Dumb question about gloves to use when cleaning firearms
TC
Since I am now a hand gun owner again and I am faithfully cleaning my weapin
after every use I though it would be a good idea to wear sme sort of gloves
while cleaning to lessen my exposure to the various solvents and oils used
in the process. My sister has offered to get some gloves from the hospital
where she works and apparently there are latex and non-latex choices. What I
am wondering is whether one type of glove would be better to use than the
other? I am thinking that the latex may break down if exposed to the
solvents which could result in 'gunking' (<- a very technical term) up my
gun.
Any thoughts?
Thanks in advance
TC
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Ranamacar
The only dumb question is the one that doesn't get asked.
#My sister has offered to get some gloves from the hospital
#where she works and apparently there are latex and non-latex choices.
The reason there is a choice is because some people are allergic to the latex
that has traditionally been used for "surgical" gloves. I've never worried
about the minor amounts of solvents/oils that get on me while cleaning weapons,
just wash up when you're done, but if it is a worry for you try to find some
nitrile gloves. The nitrile gloves are usually blue or green and are a bit
thicker than latex, but are more resistant to some solvents. The only way
you're going to know for sure is to get a few of each kind and try them. There
are too many different solvent used in gun cleaners to be able to recommend a
"one-size-fits-all" glove material (unless you have access to a haz-mat team-
they have some good stuff, but it is expensive).
Good Luck!
What are you going to do when the lights go out?
Matthew P Moore
TC <wac...@pioneernet.net> wrote in message
news:88prev$rpt$1...@xring.cs.umd.edu...
# Greetings,
#
# Since I am now a hand gun owner again and I am faithfully cleaning my
weapin
# after every use I though it would be a good idea to wear sme sort of
gloves
# while cleaning to lessen my exposure to the various solvents and oils used
# in the process. My sister has offered to get some gloves from the hospital
# where she works and apparently there are latex and non-latex choices. What
I
# am wondering is whether one type of glove would be better to use than the
# other? I am thinking that the latex may break down if exposed to the
# solvents which could result in 'gunking' (<- a very technical term) up my
# gun.
#
I belong to an NRA instructor group here in Seattle, we are asked about this
a lot and we have gotten advice from industrial toxicologists and other such
people. Some sort of glove is a good idea. The latex type are cheap but that
is their only advantage. Some people are allergic to latex, and many polar
organic solvents (such as powder solvent) pass right through them. Nitrile
gloves are much better, people aren't allergic to them and they protect
against any solvent you are likely to use. Nitrile gloves are starting to be
found in drugstores now, but you can certainly get them at medical supply
stores or industrial cleaning / safety supply stores. Check you local Yellow
Pages.
all the best;
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Matthew Park Moore of Bellevue, Washington, USA
mlm...@halcyon.com and/or mpm...@u.washington.edu
Robert Fahey
about. Why don't you try both kinds and see what happens? They have both
kinds because some people have an allergic reaction to latex. Met one
nurse who had the reaction only on one hand. "Gunking" works for me, got
the picture immediately.
.
Ronald Shin
TC wrote:
# My sister has offered to get some gloves from the hospital
# where she works and apparently there are latex and non-latex choices. What I
# am wondering is whether one type of glove would be better to use than the
# other? I am thinking that the latex may break down if exposed to the
# solvents which could result in 'gunking' (<- a very technical term) up my
# gun.
Well, it depends on the solvents used. I use ordinary, disposable latex lab
gloves when cleaning with Hoppe's #9. Given the short amount of time that I
actually use them, the solvents don't get much of a chance to break down the
latex. Now, if you are going to be cleaning a bunch of firearms over a longer
time period, I would suggest using a neoprene based glove, as neoprene tends to
resist organic solvents much better than latex, which is why those hoses you use
for gas pumps are neoprene based.
You do *not* want to use nitrile based gloves when working with cleaning agents
which contain acetone, trust me.
Gandalf
> ...
I've been using gloves for years to clean my guns, for the same reasons you
state. Latex (rubber) gloves will react to petroleum solvents and oils, etc.
They won't 'melt' or ooze anything into you gun: they just expand about 3 sizes
where you get oil or solvents on them, but it takes a while before this happens.
Now I use gloves made of nitrile; they seem to much more resistant to petroleum,
and synthetic lubrication and solvents. Wish I could tell you where to get them;
I use a dozen pairs a day where I work, and I just bring home a pair once in a
while that I've used, but I know isn't contaminated in any way. I call it
recycling.
Xophile
#after every use I though it would be a good idea to wear sme sort of gloves
#while cleaning to lessen my exposure to the various solvents and oils used
#in the process. My sister has offered to get some gloves from the hospital
#where she works and apparently there are latex and non-latex choices. What I
#am wondering is whether one type of glove would be better to use than the
#other? I am thinking that the latex may break down if exposed to the
#solvents which could result in 'gunking' (<- a very technical term) up my
#gun.
#
#Any thoughts?
I wouldn't worry about it a whole heck of a lot. Just wash your hands
thoroughly when you're finished and clean your guns in a well ventilated area
and you'll be OK. I've been cleaning guns for MANY years and haven't had any
problems.
Dave
Lite
#Greetings,
#
#Since I am now a hand gun owner again and I am faithfully cleaning my weapin
#after every use I though it would be a good idea to wear sme sort of gloves
#while cleaning to lessen my exposure to the various solvents and oils used
#in the process.
Please post your findings on the net as I have also had similar
concerns. I am also in the process of securing a good supply of latex
gloves to use when cleaning. Last month I used over 750 patches in
cleaning my rifles and my hands were in rough shape after this. So
before I do another session like this I'm going to invest in something
to protect my hands. One thing I did do is to wash my hands first
and put on some hand cream. Then after I was done cleaning I
immediately washed my hands again (the hand cream made for easier
cleanup).
However when I'm on the range and shooting there is no facility to
wash up so again gloves would probably be a good idea.
Also if anyone knows a good source to mail/on-line order good quality
latex gloves in bulk I'd appreciate this information.
Good post,
Lite
--
li...@zxmail.com
Ken Marsh
Be sure and get the gloves WITHOUT the talcum powder. The *only* time I
had a gun rust after I cleaned it was when a little powder got on it
while cleaning it wearing gloves. Every tiny spot of talc turned into
rust spot! Steel wool cleaned it up, but it is more susceptible now than
it was before.
Ken.
--
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Mail: kmarsh at charm dot net | Edit a binary .INI file, then tell
WWW: http://www.charm.net/~kmarsh | me that UNIX is too complicated.
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Earl Jacksboro
I've been using furniture refinishing gloves that are available at the
hardware stores, usually in the paint section. They seem to be a bit more
resistant to the solvents than the thin latex medical type.
<Earl>
<snip!>
#What I
# am wondering is whether one type of glove would be better to use than the
# other? I am thinking that the latex may break down if exposed to the
# solvents which could result in 'gunking' (<- a very technical term) up my
# gun.
<snip!>
Ronald Shin
Ronald Shin wrote:
# You do *not* want to use nitrile based gloves when working with cleaning agents
# which contain acetone, trust me.
Let me correct myself here: you would rather use a non-nitrle glove when working
with cleaning agents which contain *high* percentages of acetone, as a lot of powder
solvents do contain some acetone.
Acetone can pass right through nitrile gloves, and can sometimes carry solubilized
molecules through them that otherwise would have been stopped. This is similar to
the effect you get when using DMSO as a carrier solvent for items such as Trans-Derm
patches, etc..
Once again, my apologies for my hasty, overly broad statement!
Ronald Shin
Lite wrote:
#
# Also if anyone knows a good source to mail/on-line order good quality
# latex gloves in bulk I'd appreciate this information.
Try:
If you are part of a state agency, you can get up to a 30% state discount on any
item.
Brandon
try www.gemplers.com.
The ag industry needs a variety of gloves due to different solvents in ag
chemistry. They got gloves fer every solvent.
Mike and Jill Nelson
# You do *not* want to use nitrile based gloves when working with cleaning agents
# which contain acetone, trust me.
Why not? What happens?
Mike.
Brian C Roy
The non-latex medical gloves are usually nitrile. My employer just
switched from latex to nitrile. The only thing I don't like about them is
that they're purple ;{).
I have a sample box in front of me from SafeSkin, www.safeskin.com
I have also seen food service gloves made of vinyl and PVC. These may also
work for you. You can probably find them at food service places or maybe
your local warehouse store.
Brian Roy
firefighter/paramedic, NRA Life
bri...@gcfn.org
J.Browning
Co. I use the TuffnTouch (green color) ones are work. They're great for cleaning
your toys!
Gandalf wrote:
> ...
Rich Zuchowski
It's odd to be reading this because just tonight I was cleaning out this
shotgun I bought that looks like it has about 2 decades of lead caked in
the barrel. I've been working on it for weeks and each time I run a
patch down the barrel after scrubbing it with a brush, the patches come
out dark gray. I'm pretty sure it's lead, and I noticed I was getting
this gray sheen to my hands while I worked on it. So never mind the
solvents, what about the lead residue on my hands? That certainly can't
be very good for me. Anyone had any experience with this?
So am I going to finally get a nice shiny barrel at the expense of
suffering some sort of lead poisoning? Can that stuff be absorbed
through the skin?
Rich Z.
TC
about it, just wash your hands afterwards with soap and water AND b) either
type of glove will likely break down over time, but in general it shouldn't
be a problem with latex or not. Just replace them frequently.
Here are a couple of sites that I found that sell 'bulk' latex and non-latex
gloves. The cheapest seem to be the non-sterile variety which go for
$4.50/box of 100.
Cheers
TC
http://www.howardmedical.com/
http://www.dynarex.com/
M.C. Recon
it just doesn't feel right. Just wash up afterwards, no problems.
Ronald Shin
Mike and Jill Nelson wrote:
# #
# # You do *not* want to use nitrile based gloves when working with cleaning agents
# # which contain acetone, trust me.
#
# Why not? What happens?
# Mike.
#
When acetone hits a nitrile glove, it passes through it as if it weren't there. This
is the same effect that you get when you apply dimethyl sulfoxide to your skin, in
that it penetrates through very quickly.
Now, this in and of itself, is not really harmful. The problem is, that the solvent
can act as a carrier for a molecule that soluble in it, but otherwise unable to pass
through your skin or glove barrier.
In fact, when you hear about those who choose to assassinate others with contact
poison on the doorknob, they usually mix the toxin with DMSO, which will carry the
toxin through the otherwise impermeable skin lays.
My problem when using nitrile gloves in the lab was when I was using acetone to was
off rather large precipitated protein pellets. I forget exactly what was in the
pellets (It may have been trichloroacetic acid), but the acetone pulled the compound
through the nitrile glove, and I broke out in hives in a matter of an hour.
I realize that the sheer amount of solvent I was using was far more than anyone would
use in a gun cleaning session, but all chemists (myself included) can be pretty
paranoid about even single drops of certain compounds (dimethyl mercury being one of
them).
Once again, I apologize for my over-cautiousness on this matter.
etothen
#Wearing gloves while cleaning your gun is like wearing a condom for sex,
#it just doesn't feel right. Just wash up afterwards, no problems.
#
Amen! Preach on! I live in a tiny apartment. After ten minutes of good
cleaning, the whole place smells like clean gun, and my hands are
covered with solvent, grit, and oil. Mmm mmm mmm.
-Tyler