Important: Safety Warning

This page describes practices involving highly flammable materials in ways that create a serious risk of fire or explosion.

This page describes trade processes that use dangerously toxic materials such as cyanide solutions, mercury amalgams, or strong acids. These processes require training, equipment, and precautions far beyond what the text describes.

This page directs the use of hazardous substances — such as benzine, gasoline, lye, or strong acids — for household tasks. These materials are highly flammable, corrosive, or poisonous, and the practices described have caused fires, burns, and poisonings.

This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.