Crackajack

The small, cylindrical type of NOS/NO2/nitrous oxide dispenser. Usually made from 2 threaded sections of aluminium just long enough to accomodate an 8g nitrous oxide charger when screwed together. A spike in one end of one section pierces the cap of the charger when the halves are tightened, and two small holes in the same end allow the gas to escape into a balloon stretched over the end. Available from headshops and presumably made exclusively for cracking NO2 chargers into balloons. So named because the user must screw/jack the two threaded halves together in order to 'crack' or open the NO2 charger. Term is necessary in order to distinguish this style of dispenser from the larger cream whipper style sometimes referred to as a cracker. As the crackajack is a simple device with no intermediate chamber or valves between the charger and the balloon, NO2 decompression happens very rapidly, reducing the temperature of the crackajack significantly and invariably freezing the user's hands to the device.

Of note: while it is possible (though inadvisable) to huff nitrous oxide directly from a cream-whipper style cracker, trying to do this with a crackajack will likely lead to excruciating injury due to the lack of any valve or trigger for pressure regulation.

Teenager 1: Hey man, pass the cracker

Teenager 2: Ah it's downstairs I think dude

Teenager 1: Nah nah the little one, the crackajack

Teenager 2: *passes crackajack to teenager 1*

Teenager 1: *freezes the shit out of their fingers then huffs some nitrous oxide*

by dingus_khan December 18, 2020