asbestos in Micarta ?

J

jlmetcalf

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Jul 5, 2005
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A friend recently gave me a large amount of old micarta. Most of it is natural color and about 3/8 thick.
I know that there were grades of Micarta that contained asbestos manfactured in the past and I'm concerned about grinding on this stuff. Does anyone know of a way to identify the asbestos containing stuff?

Thanks,

Jim
 
I think there should be asbestos test kits at the hardware store, used for working on those textured ceilings and such in older homes, i bet it may work.
-Lou
 
jlmetcalf said:
A friend recently gave me a large amount of old micarta. Most of it is natural color and about 3/8 thick.
I know that there were grades of Micarta that contained asbestos manfactured in the past and I'm concerned about grinding on this stuff. Does anyone know of a way to identify the asbestos containing stuff?

Thanks,

Jim
Click to expand...

I wouldn't worry, Asbestos micarta hasn't been made since the 1970's
Look at the surface does it look like fabric? Then it's canvas or linen. Paper will have no disernable look. Like it's a solid plastic. Asbetos will have short fibers running in every direction.(that's how asbestos gets it's reinforcing srength)

In addition, natural color micarta darkens with age. It starts amber or butterscotch and darkens to brown, the paper base will even get to a burgundy color on the surface, If you have micarta left over from the 1970's it will be really dark on the surface. Dark enough that you would assume it was not the natural color but brown or burgundy. In other words if it looks amber, or butterscotch to a light brown it is maybe 5 or 6 years old.
 
If you want reliable results, send a sample to a testing lab. There are many, do a search in your area. Usually about 20 bucks. I would wear a respirator when grinding and cutting most any fibrous material.
 
What I have is definitely linen based. The sufrace has aged to a dark burgundy and the interior is light tan. I have never seen what I knew to be asbestos containing micarta and was not sure if asbestos was added to linen/canvas based micarta or if the asbestos stuff contained asbestos fibers only.

Jim
 
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