Miss Monster's Favors

[Zabet]

Not having worked with glass etching before, I thought this tidbit was worth passing on from a reader:

Hey all, I adore your site (yadda yadda, I'm sure you hear this all the time), but I was a bit alarmed by some instructions in one of the projects. In Miss Monster's Favors from the Samhain 2006 issue, she mentions rubbing the etching cream with her fingers while she washes it off and says that it's weak and doesn't burn. The cream she's using, Armour Etch, has HF as its active ingredient, which is VERY dangerous. Rubbing it with your fingers is an extremely bad idea. If you're curious for specifics, check out the wikipedia page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrofluoric_acid), but the basic problem is this: HF reacts with the calcium in your bones and not your skin, so while you won't get burns, and in fact it may not hurt at all due to reactions with your nerves, it could be killing you without you even feeling it. It takes very little exposure to cause real health problems - check out the health square. 4 is the highest possible ranking! If I remember correctly, the damage it does can be cumulative too, and it takes surprisingly little to actually kill you. I'm all for glass etch when used safely, but I thought you might want to know about how very dangerous this stuff can be if treated casually and used like Miss Monster's directions suggest.

Thanks, Alex!

(modified to add source, as I'm a dumbass)

[Alyoops]

O__O;;; Wow, that's probably good to know. 

[KathrynMoondancer]

Yeah, isn't there a warning label on the bottles of etchign cream? I never use it without wearing those latex medical gloves...

[tallman]

I'd like to address the comments made about the Armour Etch Glass Etching Cream. To set the record straight the active ingredients are ammonium and sodium biflouride. A very small, naturally incurring percentage of HF less than 1%. The warnings that Zabet quotes are for pure HF acid which is not available to the public. I have used this product for over 25 years and have taught hundreds of students and not one person has ever had a negative health experience with the etching cream. As always I suggest that people do not assume just because it's written by an obvious inexperienced crafter/scientist, that they do their own research to determine the suitability of the product for their particular use. Just because it's on the web doesn't guarantee it's accuracy.  Each jar has the correct safety labeling on it so become an informed reader before a misquoting "expert".

[silvergirl]

~snipped~...that they do their own research to determine the suitability of the product for their particular use. Just because it's on the web doesn't guarantee it's accuracy.  Each jar has the correct safety labeling on it so become an informed reader before a misquoting "expert".

this is also a very good point, along with the other portions of tallman's post.  It is always best to encourage users of any chemical medium to read thoroughly the instructions and cautions that come with the product and to follow them carefully for the best safety results.

BTW...welcome to the forum, tallman!

[melharter11]

http://www.kcda.org/msdssheets/83331.pdf

there. to the people saying its not dangerous on your skin, there is the proof.  scroll down to section III, there you will find that for most cases like with inhalation, eye contact, and ingestion, it is only MAY cause or CAN cause. However, for skin contact it says "CAUSES severe burns and flouride-like burns which may not be immediately evident."  Then later on you may notice that under the chronic health hazards section it states that long term exposure to the substance causes damages such as teeth mottling, embrittlement and decalcification of bones, as well as flourosis. =] And THAT is the official documentation from the Armour Etch production company.  So tallman, just because you or your students havent felt any of the negative repercussions, doesnt mean that they are not present, your doctors just may not be LOOKING for them.[/color]

[Rebecca]

THANK YOU, melharter11!!  That's very helpful.  I am a big safety advocate.  Anything can be made safer by following instructions and taking all cautions seriously.