Rubberset 400 handle material?

I recently came across a comment expressing a concern over possible lead content in the handles of Rubberset 400 brushes.

Does anyone have an idea what the actual material might be? Sanding certainly generates a lot of dark grey dust, but I always assumed aluminum so I've been happily sanding away on 3 of them without benefit of gloves or even a light dust mask. But this comment gave me pause.

I suppose one should always take precautions, but would these have a basis in fact?

It's aluminum, they're not nearly heavy enough to be lead.

I usually wet sand them anyway so no major issues with dust or breathing anything in.

If you're concerned just send them my way and I'll make sure they are properly disposed of.

dfoulk said:

If you're concerned just send them my way and I'll make sure they are properly disposed of.

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I'll get right on that! I wet sand, too, except for the first round - 150 grit because I've been too impatient with 220 <grin>

Understand gents that aluminum make up may have some lead content in the alloy mix. There is no way of knowing except testing. Many metals can and do have a trace amount of lead to improve machining and finishes. Many of the steels have it. A lot of the time they are used in producing all kinds of parts. If it has an l prefix or suffix in the numbers it does have a minor amount. An easy way to test is to pick up a lead testing kit from your hardware store that is used to test for lead solder in plumbing.

Ray

Wow that's an interesting idea walleyman! I may have to try this on the rubber set 400 handle I have laying around.

I have been a machinist 30 + yrs. The amount of lead that is added to materials won't be detected by weight. It is done by percentages. Some are as minute as .001% to even 1.5%. Where you have lead contamination issues is more with grinding. Also welding is not recommended on leaded steels either. The fumes from welding can enter your bloodstream simply by breathing them.Or blowing the chips and dust off by mouth or compressed air will get them into the air to breath. But metal dust tends to fall out rather quickly than do non metal dusts. the last concern is more of dermal absorbtion. Even if you wet sand and don't use gloves you are making it much easier for it to be absorbed through the skin.
With all that said I will probably die tonight in my sleep due to lead poisoning!! LOL

Ray

I am by no means trying to scare anyone. Just use common sense and you will be fine!

Ray

So much for my theory, thanks for the information walleyeman.

If they were to have lead in them then they'd still be perfectly safe to use and enjoy.
Just wet sand them and make sure no cuts are on your hands while sanding them.
I'm interested to find out though as well.

Truth be known the abrasives are probably more to be concerned with. They have a lot of oxides in them. Silicon oxide is one. It will cause silicosis in lungs. But I am talking very high amounts. Not hand sanding so much. Thus the black buggers when you have been grinding or sanding for long periods!!

Ray

This is my last post. I will be more than happy to collect all the rubberset 400's to be put in hazardous waste! Real proper like. I will even do it for free!! LOL. With that I would not be concerned with using one to shave with. Now if you lick it a lot there might be an issue!!

All great information, walleyeman! I think I'm going to operate on the assumption that there is some minor lead content and use latex gloves when sanding, dust mask when dry sanding.

I always work in a well ventilated area and use a dust mask, gloves, eye protection & take care cleaning up when restoring old brush handles whatever the material. I was concerned with the glue in some of the older handles maybe containing asbestos or something. I really don't think there is anything toxic but they say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Not to hijack - but I just saw the comments about eye protection and other safety gear - so wanted to mention it. I was recently using a grinding wheel on a dremel and removed it from the handle to check it out. The grinding wheel was spinning away - until it shot off across the basement. I was wearing regular eye glasses at the time, but that thing took off and bounced off a cabinet, a shelf and I still have not found it. Please consider eye protection and where appropriate dust masks or better protective masks. Doesn't take much to have an unfortunate accident.

labrax said:

Not to hijack - but I just saw the comments about eye protection and other safety gear - so wanted to mention it. I was recently using a grinding wheel on a dremel and removed it from the handle to check it out. The grinding wheel was spinning away - until it shot off across the basement. I was wearing regular eye glasses at the time, but that thing took off and bounced off a cabinet, a shelf and I still have not found it. Please consider eye protection and where appropriate dust masks or better protective masks. Doesn't take much to have an unfortunate accident.

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Safety is a huge concern at my work so they show us all videos occasionally and make us do safety training all the time. Everything from things we do specific at work to things we'll never encounter there. We all have to do the training even though some of us like myself sit safely in front or a computer all day. Some of the pictures, videos and discussions really stand out. I remember seeing a pair of safety goggles with a nail going through right where a person's eye would have been. The glasses caught the nail and it didn't go any farther sparing the person's eye but the momentum caused the pin nail to fold back and forth over itself like a ribbon so you knew it definitely would have kept on going had the glasses not been there. I can't tell you how many times I've used power tools without safety goggles before that thinking it was just something quick so it didn't matter. The reality is it only takes a second to lose an eye.

Yup - David you are right. The following Monday my 6 yr old was playing with silly putty of all things - and she was picking at it with a colored pencil - trying to pry it off the counter. The tip broke off and flew up and in to her eye. Fortunately, no damage and it was just irritated by the tip of the colored pencil, but a few frantic minutes where my wife and I tried to assess the extent of the problem and if we needed to rush out in the blizzard to the ER. I remember going to Mass General over 35 years ago with my Dad when he had a piece of a nail head embedded in his eye. Again - not to hijack a specific thread and my apologies to the OP, but discussing potential hazards of working with these old vintage brushes brought up a more general safety issue that I am often guilty of overlooking.

Heck - when I moved in my house I tried to level an old bathroom floor that had old linoleum on it - sanding away with 60-80 grit on the edges - little did I know at the time that it more than likely contained asbestos - which was a common material in older flooring - so it is good to be cautious and take precautions to limit risks.

Even if it was not a catastrophic injury - just think about what a co-pay is these days to the ER - you could get a new Simpson or a Thater for that or a ATT razor with all the plates.....trying to bring it back around to forum stuff

Absolutely no need to apologize for hijacking this OP when it comes to Safety!!! That was my mission in the work environment (before retiring) as a manufacturing manager, and of course it spills over into everything I do. When I'm using power tools, I'm wearing my PPE - Personal Protective Equipment - that not only includes eye protection, but hearing protection as well.

Those, for me, are the obvious threats, and I should have been more cautious BEFORE working on my 400's, not asking the important questions about material exposures after...

Thank you Dan!