Starting to work with g-10. Looking for safety advice.

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blandies

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Aug 18, 2011
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I've been using only wood for my handle material, I would like to move on to g-10. I know it is fiber glass based and is very bad to breathe in. So here is my situation....my shop is in my basement which is carpeted,linoleum floors for the shop, there really is no ventilation as far as windows or anything goes, just a door that leads to the laundry room and then upstairs. I know I need a respirator, any suggestions to a good one that doesn't cost $100+? I have an old chemical fumes respirator and went earlier today to lowes looking for one for g-10....wasn't sure the right one to get and the "help" over at lowes didn't know much of anything.

Now more concern plays in since I am working in my basement....the next room over is a bedroom which I have some friends staying. Will I be o.k. to work or is having that room next to my shop not good for them since they will be there? There is no door to close if that would matter, just an open doorway into the room. I don't want to be limited to not being able to work with g10 but I have no room upstairs for tools and only have my basement to work in. And I really want to refrain from having to take my grinder outside every time I wanted to grind some. Is there anything I could do? There is also a dog and cat down in the basement bedroom all the time. To me it seems like this would be a bad idea, can any of you think of an alternative so I can work with g10 and not kill off my family and friends?

I want to be sure I have all the right precautions for this stuff so no one gets hurt and nobody gets any respiratory problems later on.
Thank you for all the help.
 
Could you section off the area around your grinder with plastic sheet. That with a vaccum running to take up the dust should stop nearly all of it from leaving that area. If the plastic sheet is decently sealed.
 
1/2 face 3m respirator with p100 filters with an organic vapour piggyback. should cost you about 50$
 
I know this isn't what you want to hear but I'll be the devil's advocate here. The potential health hazard is real, and with the setup you describe it is likely (almost certain IMO) that your family and friends are going to be exposed to the dust and fumes. My first suggestion would be to get a small, semi-portable sander like one of the little 4x36" units they sell at hardware stores, so that you can take it outside.
If you want to do a little test without the full consequences of anyone breathing G10 dust, you could try grinding up a piece of common wood in your basement. Give it 24 hours and see where the dust has settled in your home. It will make a mess and be less than perfectly healthy, but is a mere nuisance compared to G10. If that bothers you then please look for another option for working G10. I hate to do it but I am trying to be a little discouraging here, the risk is just too high to make guesses about this kind of thing.
 
You certainly need a high quality respirator. A half mask will do, but won't really work if you have facial hair. In that case, you would need to look into a full face or PAPR unit.

I would not grind G10 (or anything else for that matter) in the basement unless I had adequate ventilation and a dust collection system.

G10 is particularly nasty, and you don't want to breath it. I caught a good whiff of it once, and felt terrible for several hours afterwards. Never again!

When it work with G10, I open up the shop, turn on the dust collector and wear a full face mask.
 
I won't use G10. It's just too nasty, and you can't get rid of all the dust. There are too many other suitable materials.
 
G10 is bad, but unless you contain the dust you are going to have the same health risks with wood, steel & the abrasive from the belts.


If you have a forced air heating in the basement, you need to keep the dust away from that or it is all through the house.
 
Thanks for the responses. After reading everything I've made my mind up to just work outside with a respirator. I don't want to put anyone at risk for health problems and can only imagine how much worse it would be for the animals.
I have a 4 x 36 sander I will put on a small table outside and work with the g-10 there. Any tips for working outside on the sander I should know?

On the respirator, I do have facial hair but since I'm working outside would a half mask be ok? I really don't want to spend the $100 I'm seeing them for but safety always comes first in my book.
 
Think about the possible health problems you could get from not using proper equipment. $100 is not that much money in comparison to the doctor bills you'll rack up if you don't do things the safe way.
 
I'm in the same situation as the Op, working in my basement. Never knew about the health hazards of sanding stuff until just recently. :o I used to sand away on micarta and steel with no mask at all!

After reading some things here, I did go out and buy a mask, but I'm not sure if it's the right kind. If I'm clean shaven, do you think one of these masks are OK to use with G10...

http://www.coopersafety.com/product/3m-organic-vapor-respirator-kit-1204.aspx

I've been using a shop vac in an attempt to suck up as much dust as I can while working, but it still gets pretty dusty in the basement.
Now you guys have me pretty concerned about my family and my own health! I don't want to give up on my passion for knives, but I don't know if it would work for me to try and set up shop outside when the snowy Iowa winter hits!

Please keep any suggestions coming!
 
BryFry said:
After reading some things here, I did go out and buy a mask, but I'm not sure if it's the right kind. If I'm clean shaven, do you think one of these masks are OK to use with G10...

http://www.coopersafety.com/product/3m-organic-vapor-respirator-kit-1204.aspx
Click to expand...

I read that link & the filters are permanently attached.
That filter you have is listed as vapour, I don't see the particulate filtering rating.

For not too much more, you can get a mask with changeable filters.

The important part on dust filters is particle size
P100 is what you are looking for.



This info is in every standard reply I post

Respirators
Chronic lung disease and cancer really suck the joy out of life.
The minimum I would consider are the 3M 7500 and North 7700 silicone half masks with a P100 Filter.
Use a VOC & P100 combo cartridge for protection against acetone and solvents.

For beards, pick one of these
3M PAPR
Resp-O-Rator
3m Breathe Easy
Trend Airshield Pro
Air Cap II





From the same site you quoted

The silicone is softer
http://www.coopersafety.com/product/3m-7500-half-face-respirator-1123.aspx

Then add the P100 filter cartridge.
 
sinjans said:
papr will not work with facial hair. use as per manufacturers specifications.
Click to expand...

A "full head" PAPR unit is absolutely ideal for those with facial hair. It's also more comfortable; even for the clean shaven.

I've worn one almost daily for the last 9 years (with facial hair) when dealing with various chemicals.

1558.jpg.png
 
Well, I usually move my grinder temporarily to the side of my house (outside the garage) to do all my hard grinding on G-10. Then I move back into the garage for all hand sanding/filing. If you keep it wet, you prevent the dust. I still wear a respirator either way but this way I don't get that crap coating everything in my garage.
 
I found these three,
http://www.coopersafety.com/product/3m-6000-half-face-respirator-1216.aspx

http://www.coopersafety.com/product/3m-7500-half-face-respirator-1123.aspx

http://www.coopersafety.com/product/3m-6000-full-face-respirator-1125.aspx

Are any of those the proper mask for my application for g-10? I don't have a full on beard like zz top, just fuzz on the chin so wouldn't one of the half masks be o.k.? It says they accept all 3m filters and cartridges. I'm not seeing a difference between the $10 mask and the $25 mask though other than comfort fit.
These are the only masks I found with the exception of some other full face ones like the one above for around $200,but they all take the same filters. I looked up the ones mentioned in this thread but all I am getting are suits that look like they belong to nuclear power plant workers.
 
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Mitchell Knives said:
A "full head" PAPR unit is absolutely ideal for those with facial hair. It's also more comfortable; even for the clean shaven.

I've worn one almost daily for the last 9 years (with facial hair) when dealing with various chemicals.

1558.jpg.png
Click to expand...

I laughed when I seen this as I knew it would be a response. I was obviously talking about a sealed (affordable) respirator. Yes there are respirators that can be used like the one above but they are rarely seen in industry. When comparing prices and worse case scenarios people usually go with a fitted respirator. Just trying to be practical here. Next thing someone will suggest supplied air SCBA. :D
 
I use the first one at that list, the half mask. I would say it is the bare minimum when working with g-10/stabilized crap. Yes of course you don't want to breath it in, but you DEFINITELY don't want that stuff anywhere near your eyes. I noticed my eyes stinging the first time... and yeah that was most definitely G-10 dust/glass shards scratching my corneas... I now wear fitted goggles AND a flip down visor to stop any dust from getting near my face. If I were you I would spring the extra cash and get that 3rd unit, the full face. Cover all your bases with one piece of safety equipment.
 
sinjans said:
I laughed when I seen this as I knew it would be a response. I was obviously talking about a sealed (affordable) respirator. Yes there are respirators that can be used like the one above but they are rarely seen in industry. When comparing prices and worse case scenarios people usually go with a fitted respirator. Just trying to be practical here. Next thing someone will suggest supplied air SCBA. :D
Click to expand...

Actually, they are sealed and are generally quite affordable.

The 3m and Bullard models are the industry standard for those who need comfortable and effective respiratory protection for extended periods of time.
 
G 10 is so noxious, I don't know why anyone would want to use it!
Micarta is plenty strong for any knife-and there are no glass shards.
 
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