Fear & Danger, Danger !

Nope, I didn't get any painting done Sunday. Same for last night. Though I did get the flash taken care of on the next two Centaurs.

Which is what the fear and danger, danger is about . . .

I've been a heavy cigarette smoker for years. Ironically I'm almost-paranoid about some things. We're jewelers. We very consciously do everything to limit the chemicals we use. Yet some times you don't have much choice and just have to know what you're doing and be careful.

We grind and buff with active venting and while wearing the appropriate masks. You should see me when I'm investing a mold! Full respirator, active exhaust . . . Who wants to breath cristobalite???

Last night I realized that I want to really concentrate on actually finishing each unit, or base, as I go. So why was I dragging my feet on the other two Centaurs??? Once I asked myself that I knew the answer.

I'm pretty sure these particular figures are lead, or a lead alloy. I'm paranoid about lead. It might have been great for figures and toy soldiers back then, but it's really nasty insidious stuff.

There's no way that I'm going to use one of the flex-shafts and rubber wheels to grind flash off of a lead figure! I have some old micro-files, carefully segregated in their own storage box, that I had used for cleaning up lead figures. But, frankly, the small filings have always kind of bothered me . . .

I ended up spreading a couple of layers of newspaper out on the floor. I scrapped the parting lines' flashing off with a used #11 scalpel blade, and then burnished them with the back of the blade. I bundled up the sheets of newspaper and the scalpel blade and bagged 'em. I washed my hands. I washed the scalpel handle, my glasses and the figures. I dried the figures with a paper towel and left them out overnight to throughly dry. Then I washed my hands again.

When I re-prime these figures I'll end up putting that brush aside and will only use it for priming my older lead figures. Actually, I've also been trying really hard to remember not to "point" my paint brushes with my lips anymore too.

Sound paranoid?

I don't think so. Why take a chance?

The key is to realize what is inhibiting you, acknowledge it and understand it. Then you can take whatever steps you think are appropriate and get on with it!

And please don't say you weren't reminded of the possible dangers of playing with old lead toy soldiers!