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Chemical exposure while refinishing

1K views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  swmft 
#1 ·
When stripping a stock the greases and oils that come out are pretty disgusting. Since the stripper says to use chemical resistant gloves I am pretty sure it is not good for me but what about other crap that the stock may have been exposed to?

I am sure we all use gloves religiously when stripping so it probably isn't an issue but what else may leach from the stock? Given that the government was pretty free about spraying agent orange on the troops is this something that should be a concern?
 
#4 ·
Wear eye and skin protection like gloves and an apron.

I'm not sure what exactly your working with but I would venture a guess the warning you speak of is to prevent skin irritation (your soft tissues too so don't scratch your eyes or nose.
 
#5 ·
Mind you, I have no idea what you guys are doing to your stocks. The following comes from years working with nasty stuff, trying to keep Army aircraft flying.

Remember its says "chemical resistant" gloves. El-Cheapo nitrile gloves you can buy anywhere do NOT count. Many solvents (acetone for example) will go right through them, and others will degrade them in seconds. That stuff goes right to your organs and builds up. For anything other than light wiping thats easy on the gloves, I will sometimes wear thicker nitrile gloves over latex gloves, just to protect the latex from ripping. With harsh chemicals they still don't last long, but thats why they're called "disposable" gloves. GI2 They get gummed up or icky, rip them off and put on a new pair.

Most chemicals have inhalation hazards too. As a general rule, do your work in a well ventilated area. If you are ever in doubt, google the MSDS info for the product you are using. It will tell you all you need to know.

Im slowly getting older and less macho. For any shop task I usually wear safety glasses these days. For anything that produces dust/particles, or there is a splash hazard, GOGGLES are better. Losing an eye is not something I want to experience.
 
#6 ·
I only use Soy Gel for stripping and I also use E-Merge to stop the chemical process.

While doing so I double-glove latex or nitrile and then use a heavy chem-resistant glove during cleanup.

You are right, it is nasty stuff that is removed, and sometimes it can irritate your skin.
 
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