Tuf-Glide - just how harmful is it?

Quiet Storm

Quiet Storm

Joined
May 17, 2002
Messages
5,757
Just got myself a bottle of Tuf-Glide and there are fairly drastic warning notes on the packaging and the bottle itself.

"Vapor harmful", "can cause eye, skin, nose and throat irritation", and "harmful or fatal if swallowed" (I kid you not, that's what the sticker actually says). Just a CYA, lawsuit-prevention, God-knows-what-might-happen-if company policy or is it really that dangerous? I'm not talking about drinking gallons of that stuff, I just can't believe that a tiny drop of this stuff leaking from a folder's pivot could contaminate the steak you cut into manageable pieces with it.

I know that it's not FDA-approved and I remember reading here that this is mostly due to the fact that it's expensive to get that "label".
Is it the same stuff that's on Tuf-Cloths?

I know that people here tell everyone not to worry about it, but what exactly is the dangerous(?) ingredient in Tuf-Glide and how harmful is it?
 
Says the same on Zippo Fluid, lots of car products, some soaps, etc. I wouldn't worry about it, it's just a save-the-companies-ass type of thing. Don't drink a cup of it, don't bathe in it, don't use it as eye drops, etc. On my can of zippo fluid here the warning is:

Highly Flammable x Harmful

DANGER
CONTENTS:
Petroleum distillate - Naptha

Highly frammable
Harmful or fatal is swallowed
Harmful if inhaled
Skin irritant
etc ......

I get the stuff on my hands all the time, I use it to clean stickers off things, I inhale some when I fill my lighter, but the only warning that has come true with it is the "Skin irritant" part, because I overfilled my zippo, which I keep in my pocket, well it must have leaked and caused a nasty chemical burn on my leg, took a few weeks to heal up.

This tuf-glide probably contains petroleum distillates, which are dangerous sorta, like oil, gas, etc.
 
this is most likely due to the use of mineral spirits in the ingredients, and I am pretty sure its the same stuff as whats on the Tuff-cloth, cuz it says on the Tuff-cloth pouch to use Tuff-glide on it if it dries out.
 
Quiet Storm said:
Seems like I'm not used to the world of American product liability lawsuits yet. :D
Click to expand...

Yeah it's fun over here, you can sue McDonalds when you get fat and you can sue if you trip on an un-cut blade of grass, etc.. As for getting some of it in a steak you're cutting up, I wouldn't worry. Steak over here even has warnings on it! (Just kidding!)
 
From my experience with Tuff-Glide, I've had no ill effects fron use. I've used it on blades, let it dry then used that same blade, after holding it under tap water and drying off, to cut food without a problem. I've had it on my bare hands for hours at a time with no evidence of irritation then or in the future. I've also, by accident gotten the stuff in cuts with no problems. Moreover, there were times when I forgot to wipe off a blade and used the knife to cut a steak, again, no problems. I think the label is there for the comany's CYA approach and the fact that the substance is not FDA approved. Hope this helps.
 
Not really, but it sounded good.


Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Quiet Storm said:
Seems like I'm not used to the world of American product liability lawsuits yet. :D
Click to expand...

That's because we are fortunate enough to have all of the sleeze ball, parasitic, scum sucking "Trial" Lawyers in this country.
 
Quiet Storm said:
Thanks for your replies, folks.

This whole CYA warning label bullsh*t kinda reminds me of this. :D
Click to expand...

Clever...I like my DHMO after its been run through ground coffee.
 
I eat it all the time and there's... and there's... and there's nothing wrong with me. :confused:

oil
 
I keep a little bottle of 3-in-1 in the fridge when I need a good stiff drink.

Those lables are just there because there are so many idiots in this country. We sell fire starter logs where I work and, I kid you not, there's a warning lable on them saying that they're flammable.

If people aren't expressly warned not to do something, they'll do it and then sue when they hurt themselves. It's the American way,

Like everyone else has said, just don't drink the bottle of it, and just don't worry about it. Wipe the blade down after you've used the Tuf-Glide and it'll be ok.
 
Further insight into American liability labeling...

A few years ago a guy crashed his motorcycle. He sued everyone who was remotely involved, including the manufacturer of his helmet. The helmet manufacturer settled out of court-never mind that the helmet was strapped to the back of the bone-head's bike when he crashed! This type of lawsuit is why so few helmet manufacturers sell in the states.

For sheer overkill, look at all the warning labels on ladders!
 
OH ! You're not supposed to drink it!? That explains the diarrhea. For a minute there I was worried.
 
I use an oil from Dentistry called Phase Change on my knives and guns that my wife and I started using about 8 years ago on our high speed handpieces. It is expensive at $50 for two one ounce bottles but two one ounce bottles lasts for years and years and years for just gun and knife use. I've had one bottle since I retired in late 98 and am still using it. Its the best stuff I've ever used.

In dentistry it was so good that the manufacturers of handpieces extended their warranty if you used it. I'm not sure that is still the case though as we have been out of the loop in dentistry for a good while now. It gave the air turbines four or five times more life than they would have using one of the other oils based on our observations though.

Some of the local gun smiths used to call me now and then to get it for them because they thought it was the best they had ever used also. It is available on the internet now though.

The sales pitch for this 'super lubricant' was quite compelling. A drop of your regular oil that you were currently using was placed on a brand new ball bearing. Then a running wheel run by an electric engine was turned on and a load was put on the bearing by placing the running wheel on the lubed bearing and letting it ride. As it ran weights were then applied to the wheel to load more stress to make it more and more friction progressively until the bearing would start smoking and then the machine would just seize and lock up. Regular lubes we had been using from MidWest Dental heated up causing the wheel to stop from engine seize after the third of ten weights.

Of course the rep had the other major manufactured lubes from Star, Kavo, and some other off brands in his bag and showed the results of those as well. Each demo was done on a brand new just opened bearing that I personally tore open from the package. Noneof the other major oils got past the fourth weight under load after being used to lube the bearing.

The Phase Change oil did all ten weights and the wheel loaded down on the bearing just kept going and going and going even after the rep added his hand to the weight holder and pushed on it even more. He did that until he finally just shut off the machine after he got everyones reaction. We bought the product and it did reduce turbine replacement cost significantly. I've been sold ever since.

I have not found anything that compares to it for reducing wear or making things works smoother where two surfaces meet. One dribble just goes for a long time.

Also, being that it is used in dental instruments in the mouth you will find that there are no harmful side effects to ingesting it if that is an issue for you food prep guys out there. The MSDS can pretty much tell any of that though if you check it out.

http://www.phasechange.net/
 
All your babies will be born naked! Seriously you may want to consider something like a small amount of mineral oil to lubricate knives used on food.
 
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