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TheRaven
60
Nov 5, 2016
So I have a long winded question(s) for someone more knowledgeable than myself. Do we have any mass drop members who are environmental scientists?? EPA officials? I did a little research on these brass pens several companies are machining. Apparently, the brass is usually about 60% copper, 37% zinc and 3% lead (lead allowing the brass to be machined better). These pens are raw brass, so you'll get a very, very tiny bit of lead on your fingers when using the pen. I further read touching anything more than about 0.01% lead leaves a microsopic amount of lead on your hands (lead accidentally ingested even in microscopic amounts is not considered safe). So finally my long winded question..... is there any danger in EDCing a raw brass made of 3% lead??
Funkerdoo
Nov 5, 2016
TheRavenUnless you plan on eating your pen I don't think so. I think you would get more lead in green tea from China than a writing pen.
TheRaven
60
Nov 5, 2016
FunkerdooThank you. I don't plan on eating it. However, i may occas bite it; biting something that's 3% leadsounds as though it could be slightly detrimental? --Not to the pen....to me. : ) I'll work on that.
Funkerdoo
Nov 5, 2016
TheRavenJust in case if you are more worried, you can try using a lead tester (you can find some in home depot) and you can also remove the lead yourself if you want. Follow these instructions. http://brewingrabble.com/resources/surface-lead.htm
K.T.N
1264
Nov 6, 2016
TheRavenYikes! That's quite worrisome. My wife is expecting in a month or so, so this scares me quite a bit. 3% lead seems a lot.
I also have a Kaweco Sport brass that I started using recently. Might this also have lead in it?
It might not be anything, but I'm definitely going to avoid using a product that has any chance of harming a developing child, especially if other safer alternatives are readily available.
Maybe the manufacturer can comment on this? Does the brass used here contain any lead? Is it a danger?
Also, since the lead is mixed into the alloy, won't surface cleaning only have minimal, temporary effect?
Lead safety around children is a big deal.
Edit:
Here are a couple of articles I found about some regulations regarding children and leaded brass. The articles comment more on the legal aspects of the regulation, but give some insight into the risk.
On the second link, scroll down to the section about writing instruments. I had no idea brass contained lead, so use your common sense!
http://www.overlawyered.com/2009/11/cpsias-ban-on-brass/
http://www.sedgwicklaw.com/uneasy-precedent-inflexible-cpsia-creates-conundrum-for-manufacturers-06-17-2009/
TheRaven
60
Nov 7, 2016
K.T.NUsing the info we have to work with, I've come to the conclusion these raw brass pens are not really safe--and are especially unsafe if young children are around. I'll be picking up a pen made of something other than raw brass.
toestor
598
Nov 7, 2016
TheRavenNot to freak everyone out, but you do realize that a lot of plumbing fittings (valves, faucets, etc.) are made from solid brass? I imagine that the amount of lead you could ingest from that would be significantly higher over a life time than the traces that may come off the surface of these pens.
TheRaven
60
Nov 7, 2016
toestorAgain, I'm no expert. I was hoping an expert would come along??? If you do a little research toeteser, you'll learn not all brass is 3% lead. Really old faucets might be, but new brass faucets are much, much lower than 3%, and the EPA is recommending the lead in faucets be pretty much removed altogether! (As the EPA seems to claim its safer). I think these pens are very cool looking, but the evidence still seems to safe they're unsafe.
TheRaven
60
Nov 7, 2016
toestorIf you look here, I'm reading 11 ppb (parts per billion). I believe those numbers are something like 0.00001% lead. My math skills are lacking in the last 20 or so years, but you get the idea as to what's considered safe lead amounts. And 3% is WAY over the limit.
http://www.afsinc.org/content.cfm?ItemNumber=6917
Funkerdoo
Nov 8, 2016
TheRavenOnce again, it's possible to remove the lead with household over the counter items.
NeenerMan
233
Dec 29, 2016
TheRavenMy grandparents lived through lead paint, and lack of health regulation, I think we're alright. Some people build clocks (Clickspring on YouTube) out of all brass, some apprentices make their first object/product with brass and they're all alive and healthy. I'd think so long as you don't have a health condition or rub the pen in your eyes or suck on it, you should be okay.
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