Old tools with harmful materials?

[MichaelBikel]

I am currently in my second year of radiologic sciences, while researching pneumoconiosis I came across some interesting information. We all know that most inorganic inhalants are harmful to our lungs. What I did not know was that allegedly some of these compounds are found in old tools. I can't quite remember which compound the source referenced, either asbestos, silica or perhaps beryllium. (I use the term allegedly as I know I read it but can't find the source)

I know asbestos was used for its unique sound and thermal qualities in insulation, tiling, bricks, shingles and more. Beryllium has been used in x-ray tubes and has heat conductors, while silica has applications in radios, radar watches and abrasives.

This is the information I can recall reading, but I can't find the source where it made mention of tools containing these materials. My main concern is that I collect, find, trade, and use older tools which sometimes require work. Now I doubt that they do contain such materials but I wouldn't want to take a chance. Does anyone have any information on this?

Thanks,

-Michael

 

[MrGiggles]

Most dangerous tool I've used is a sledge with a frayed fiberglass handle.

 

[Infinia]

Cadmium was often used as a corrosion inhibitor on the surface of older tools.
possibly Beryllium alloys on some light weight springs.
there is much info available on dangers on handling / machining. If you are going to be removing plating or re-machining vintage gear then you have ruined the value of the old tool , yes?
Re most of the dangers are to workers in the high volume production or process of materials not the end users. Asbestos and lead in paint are included.

 

[toolmutt]

Cadmium was used as a plating around WWII. I've read that it can be bad if inhaled.

Edit: Infinia beat me to it.

 

[Tenex]

I've seen some old tools in the Garage Sale thread that were Beryllium-Copper.

 

[MichaelBikel]

Cadmium was often used as a corrosion inhibitor on the surface of older tools.
possibly Beryllium alloys on some light weight springs.
there is much info available on dangers on handling / machining. If you are going to be removing plating or re-machining vintage gear then you have ruined the value of the old tool , yes?
Re most of the dangers are to workers in the high volume production or process of materials not the end users. Asbestos and lead in paint are included.

Correct, high volume production is where exposure tends to be greater. These diseases (asbestosis, silicosis, siderosis, berylliosis, chalicosis) are considered occupational, but a quick exposure to a large amount of these inhalants could have effects on the lungs. I am thinking more in terms of using a grinding wheel on an old tool for reshaping, lets say blanking a machete from an antique/vintage saw blade. I don't know if a saw blade would contain any of these materials but since this is something I plan on doing it caught my attention.

Thank you all for your input.

 

[Infinia]

use common sense and always wash your hands after

 

[EdT]

Cad plating was banned in Europe over 30 years ago, but here in the US it was still around about 10 years ago. We used a lot of fasteners at work and the standard plating was CAD, Since a lot of stuff went to Europe we had to certify that it was cadmium free. It turned out to be cheaper to get the "standard " cad plated stuff and have it stripped and zinc plated rather than have the manufacturer make us a "special". Go figure.
I have an old Bridgeport mill and the original 3PH motor has emblazoned on the name tag "Asbestos Insulated". I guess at one time that was a positive selling point.
AFA making something from an old saw blade I would think you are at little risk from substances in the blade. However, that's an opinion, so value it as much as you paid for it. Whether an old saw blade is suitable for a machete in other ways, I have no idea. Since you are "in the business" of evaluating stuff radiologically, maybe you could do an analysis of the saw blade or have one done. Then you would know for sure what's in it.

 

[Infinia]

" cad plated stuff and have it stripped and zinc plated rather than have the manufacturer make us a "special". Go figure.
.

yes legislation often has the opposite effect in certain cases.
the danger is not the fasteners themselves but the manufacturing of, or in your case the stripping process.

 

[rustyzman]

Cadmium plating is still being specified for some govt. and military items. Certainly not Rohs or REACH compliant. Guess those items won't get exported.

 

[Infinia]

Cadmium plating is still being specified for some govt. and military items. Certainly not Rohs or REACH compliant. Guess those items won't get exported.

Pb & depleted uranium too
that they might get to have free delivery, wanted or not. muhaha

Military and non-harmful aren't really compatible to begin with.
The systems the Mil buys need to have a 30-40 service life, not consumer landfill grade.

 

[larry_g]

https://www.ngkmetals.com/index.cfm/m/1/Home

Above is

The World Leader in Beryllium Copper

and have a full line of tools. If you read the technical data they will tell you not to grind these tools and the hazards associated with them.

A thread here on GJ http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=167901

lg
no neat sig line

 

[wmm2]

Cadmium was often used as a corrosion inhibitor on the surface of older tools.
possibly Beryllium alloys on some light weight springs.
there is much info available on dangers on handling / machining. If you are going to be removing plating or re-machining vintage gear then you have ruined the value of the old tool , yes?
Re most of the dangers are to workers in the high volume production or process of materials not the end users. Asbestos and lead in paint are included.

To expand on this point, pretty much any material inhaled in sufficient quantities will cause problems. Cotton for textile workers and french fry grease for fast food workers are a couple of examples. If you are doing something where you might be creating some dust, at least some cheap masks from the dollar store or Harbor Freight would be better than breathing the dust.

 

[Jlbc212]

And don't forget welding, soldering fumes, paint and solvent vapors, brake and carburator cleaners, penetrating oil sprayed on hot parts, etc., etc. ... we are all gonna die!!!

 

[ptschram]

Considering the expposures I've had over the years, my tools are the least of my worries.

If you want something to give you nightmares, Chrome flaking from sockets deposited under the skin supposedly causes cancer...

As a former elemental spectroscopist I've been exposed to all manner of metals in ionized form. For that matter, I sued to cast lead bullets at the kitchen stove as kid.

 

[Tony G]

Keep collecting. Don't worry about it. You want to live forever?

 

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Everything causes cancer.

 

[crguy]

Don't forget the mercury in some of the Starrett plumb bobs.

 

[Muzzy]

use common sense and always wash your hands after

This.
Generations of workers milled asbestos, applied lead paint, and breathed shop fumes all while smoking five packs of cigarettes a day. Some of them died at age 45, some lived to be a hundred.
Use the right protective gear and practice good hygiene.

In all honesty I would be more concerned about the metallurgical properties of the saw blade machete causing it to break and hurt me than the long term effects of sanding off whatever coating is on the original blade.

 

[NOZZLEMAN]

It's like I told by nephew recently when he went on a rant about "all natural" things being great & healthy.

"water is all natural... but thousands of people drown every year"

Just sayin'... everything can kill you.

 

[d.mcfarland]

Beryllium isn't bad. It's still used today for machine parts because of it's heat capabilities. It's an alloy most of the time so not pure Beryllium.

 

[ptschram]

Beryllium isn't bad. It's still used today for machine parts because of it's heat capabilities. It's an alloy most of the time so not pure Beryllium.

In the mid-70s, there were a lot of beryllium heat sinks becoming available on the surplus market.

There was HUGE article in QST, the ham radio magazine about the dangers of the beryllium heat sinks. Apparently there were a lot of cancers caused by machining these heatsinks.

I was kinda shocked to learn that the new hot ticket for valve seats is beryllium/copper given the fact that every one has to be machined. apparently this alloy is less of a concern.

 

[d.mcfarland]

Good point. Maybe the alloy changes the chemical composition to the point where it isn't nearly as harmful. We use the alloy on a part in a compression mold machine that injects plastic for food containers. So if it's bad, it's touching products that are considered food safe by the regulating bodies.

 

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

My favorite are products that are "chemical free". There's not a thing on this earth that is chemical free. This is like high school science level **** that these idiots should know.

 

[inlikeflint]

I see a lot of Youtube videos these days with mechanics wearing latex gloves. I don't know if it is for health or because they don't know about GoJo or Fast Orange.... Or maybe they are too prissy to get their hands dirty.

I suppose if you really think about it. All tools have some sort of material that pose a danger to you if you use them the wrong way... My Craftsman screwdrivers that stink up my tool box have a chemical that is supposed to keep the handles glossy. I don't put the tools in my mouth or expose them to open cuts...(Not because I am woried about getting some chemical in my bloodstream.)

Vise-Grips have flacks of nickel chrome that chip off and that could get in your eyes...
Saw blades are sharp, but the ones that aren't are more dangerous to work with.

 

[MichaelBikel]

I'm liking the feedback i'm getting here! Learning a lot of good information, still planning on that machete project though! I guess i'll just make sure I wear legitimate eye protection and my trusty respirator. http://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-Medium-Professional-Multi-Purpose-Respirator-62023HA1-C/202080144

Not gonna lie, this is looking pretty good right about now:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Safety-Works-Full-Face-Multi-Purpose-Respirator-10041139/100422477

 

[leg17]

Beryllium is poisonous.

Handle such tools with gloves on while you pack them up for shipment.
I will do you a favor and dispose of them properly.
Trust me.
You do, don't you?

 

[ttpete]

I see a lot of Youtube videos these days with mechanics wearing latex gloves. I don't know if it is for health or because they don't know about GoJo or Fast Orange.... Or maybe they are too prissy to get their hands dirty.

I suppose if you really think about it. All tools have some sort of material that pose a danger to you if you use them the wrong way... My Craftsman screwdrivers that stink up my tool box have a chemical that is supposed to keep the handles glossy. I don't put the tools in my mouth or expose them to open cuts...(Not because I am woried about getting some chemical in my bloodstream.)

Vise-Grips have flacks of nickel chrome that chip off and that could get in your eyes...
Saw blades are sharp, but the ones that aren't are more dangerous to work with.

Gloves are like condoms. They screw up your sense of touch, something that's important in the mechanical trades. The citrus based hand cleaners are excellent, and you finish with Lava soap and a nail brush. I've worked all day on vehicles, then cleaned up and put on a tux, and nobody could tell what I'd been doing. The only time I'll use gloves is when washing parts, because the solvent pulls oils out of the skin.

A little common sense goes a long way. Don't weld on cad plated parts without removing the plating. Don't weld on galvanized surfaces without good ventilation. And avoid silver solder that contains cadmium. The metals are not hazardous in their solid state, but avoid vaporizing them or creating fine dust that can be inhaled.

 

[mjoekingz28]

If you are doing something where you might be creating some dust, at least some cheap masks from the dollar store or Harbor Freight would be better than breathing the dust.

No, NOT the cheap ones. They can come apart at the staple and take out an eye- since the elastic is under tension. Stick with 3M unless you know better.

 

[inlikeflint]

"Gloves are like condoms. They screw up your sense of touch, something that's important in the mechanical trades."

Those are my thoughts exactly.
I can't count how many times I have been in a crazy position reaching behind something to see what it is that is leaking or trying to find where something comes apart... with sweat dripping into my eyes...

I tried the latex gloves once or twice but I end up getting the box dirty and the gloves go all over the place...

 

[icthruu74]

I wouldn't get too worked up over it. We rarely see pneumoconiosis anymore. And most of the bad things you are unlikely to see in tools - coal dust, asbestos, and silica.

And I'm with you guys on gloves. I hate wearing them, I don't care what anyone says you don't have the same feel with them.

 

[jeeper46]

Those nitrile gloves may bother some of you, but if you were a pipefitter like me, getting your hands into all sorts of nasty stuff all day, you would deal with it. Oil and grease are one thing, biohazards are another. Wear the right size of glove,not too loose, and feel is not a problem.

 

[ttpete]

I wouldn't get too worked up over it. We rarely see pneumoconiosis anymore. And most of the bad things you are unlikely to see in tools - coal dust, asbestos, and silica.

And I'm with you guys on gloves. I hate wearing them, I don't care what anyone says you don't have the same feel with them.

The only time I wore gloves was when washing parts because the solvent would remove all the oil from one's skin and irritate it.