Re: Should have bought the How To book off WH Smiths
Then there's the serious explosives, like RDX or PETN.
Making RDX is significantly easier than making STABLE smokeless gunpowder (aka nitrocellulose), TNT or nytroglicerine. On the subject of smokeless gunpowder stability read this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_battleship_Libert%C3%A9