Respirator for micarta

K

Knife is Life

Joined
Apr 26, 2014
Messages
81
I am an amateur knife maker, I have always used wood for my handles. I am now venturing into micarta for a handle material. I understand that working with micarta is extremely hazardous to your lungs. I have a 3M 6000 Series Half Facepiece Respirator with the original pink filters. Would that respirator do the job? If not, what other respirator should I buy.
Thanks, -Knife is Life
 
If possible I would recommend doing it outside with a fan at your back(even with a respirator). The damn dust gets EVERYWHERE. If you have a means to collect it in your shop then never mind. I've been hauling my 2x42 out into the driveway and doing handles and it has kept things a lot cleaner in the shop.
 
Those filters will be fine as long as you have good ventilation. Micarta releases formaldehyde as you grind it and you don't want to breathe too much of it. A fan circulating the air around the grinder is enough IMO. I hope you are wearing that half face when you are working wood as well. Wood is just as dangerous as micarta, and some species are way worse.

If you get a chance, and can handle the extra $ a full face respirator is the way to go. It keeps the dusts out of your eyes, and eliminates forgetting to put on safety goggles. The latter was big to me because even though I had good goggle habbits, often employees forgot them and I was constantly reminding them to put them on. The only time I've ever had to pay a medical expense for an employee was a chip of aluminum dust in an eye. And that employee did have on safety goggles at the time it floated in there. Cocobolo dust, g10 dust, and even your micarta dust are bad in the ole tear duct.
 
Personally I use the 3m 6900 (yeah, fat head) with 60921 cartridges. You can find the full face masks relatively cheap on the auction sites.
 
I use a 3m 6000. Cheapest way to get them is Amazon. I usually pay around 60 - 80 a piece.
 
Thanks for the advice everyone. I just worked on the micarta for the first time about an hour ago. I wore my respirator and goggles, hooked up a shop vac to my grinder, and put on a small fan. Everything went well. If I continue to enjoy working with micarta, I will probably buy a full face respirator.
Thanks again -Knife is Life
 
I hope you are wearing that half face when you are working wood as well. Wood is just as dangerous as micarta, and some species are way worse.
Click to expand...
Working with woods like cocobolo was the original reason I purchased this respirator.
 
Glad to hear it, but even pine is bad for your lungs.
 
grinding something for a few Minutes or a few hours with a fan and having well ventilation is good, having a mask is better

but whats the difference when working as a carpenter or laborer being around dirt dust, wood dust, concrete dust all mixed up and chemicals being in it knee deep for 8 hours a day, 40 plus hours a week with no mask only safety glasses is required... What's a couple of hours on the grind gonna do?
 
Honestly? Not a lot other than the fact that usually in construction you are less enclosed. However construction workers benefit from PPE just as much as anyone else. Whether or not you choose to avail yourself of such protections is of course your own personal choice regardless of the manner of your employ. Unless of course it is required by your employer/OSHA for your particular job.


710 said:
grinding something for a few Minutes or a few hours with a fan and having well ventilation is good, having a mask is better

but whats the difference when working as a carpenter or laborer being around dirt dust, wood dust, concrete dust all mixed up and chemicals being in it knee deep for 8 hours a day, 40 plus hours a week with no mask only safety glasses is required... What's a couple of hours on the grind gonna do?
Click to expand...
 
710 said:
grinding something for a few Minutes or a few hours with a fan and having well ventilation is good, having a mask is better

but whats the difference when working as a carpenter or laborer being around dirt dust, wood dust, concrete dust all mixed up and chemicals being in it knee deep for 8 hours a day, 40 plus hours a week with no mask only safety glasses is required... What's a couple of hours on the grind gonna do?
Click to expand...

Kill you sooner.
 
I was just looking up about micarta and respirators. I just finished my second knife, micarta handle. I have a large fan set up where I sand and file/grind everything and after a few minutes I could feel the dust in my throat. Picked up a 3m 6000 I think, half mask with p100 filters. Ive had pneumonia and stuff before and i do not enjoy breathing all that stuff. I want a full mask now, haha. Hate getting dust in my eyes
 
Irony314 said:
I was just looking up about micarta and respirators. I just finished my second knife, micarta handle. I have a large fan set up where I sand and file/grind everything and after a few minutes I could feel the dust in my throat. Picked up a 3m 6000 I think, half mask with p100 filters. Ive had pneumonia and stuff before and i do not enjoy breathing all that stuff. I want a full mask now, haha. Hate getting dust in my eyes
Click to expand...

uvex makes a pretty nice full face shield that would go over your half mask with pink p100 filters. I believe it is called the stealth.
 
My eyes get really dry and I wear a respirator, goggles, and a full face shield. I always thought that was weird. Anytime I've worked with G10 or micarta my eyes BURN, I always figured googles and a faceshield would be enough. Then I have a respirator, so I don't have problems breathing the stuff in, just with my eyes which has two layers of protection.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top