Potential health risks in using ferrocerium rods.

B

badasslibrarian

Joined
Apr 20, 2014
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Anyone here have any idea on the toxicity of firesteels?

The possibility of ingesting ferrocerium powder may be high on those who use their knives in generating sparks... just a newbie observation... many are integrating firesteels onto the sheaths of their bushcraft knives... removing the striker and using spine or the blade of knife to create sparks... im just curious if there really is a heath risk... if there is... on what levels.. how much ingestion is considered toxic... many may not wash or wipe their knives after firemaking and directly proceed to food prep..

I wonder is theres an article available or study that discuses the potential health risk of firesteels? Chinese made firesteels may have higher toxic content than known brands... in the prepping/ outdoor community this seems to be a topic no one is discussing .

Firesteel composition:

Iron 19%
Cerium 38%
Lanthanum 22%
Neodymium 4%
Praseodymium 4%
Magnesium 4 %

reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrocerium#Composition



MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET OF A PRODUCT USING FeRROCERIUM :

http://stores.johnstonesupply.com/ShowPDF.aspx?pdfName=H26-621.pdf


Some exerpts from the data sheet:

MAGNESIUM

Health Hazards (Acute and Chronic):

Chronic exposure to magnesium or oxide dust should be a low health risk by inhalation
and should be treated as nuisance dust. Exposure to magnesium and oxide fume dust burning can result in metal fume fever
similar to but milder than that induced by zinc oxide fumes.
Carcinogenicity

: NTP? LARC Monograph? OSHA Regulations? Magnesium has not been identified as a known or suspected
carcinogen.

Signs and Symptoms of Exposure:
Temporary symptoms can include fever, chills, nausea, vomiting and muscular pain. Onset of symptoms occur 4-12 hours after exposure and is usually complete in 24-48 hours. Meeting exposure limits in
Section II should prevent fume fever from occurring.

ZINC
Health Hazards (Acute and Chronic):
Chronic exposure to zinc or oxide dust may cause irritation to eyes, nose and throat;
metallic taste in mouth; metal fume fever or produce flu-like symptoms.
Carcinogenicity

: NTP? LARC Monograph? OSHA Regulations? Zinc has not been identified as a known or suspected
carcinogen.

Signs and symptoms of Exposure:
Flu-Type symptoms consisting of fever, chills, nausea, vomiting and muscular pain.
Prevention by meeting exposure limits in section II is easily attained.
WARNING: DO NOT BREATHE FUMES OR DUST!
WARNING: CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65:

This product, when used for welding, soldering, brazing, cutting and other
metal working or flame processes, produces fumes, particulates, residues and other by-products which contain chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. WARNING: This pro
 
Probably less risky than wood smoke, considering the quantities involved.
Just a thought, no science.
 
Worrying about fero rods harming your health is like wearing a high vis vest, hard hat and boots for boiling the kettle. It is a great big, giantly huge non-issue as far as I can see.
 
Haze said:
Worrying about fero rods harming your health is like wearing a high vis vest, hard hat and boots for boiling the kettle. It is a great big, giantly huge non-issue as far as I can see.
Click to expand...

This!^^^

Worry more about doing something silly and severing an artery.
 
I assure you, my friend, that the Mexican tomato you may eat, will have far more dangerous toxins in it than a ferro rod.
 
badasslibrarian said:
I just started this thread out of curiosity... it does have valid points if we take a closer look..
Click to expand...

Do you understand what "cronic exposure" means ? It doesn't mean once a week or a couple of times a month. How many camp fires are you lighting every day for this to be a concern ?

You had better not have a look at what you eat, breath and absorb into your body every single day if this has got the fighteners on you.......
 
Relax man.. :D

Im not trying to bash the use of firesteels.. nor insisting my topic.... i also use one.. i have a UST firesteel..

i just got curious with the elements composing firesteels.. it does have toxic properties...
 
If I was anymore relaxed I would be dead. I also don't believe for one moment there is a single person out there ill or dead form using fero rods. :D
 
I don't know anything specifically, but I know that you don't want anything in that rod entering your body in a perfect world. Even the steel dust from your favorite knife is highly toxic depending on the steel. But at the levels you are exposed to in practical use, I'm willing to bet it's 100% safe. Think of how much dust you actually produce striking a steel, then think of how much dust one produces grinding one knife. You don't hear many custom knifemakers complaining about being riddled with cancers despite the toxicity of most every element in modern steels. Use as directed and I'm sure you'll be fine.
 
Haze said:
If I was anymore relaxed I would be dead. I also don't believe for one moment there is a single person out there ill or dead form using fero rods. :D
Click to expand...
Oooh no this is SO untrue! :rolleyes: In the state of California the body count in campgrounds last summer alone was so high they had to hire bulldozers for the construction of mass graves.:eek::eek::eek: The horrid smell still lingers in and around state park restrooms to this very day ! :)
 
Hmmm, according to Dr. Oz, adding zinc to your diet promotes testosterone production. Additionally, most folks are iron-deficient... Still, no stirring the coffee - or campfire stew - with a ferrocerium rod for me! I think the OP's question was a good one.

Stainz
 
It's "exposure limits"...how much for how long...that carries the concern.

As an aside MSDS is going to change in a major way. A name change for one but more important is that it is going to a universal format rather than every manufacturer having their own and different format. It is also supposed to be easier to read and understand for the average schmo.
 
Kai Winters said:
It's "exposure limits"...how much for how long...that carries the concern.

As an aside MSDS is going to change in a major way. A name change for one but more important is that it is going to a universal format rather than every manufacturer having their own and different format. It is also supposed to be easier to read and understand for the average schmo.
Click to expand...


I totally agree brother...

these elements have varied levels of toxicity (im sure there are studies that will support this claim):

Iron 19%
Cerium 38%
Lanthanum 22%
Neodymium 4%
Praseodymium 4%
Magnesium 4 %

the fumes produced by firesteels, if inhaled... may also cause health problems...


but the question is ...how much is too much?
 
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