popular, which could cope with almost any task of those times. It was made in advance, which allowed blasting without delay. It could burn even with little rain and wind, and also gave a clear idea of the detonation time, since the main substance in it was a powder stop, which had a certain burning time (one second per meter of cord).
Another feature that the Bickford cord possessed was its elasticity. It can be twisted white, it is convenient to carry it, and during the preparation of the explosion it can be wrapped up for any obstacle, which allowed the sappers to set charges at short distances, while they themselves could be located in shelter.
Such properties of the Bikford cord, the manufacture of which consisted of winding stopin textiles, received due to the design. The fact is that the active substance was wrapped in a layer of tissue, which was impregnated with gunpowder. This ensured uniform combustion and prevented attenuation. Then a second layer of textile was applied, which was smeared with bitumen. He protected it from moisture, imparted additional elasticity, and supplied oxygen to the Bikford cord during combustion, which was very important.
However, this refractory cord had its drawbacks. He did not tolerate negative temperatures, because of which he broke and crumbled. It could also become damp, and in conditions of high humidity or in water, it was practically useless. That is why today it is considered obsolete, and when carrying out blasting of bickfords, the cord is practically never used anywhere.
There are many other fire guides that have significantly better performance and reliability. Moreover, their manufacture is much simpler and cheaper, which can significantly reduce the cost of blasting. Bikford cord is almost impossible to buy today. Although most stores sell other fire protection products made using different technology and using other elements, but which have exactly the same name. We can say that only the name remains from the original invention of past centuries, which is firmly embedded in the memory of people.
Thus, Bikford cord can be purchased at any specialized store or removed from modern pyrotechnics. In this case, the resulting copy will be similar to the original of past years only visually. In fact, this is a completely different device that meets modern needs and operating conditions.