Non-toxic alternative

Stromberg Knives

Stromberg Knives

strombergknives.com
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Jan 3, 2015
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I use a lot of acetone in my knifemaking. But as I understand it, acetone is rather toxic, so I'd like to replace it with something else.

What are the best alternatives to it? For cleaning and degreasing parts during all the knifemaking steps.

Thanks!
 
Matthew Gregory said:
Acetone is one of the safer multipurpose solvents we have available to us. Check the MSDS sheet.
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That’s promising. The reason I ask is I’ve seen it being mentioned many times in threads here, and that you should avoid it.

But if I’ve merely misunderstood, even better. Especially since it’s cheap and easy to get, and works well for my needs.

The MSDS states it to be relatively safe.
 
You see online about how toxic acetone is to use....you also see that MOP is deadly toxic. Proves that you can't believe all that people post. I have no issues with acetone, and I am a very safety conscious person.

If acetone worries you, use denatured alcohol from the lumber yard. It is cheaper than acetone. What it won't do is disolve cured resins.
 
I'm a chemist and I would say that most people are pretty casual about acetone. Some people have it in squeeze bottles and don't worry too much about rinsing glassware etc. Obviously be careful, but I wouldn't be too concerned.
 
The hazards identifications for denatured alcohol are more dangerous than acetone.


Denatured alcohol:
Flammable Liquids, Category 2
Acute Toxicity: Oral, Category 3
Acute Toxicity: Skin, Category 3
Acute Toxicity: Inhalation, Category 3
Specific Target Organ Toxicity (single exposure), Category 1

Acetone:
Flammable Liquids, Category 3
Acute Toxicity: Oral, Category 2
Acute Toxicity: Skin, Category 2
Acute Toxicity: Inhalation, Category 2
Specific Target Organ Toxicity (single exposure), Category 1


(Hazard Scale: 0 = Minimal 1 = Slight 2 = Moderate 3 = Serious 4 = Severe)
 
Matthew Gregory said:
The hazards identifications for denatured alcohol are more dangerous than acetone.


Denatured alcohol:
Flammable Liquids, Category 2
Acute Toxicity: Oral, Category 3
Acute Toxicity: Skin, Category 3
Acute Toxicity: Inhalation, Category 3
Specific Target Organ Toxicity (single exposure), Category 1

Acetone:
Flammable Liquids, Category 3
Acute Toxicity: Oral, Category 2
Acute Toxicity: Skin, Category 2
Acute Toxicity: Inhalation, Category 2
Specific Target Organ Toxicity (single exposure), Category 1


(Hazard Scale: 0 = Minimal 1 = Slight 2 = Moderate 3 = Serious 4 = Severe)
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So drinking it's ok right?
 
Thanks guys! I appreciate the info and good news.

So you’re telling me that everything on the internet isn’t true? God dammit, I knew it.

This also proves chemistry isn’t my strong suit.
 
Kevin McGovern said:
So drinking it's ok right?
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kuraki said:
Well we all urinate it. But it probably tastes horrible. Like wine or something.
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LOL. Funny stuff. Denatured alcohol was designed by the government to blind or kill you if yo drank it. It killed 31 people in three days in NYC in 1926 during Prohibition. Nowadays, it it made so that you have to pay the high taxes if you want alcohol that you can drink without dying.
 
I use mostly alcohol
When I use acetone or brake cleaner I wear rubber gloves
 
The only real issue with using acetone is if you use it bare handed, or wash your skin with it, it de-oils the skin and can leave it dry. Some hand lotion when done for the day will cure that, but wearing nitrile gloves when doing any amount of acetone ( or any solvent) cleaning is a good idea.
 
According to some of my job site training a person should wear gloves with string solvents. With prolonged exposure to skin they can wash out the fat pad underneath. Its something that crosses my mind when i realize i have to reverse my handle scales befor the epoxy sets and I didn't wear gloves because I was going to be real careful:D
 
jdm61 said:
LOL. Funny stuff. Denatured alcohol was designed by the government to blind or kill you if yo drank it. It killed 31 people in three days in NYC in 1926 during Prohibition. Nowadays, it it made so that you have to pay the high taxes if you want alcohol that you can drink without dying.
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I'm talking about acetone and other ketones that are naturally occurring in the human body.
 
I did some reasearch on solvents a while back, now I use acetone for almost everything. Safer and more effective than anything else I could find for at least anything knifemaking.
The only other stuff I keep around is kerosene, and if anything that's probably more of a hazard.
 
Geoff Flato said:
I did some reasearch on solvents a while back, now I use acetone for almost everything. Safer and more effective than anything else I could find for at least anything knifemaking.
The only other stuff I keep around is kerosene, and if anything that's probably more of a hazard.
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Haha, funny how I got it all backwards. Well, it's good to know!
 
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