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Radium safety alert
Posted: May 22nd, 2018, 8:38 am
by Tanukjaju
Every once in a while, we should bump this topic since many of us deal with vintage watches.
I assume that any watch pre 1970s uses radium as part of their lume mix. Be very careful when handling radium. The last thing you want to do is inhale it followed by injesting it. (Google radium girls). Children are especially vulnerable so be aware.
When I do have to remove radium (relume hands) I sacrifice a ziplock bag and a pair of gloves....and use blue tack to pluck the lume from the hands.
Please be careful.
Re: Radium safety alert
Posted: May 22nd, 2018, 11:58 am
by VanSong
Thanks for the share
Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk
Re: Radium safety alert
Posted: May 22nd, 2018, 12:16 pm
by Emilio
And what do you do with the disposal bag afterwards?
Re: Radium safety alert
Posted: May 22nd, 2018, 12:38 pm
by zare
Emilio wrote: ↑May 22nd, 2018, 12:16 pm
And what do you do with the disposal bag afterwards?
throw away in the local lake for the water supply

kidding. Good question
Re: Radium safety alert
Posted: May 22nd, 2018, 1:00 pm
by Emilio
My best bet is taking it to the local waste facilities for recycling.
...And stating that you have no links with North Corea
Re: Radium safety alert
Posted: May 22nd, 2018, 1:57 pm
by Tanukjaju
Some schools / medical facilities / have secret back doors to aid with dosposal.
And no don’t wash them down the sink. We already have enough radium in our tap/ drinking water.
Re: Radium safety alert
Posted: May 22nd, 2018, 2:06 pm
by spade_lt
Come on guys, why waste a perfectly good material? Just make some supositories!
https://www.orau.org/ptp/collection/qua ... radsup.htm
Re: Radium safety alert
Posted: May 22nd, 2018, 3:08 pm
by Tanukjaju
Pm me your address.
Re: Radium safety alert
Posted: May 22nd, 2018, 5:30 pm
by EBWing
I don’t know what the big deal is I snort this stuff all day long

I don’t need any lume on my dial I glow enough at night to see what time it is.
For real this topic is right on and very serious be very careful when messing with the old lume in watch hands and dials.
Re: Radium safety alert
Posted: May 23rd, 2018, 1:25 am
by Luminor
Has anybody tried mixing the radium with the new luminous material to relume a dial or hands?