![]() Of course, it’s at your own discretion to buy these products, but in this article we discuss the origin of these surplus gas masks, why they’re such a concern, the reason they’ve become so popular and why the more modern alternatives are not only safer, but guaranteed to be safer. These masks are likely to be outdated, unreliable and unsafe. At the end of the day, if you do research and gain knowledge, you'll be fine.(Image source: Courtesy of JustOneSuitcase)Īs mentioned in our Definitive Gas Mask Buyer’s Guide, there are several types of surplus gas masks still on the market today that are best avoided. Also, if the filters are needed for costume purposes, simply buy a safe filter, put all of the caps on it and spray paint it to your liking, just make certain that BOTH caps are on. Also, almost all cheek filters are safe, unless if it's from the Russian PBF "Gorilla" mask. Although, as a rule of thumb, 1980+ is your best bet (1975+ if it's not Soviet, also all Belgium filters newer than 1940 are generally safe.) All WWII filters have blue asbestos (the bad kind) while the other one's have white asbestos, less harsh, but still dangerous with prolonged exposure. Or if it was made in the 90's and up (excluding the GP-5.) Some people say that Russian filters are asbestos free >1970, but that's extremely debatable. ![]() I also recommend that you avoid ANY Soviet filter, Period. Just make sure you research the specific filter model, and you should be able to discover its contents. As long as the filters aren't coffee can filters and as long as they aren't GP-5s. Basically, if you go on ebay and search for "40mm NATO gas mask filter" you'll find tons of them. The Shalon IDF type 80 filter is also excellent, however they do contain chromium and are a little more expensive, but I semi-regularly use mine for soldering, and when I'm near smelly shit. My personal cheap filter recommendations are: the 40mm NATO swiss filters, they don't contain anything dangerous at all, and you can pick up 3 for 12 bucks. Important to note, the mask itself in 100% safe, it's the FILTER that causes issues, so wear the mask without a filter, or with a safe filter that doesn't contain asbestos. I just never unscrew the cap, or pull the bottom plug off. Hell, I even store tons of Soviet cold war era coffee can filters that contain tons of asbestos above the headboard of my bed. Quoting another redditor, as long as you don't bite it, lick it, or smash it, then you're pretty damn safe. As for keeping it in the house, I personally don't think there's an issue with it, as the filter won't leak any asbestos unless it's opened, or if you drop it and explodes open, or if it's cut open. Several minutes aren't going to kill you, don't worry you'll live. The GP-5 filter ALSO contains charcoal along with the asbestos. Four other laboratories confirmed their findings. In 2013 Dixon Information (as asbestos lab in Salt Lake City, Utah) discovered that the cotton layer of the filter was fused with ~7.5% asbestos. As for the GP-5 filter, I seriously wouldn't trust it. Even if it's leaking, wearing it for 15 minutes isn't going to instantaneously give you Mesothelioma. If only several particles fall out, then it's beginning to leak. If tons of tiny black particles dump out then it's leaking. To tell if they're leaking, what you do is get a piece of paper and shake the filter over the paper. Activated charcoal ( that contain chromium) are safe to breath through, as long as they're not leaking. Nearly all filters DO contain activated charcoal (some are fiberglass) and the ones that do contain charcoal almost always contain chromium, which is not nearly as dangerous as asbestos. It was undeniably used in many older filters, especially pre-1970, although it also depends on the region of manufacture, as different countries have different laws regulating the use of asbestos. I just typed up The Ultimate Filter Guide for Dummies.Īsbestos certainly isn't a myth.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |