Dangerous handel material

[Hawk]

Well tonight I was working with some Micarta I was wearing my resparator, I stopped to take a drink and talk to my son then I started up again on sanding the Mircarta I had forgotten my mask. I worked about 15 miutes without a mask before I came to miss my mask. I was not sure if Mircarta was dangerous or not so I did a quick google and found out I would be fine.

This got me thinking and I searched around but never got a good answer. What handell materials are safe and witch are unsaef????

I have been working with cocobola of late and know that it has been prone the bothering some people.

I also have some Water Buffalo horn that I know is dangerous to use and it will screw up your lungs.

How about a list of materials that is safe for the users, or unsafe and one needs a mask of some sort.

[Colin KC]

Ideally Hawk, anything that you're grinding will produce particles (some burnt & noxious) that will not do your lungs any good at all.

The basic rule is, mask/respirator up for anything you grind &/or mix up

[Ray Rogers]

Colin is 100% correct, nothing you grind is 'safe' including Micarta. None of the materials we work with will cause you to drop dead if you accidentally sniff a little bit of it, the effect is accumulative. I believe it was Wayne Goddard who mentioned that he ground Micarta for many years with his faithful hound dog laying at his feet. Wayne worre a resirator but, of course, the dog didn't. When the dog died it was fairly old but Wayne decided to ask a vet to do an autopsy anyway. The vet said the dogs lungs were packed with plastic particles .........

[Chuck Burrows]

I'll second all of the above and here is a partial list of wood toxicity - note that many can cause skin and other problems:
http://www.mendelu.cz/~horacek/toxic.htm

The thing I see is a lot of guys using respirators while working but then never vacuuming up later - so they wind up breathing the second hand dust.

Iron wood is one of the most popular handle woods but it is also one of the most dangerous - it causes a form of pneumonia(?) that can be deadly.

But besides dust remember fumes from thinners, etc. - they can be even more insidious - I have an incurable liver disease and one of the causes is most likely my many years working with all kinds of solvents and glues while working in the wood and leather business.

[Mike Hull]

Micarta produces phenol, and formaldehyde gasses when sanded/ground. These can be breathed, or can absorb through the skin from the dust, if left on too long.

Both of those substances are toxic.
You might not have any bad effects from your brief exposure, but continued exposure will definitely harm you.
Micarta dust in the lungs is cumulative, and won't come out.

A respirator is great, but the organic vapor cartridge that most have won't completely protect you when working Micarta.
You need a two stage cartridge, 'organic vapor, AND formaldehyde.

What Wild Rose said above is true. If you get sensitized to chemicals(me), or cause other damage, whether to the organs, or the central nervous system, it's no joke, and usually not reversible.

[stoneman]

At a fire department conference, the speaker spoke about carbon fiber material as being particularily nasty stuff, wear a good respirator, gloves, and make sure your machines are protected, as the dust will short them out.

[Hawk]

Thanks guys, I am bad about wearing a resparator at all times but when I deal with handel material I put one on.

Now whit everything you all have noted here I am worried that I did not buy a good enough resparator even though it is rated for working with toxic fumes and materials.

I wish I still had my "gas" mask from my Army days

[tonyx]

Nearly all the materials we use in metal and woodworking create hazards by accumulating in our lungs..solid particles of any form can not exit the lungs. Glad someone mentioned hazards from vacuuming. I will add leaf blowers, as they raise fine soil and silica particles into air, thus our lungs..wear your mask (even if not a respirator).

Most solvents affect our circulatory and nervous systems...Many can cause brain damage from just the fumes.

Let me add, that heat from forges and torches can have dibilatory effects on our sinuses and lungs.

May you all have long, safe and healthy working lives

Tonyx

[David Peterson]

I've been reading this thread with great interest. My shop is outside, so I've been avoiding using a respirator or mask because of it fogging up my glasses on cold days. It always seem to happen just as I'm in the middle of a delicate grind. When I wear a mask, the moist air when I breath out goes up the opening on the side of my nose and fogs my lenses. Are there any respirators that have a good enough seal around the nose to keep this from happening? Fortunately I haven't used any micarta, but some of the exotic woods I use are just as nasty. Thanks.

-Dave
dave@sagebrushcountry.com

[Ray Rogers]

I also wear glasses - sometimes a lot of glasses - since my close up vision is very poor. My shop is indoors but the temperature is 37 F all winter long so fogging was a problem for me too.

Most respirators sold off the shelf in hardware stores are either Small or Medium. I have one of each and have always had the fogging problem, especially when I lean forward or point my face downward so that gravity has a chance to pull the mask a little.

Recently, I bought my 3rd respirator. This one came from MSC in Large size and made of soft silicon. What a diference! It takes a little careful adjustment to make sure there is no leakage but it does work. No fogging.

BTW, if you can leak enough to fog your glasses there is a chance that you are breathing in around the mask. I know I was, that's why I bought the last one.

Of course, I'm assuming you are clean shaven ....

[Howard Rich]

I am a newbie to knives but I have been in lapidary for a while so If I may I'd like to give you an Idea.
When I carve shell or stone I do it in a box. It's like a small sand blaster. Glass in front, hand slots on each side, light above, flex shaft comes thru a hole and I can clamp it if I want so I can move the shell or stone under the bit. It also has a water drip for cooling and dust.
Thanks

[Alain M-D]

Interesting subject !

What about Acetone ? I use a lot of acetone to clean parts before gluing,
to clean epoxy, to clean my epoxied hand, to remove buffing residue, etc...
Is the acetone are dangerous for the skin ?

And Windex ? I use it to put a satin hand rubbing on my blade...
(and use it to clean everything) Is the amoniac in windex are dangerous
for the skin when used often ?

Alain M-D

[Mike Hull]

Originally posted by Alain M-D
Interesting subject !

What about Acetone ? I use a lot of acetone to clean parts before gluing,
to clean epoxy, to clean my epoxied hand, to remove buffing residue, etc...
Is the acetone are dangerous for the skin ?


Alain M-D

Acetone is extremely dangerous, the fumes, plus it can absorb through the skin with contact.
Wiping epoxy off your hands with acetone is a sure way to carry the carcinogens from the epoxy into your body, as well as the acetone.

I would suggest rubber gloves when using epoxy, and acetone.

[Mike Hull]

Forgot to mention, I don't know about the Windex. Ammonia is not a good thing to breath at any time though.:confused:

[Howard Rich]

Acetone is a liver killer. And it can leave a film that will soften glues.
Hot water and Dawn dish soap is what I clean almost everything with then a rinse of alcohol if it can rust or is soft like wood. Even in my sonic tub that I use for gemstones just have Dawn and Jet Dry.
One other warning that the popular news does not let out. Chemical sensitivity is a BIG problem in the US. We use, eat ,wear too many chemicals the more your exposed the more your toxin levels grow.
Howard
P.S............... I am not a health nut.