A History of Black Powder | Powder Valley
WEBIt's a labor of love making black powder from scratch: First, beech, birch, fir, oak, pine, spruce, and willow boiled down over a fire make a good charcoal. The ingredients can be ground individually using a basic hand mill or pestle and mortar. The charcoal and sulfur are then combined into a ball mill for several hours to create a fine powder.