David Spain wrote:
Well sure. I don't see any reason why gunpowder would not
conflagrate in the vacuum of space, but I'm no expert in
that area either.

I'm pretty sure both black and smokeless powder will detonate in a vacuum.
How did that handheld item that Ed White used in Gemini ?
work for him? Was that a nitrogen bottle?

It used two nitrogen bottles.

IIRC it had two
nozzles at the ends of a small pipe in the shape of a T?

Three nozzles; one faced forward:
http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4002/images/fig99.jpg
It only worked in a mediocre manner.
The problem with any system using only compressed gas in tanks is that
your compressed gas reserves run out fairly quickly, and your delta v is
fairly limited.
IIRC, they later ran a air line down the EVA umbilical connected to a
gas supply inside the Gemini.

Pat