Protective Hand Coating

There are many, many old wive's tales and dire warnings about lead poisoning from reloading and casting, most are just repeated so many times they become "fact". Fear can be crippling to the point of not participating or excessive PPDs. Some reloaders/casters would have you using a full Haz-Mat suit in a negative ventilation room with self contained breathing aparatus. Like many I have been reloading (bare handed) for over 40 years, casting sinkers and bullets for maybe 50 years, shooting at an old indoor range for maybe 10-12 years, and my annual blood tests show low/normal heavy metals. When I was working on construction equipment I occasuonally used the "protective hand cream" provided by the Dept., but never for reloadng (works well when painting). Today, after reloading/casting/shooting I wash my hands with Dawn (last blood/lead test was 2 years ago; normal levels)

K.I.S.S.! Common sense will keep you healthy, and Chicken Little lied...
 
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mikld said:
K.I.S.S.! Common sense will keep you healthy, and Chicken Little lied...
Click to expand...

Common Sense may keep you healthy, but it's the Uncommon kind that makes the breakthrough (and also a lot of mistakes, so there is that...) :rolleyes:

And technically, Chicken Little DIDN'T lie - he acted as he believed best with the data he had available to him that he was able to interpret with the education and experience he had obtained up to that time. Think about it, if the sky actually HAD been falling then he would have been hailed as a hero! :D I can't recall where I originally heard it, but in the Fire Department the phrase "If you want better results then get better training" comes to mind... ;)
 
The ordinance team for Columbus PD cast and loaded about half a million rounds a year! The level of hand protection wasn't mandated and usually was only hand washing. In the 25 years that the blood level was checked only one man was continually high. He was a smoker and a nail biter!

Ivan
 
I do not use any type of cream or jell when working with reloading supplies or when actually doing the reloading. What I do do follows.

For most "dirty jobs" where I might experience some kind of contaminant I usually coat my hands with dish soap before I begin the job. A drop or two is all that is necessary for protection. Rub it all over like you were washing your hands until it dries. When done wash your hands in hot soapy water and everything will come off that might have transferred to your hands from the cases or bullets.
 
The most harmful properties of the heavy metals that folks in our gig get exposed to are absolutely the most dangerous to young and physically developing brains.

If we are to have discussions of how we should “protect” and “be aware”, item #1 should be that children are the most at risk and us old and aging guys -FAR- less so. It’s fantastic to include kids and grandkids, but they are the most at-risk.

luvsmiths said:
Did you notice how only one person actually answered your question?
Click to expand...
Awww, just precious. And it appears that you were NOT the chosen one, but your post was quite the addition to the conversation.

See the op’s post #17.
 
I do not wear any hand protection when reloading. I do wear heavy welders gloves, arm guards and safety glasses when casting bullets. I am very careful but lead pots drip overfilling moulds occasionally splashes so even being cautious minor burns can happen. I cast in open air so ventilation is not an issue.
I have been casting bullets almost 50 years and no signs of lead issues to date.
I do wash my hands thoroughly after reloading.
 
The older you are, the less time the lead will have to cause long-term problems, since you will not be around “ long term “.

It’s pretty hard absorb dangerous levels of lead from bullets and ingots as long as you avoid the white oxidation that can form on the surface of lead objects when they sit for a long time.
 
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When I was young and worked on cars, I used a product called "Protect" a coating that you applied before you got oil and grease on your hands, and it didn't stick to you, you simply washed it off. Don't know if it is around anymore.
 
When it comes to industrial-type hazards you might say I've been a bit of a snowflake. Looking back over the years I am glad I stuck up for my beliefs in various situations. In particular I remember one co-worker singing that "Wimpy wimpy wimpy, hefty hefty hefty" jingle to me when I told him I wasn't going into a clay silo without a respirator. He put on two paper dust masks and went in there. Good way to get silicosis. Another time I told my supervisor I wasn't going to brush out the water jacket on a boiler because there was asbestos packing present.
I appreciate the tips, and believe I'll keep on looking out for my own well-being.
 
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I'm with the cautious bullet casters who wear correct respirators and deploy vigorous ventilation. Lead is everywhere. Until 1974 our automobiles were spewing tetraethyl lead all over the highways. I did metallurgical assay work as a grad student to earn a few extra $$. My university had state of the art neutron activation analysis gear that would non-destructively generate spectra on any substance. We discovered that soil samples taken near any roadway had high levels of lead from decades of exhaust broadcast. Aviation gasoline still uses lead, but the quantities are miniscule compared to the motor gasoline pool through the years. We're all probably 5 I.Q. points lower than we should be.
 
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