respirator

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pike3e

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Sep 28, 2008
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I am getting ready to start knife making and am wondering what kind of respirator or dust mask is nessesary for grinding steels, micarta and various wood scale materials?

Thanks

John
 
Hello. I have used the 3M N95 particulate mask and it worked well. It is basically a paper type mask with elastic straps. Only use approved NIOSH or OSHA respirators or dust masks. If you're going to use an angle grinder which also gives off fumes, get something more along the lines of a cartridge type respirator with at least a P100 rating. Whatever you do, get something quality made and safety approved. If you are working with the dusts indoors, it would be a good idea to also get an exhaust fan to help draw out the dust. I hope that helps you out.

Bye the way, I am glad that you show concern for you're personal health. I see so many people that just grind and grind away with no care as to what they're actually doing to themselves and their lungs. That stuff will kill you eventually. From what I understand it's worse than smoking.
 
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I use the 3M 7500 series half mask with the 2091 P100 rated particulate filters. That 7500 is silicone molded, the 6000 series are molded plain rubber. For me the 7500 fits my face better, and another awesome feature is the exhaust breath is directed down so your faceshield does not fog up.

I forget which fumes micarta gives off, but 3m also makes to the combo particulate and vapor protection also. organic, acid, formaldehyde, etc.

my respirator...
http://www.boss-safety.com/shop/7503-ultimate-half-facepiece-respirator-large-p-1875.html
my filters...
http://www.boss-safety.com/shop/2091-p100-particulate-filter-2box-p-198.html

The combo vapor and particluate filters. this one is organic for example...
http://www.boss-safety.com/shop/60921-organic-vaporp100-cartridge-p-234.html
 
http://www.boss-safety.com/shop/north-7581p100-organic-vapor-cartridge-p100-filter-p-3435.html

http://www.boss-safety.com/shop/north-half-face-respirators-north-7700-series-c-415_9_14_15_1185.html

gixxer and RC are right on:

the links above are the mask i use. same thing...only different brand.
the Organic Vapor Cartridge is the one to use for micarta and similar materials.

I used the 3M N95 particulate mask for years in dusty poultry barns...
half the guys ended up wearing them on the tops of their heads...not always comfortable, not always well fitted. And only good against dust, not the vapours.

I have facial hair and i trim and shave first - useing the mask as a pattern so i know i can get a good fit.
Testing fit - close the intake holes and breathe in, should suck in toward you and not leak.

At some time or other, you will step in to do just one thing..and skip the mask...that is the time you must wear it... i know i regretted it the next day.
 
I use a 3M mask but don't know the model# right off. I use the 2097 filters from the local welding shop. No more migraignes from grinding :) Can't even smell the fumes from grinding horse stall matting for handles. I get pretty long life out of the filters too at around 40hours of use. I think I pay about $10 for a new set of filters.
 
I use the same mask and filter as Gixxer. Very comfortable and easy to breathe. I use mine primarily for sanding woods (such as cocobolo).

My suggestion is to find a local industrial safety supply. They will help you out and let you try on many models. I got exactly what I needed for under 20 bucks.

Phillip
 
Is a respirator needed for micarta if you're doing it by hand? I'll wear a particle mask still, but there wont be any chemicals released from heat will there?
 
there is still dust. I dunno if it is any good for the material, but before I got a respirator I wet sanded micarta to knock down the dust.

Anyhow, I wear my respirator no matter what I am doing. Any time I am grinding, sanding, cutting, even drilling any material. Doesn't matter, it's on. Don't forget the material hangs in the air forever. Wearing the respirator and taking it off 30sec after grinding is still no good. I wear my respirator back into the house from the garage. That right there opens up a whole different discussion about dust management. I wish I could find the thread where a guy mad a homemade dust collection system designed to get the residual dust, not the stuff right off the grinder. It was a wood box that took residential paper (not the blue glass ones) filters, he hung it from the ceiling.
 
I got one of these units from Grizzly at there yearly dent and scratch sale. It vibrated a little and I played with the fan until I got that to go away. It has a remote control, timers and 3 speeds and filters the shops air.


http://grizzly.com/products/Hanging-Air-Filter-w-Remote/G0572

If not one of these I would put a good exhaust fan on your shop and a air inlet on the opposite end of the shop.
 
Munky88

for the 25$ it costs..get a respirator.
the particle masks don't seal or fit...

micarta / G10 fine dust is the worst...even breathing in a bit sets me up to cough for a week...and hand sanding (shoeshine style) can cause some heat...

every time you can smell something...it's a chemical.

if you are a smoker, maybe you won't have the same sense of smell or sensitivity to coughing that i have, but i have tried the particle masks and the protection is not there.
 
I am not a knifemaker, but I can honestly say that a quality half-mask respirator is so much better at filtration than the common dust mask that they are really not even in the same category.
There are many good brands (3M, Survivair, Scott etc.) and they really do not cost very much at all for the level of protection they offer.
Cartridges for chemical vapor can be somewhat expensive and they almost always have a limited useful life after opening them, but particle filter cartridges should be usable right up until you can feel more resistance breathing than normal.
It really is well worth the money to be able to breathe freely and easily while working and more importantly when you are done working to not have a cough for the rest of the day. :)
 
Things to keep in mind with a cartridge type respirator:

Different companies' respirators fit differently to different persons' faces. Man that's an ugly sentence, but what I mean is one brand of respirator may fit someone with a round face better than someone with a thinner face (for example). It's best to get fit tested by a trained professional, but lacking that resource, you can check to see how good the fit is by blocking off the cartridges with your palms and inhaling - if you create a vacuum without any air leaking in, you should be okay.

Also, keep a close shave - stubble can cause air leaks, as can beards anywhere near the seal. If you have any type of facial hair, a full face respirator is the way to go.

Also, NO GLASSES! If you need glasses, you need to order a special lense kit that fits inside the mask.
 
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