talk to me about chalk lines

[tpolley]

when i was growing up my dad had an old chalk line with the red chalk. he would always tell me to be carefull with it because the chalk was dangerous. never said why, or i don't remember why or didn't understand why or all the above. this thing was probably 25 years old in the late 80's. fast forward to current times. i've used chalk lines about twice in my adult life. both times i had a lingering fear in the back of my mind but i brushed it off. i thought surely whatever the stuff was made out of 40-ish years ago if it was dangerous they wouldn't still use it. anyway i finally broke down and bought one with the red permanent chalk. i figured dangerous or not, they're freaking handy. i figure if i go to my grave a few days earlier because i used a chalk line a handfull of times i wouldn't know the difference anyway. so whats the deal? is the chalk dangerous or not?

 

[Zrexxer]

so whats the deal? is the chalk dangerous or not?

The first thing a kid would do is get into it and spill the chalk everywhere, which made a godawful mess. SO.. they told you it was dangerous

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

Yes. Dangerous to the HOUSE.

 

[mooman]

We use chalk everyday laying out pallet rack on warehouse floors. Do not use red. Too permanent.
We prefer to use blue or orange, ( white or baby powder if working on wood) then spray over it with hairspray to keep the lines from comming off while we're working. I think we're an Aquanet preferred customer.

 

[VegasBruce]

The red seems to get all over everything and stay. The blue is more forgiving. Hairspray is good to keep the lines, but clear upside down paint is forever.

 

[a390st]

The amount of chalk you spill in the house as a child is directly proportional to the amount of pain your backside experiences. THAT is what makes chalk dangerous...dangerous to the comfort of your ****.

 

[X1 Mike]

How sad it is that you dad felt the need to lie to you to get you to listen.

My dad threatened to beat my *** if I didn't put his chalk line down, I listened just fine without having to be lied too.....

My pops was very particular about his chalk lines. Even as an adult when I worked with him thats one tool he never screwed around with. He used to pull the line so tight he would damn near cut my fingers open. I was just a punk kid of around 18 thinkin I'm all tough and pops would just do little stuff like that to let me know where I stood.

 

[Mickey O]

Red is "permanent", blue is temporary.

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

Hey! Just like Loctite!

 

[Mickey O]

We use chalk everyday laying out pallet rack on warehouse floors. Do not use red. Too permanent.
We prefer to use blue or orange, ( white or baby powder if working on wood) then spray over it with hairspray to keep the lines from comming off while we're working. I think we're an Aquanet preferred customer.

That Aquanet is the cheapest hairspray, I used to use it for my potato cannon.

 

[bentt]

I as a kid was also warned of chalk powder/talc. I was told it may contain asbestos. This may have been the basis of your father's concerns.

http://www.preventcancer.com/consumers/cosmetics/talc.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asbestos#Asbestos_and_talc