Respirator failure..

bladegrinder

Well-Known Member
For those of us who use respirators take heed, for the last couple months I noticed the elastic head bands on my 3M 6200 respirator were dry rotted. so instead of replacing them or the whole unit I would just keep cinching them up tighter and tighter. that worked for the fit test unless I turned or tilted my head, then apparently the seal would break.

So last Sunday I spent the better part of the day cutting and grinding CPM-154 and some Damascus, later that night I knew something was going down. Monday the coughing started, Tuesday the coughing got worse and my voice changed to a cross between Darth Vader and Lurch. the end of Tuesday sent me to the docs, my throat was killing me.

So he asked all the related questions and I told him what I suspected happened. they swabbed my throat and didn't find and sort of virus or anything, his conclusion.....I breathed in something nasty, take some naproxen, saltwater gargle and it should pass in a couple days.

So today I was coughing so hard I was seeing stars, my abbs and ribs are hurting too.
I swore the grim reaper was riding with me...pounding his fist on the dashboard and laughing his ass off, saying..THIS IS IT STEVE'O !!!

I haven't been in my shop for three days, and I'll be sporting a new respirator when I am.

I went thru this twice before over the years, both times due to Coco bolo. that wood is not allowed on my property anymore.
I'm writing this because "between coughs" I know there are others here that may not wear respirators and I'm telling you if you don't you may be okay for a while but sooner or later your body's going to start complaining, and it's not going to be pretty.

Anyone else have this sort of trouble with ill fitting or worn out respirators?
 
I bought a respirator for grinding the Micarta on my first knife. Did a lot of research and decided it was worth the 30 or so bucks for health reasons. I quit smoking over 20 years ago to avoid health problems don't want new health risks with a new hobby!
 
For those of us who use respirators take heed, for the last couple months I noticed the elastic head bands on my 3M 6200 respirator were dry rotted. so instead of replacing them or the whole unit I would just keep cinching them up tighter and tighter. that worked for the fit test unless I turned or tilted my head, then apparently the seal would break.

So last Sunday I spent the better part of the day cutting and grinding CPM-154 and some Damascus, later that night I knew something was going down. Monday the coughing started, Tuesday the coughing got worse and my voice changed to a cross between Darth Vader and Lurch. the end of Tuesday sent me to the docs, my throat was killing me.

So he asked all the related questions and I told him what I suspected happened. they swabbed my throat and didn't find and sort of virus or anything, his conclusion.....I breathed in something nasty, take some naproxen, saltwater gargle and it should pass in a couple days.

So today I was coughing so hard I was seeing stars, my abbs and ribs are hurting too.
I swore the grim reaper was riding with me...pounding his fist on the dashboard and laughing his ass off, saying..THIS IS IT STEVE'O !!!

I haven't been in my shop for three days, and I'll be sporting a new respirator when I am.

I went thru this twice before over the years, both times due to Coco bolo. that wood is not allowed on my property anymore.
I'm writing this because "between coughs" I know there are others here that may not wear respirators and I'm telling you if you don't you may be okay for a while but sooner or later your body's going to start complaining, and it's not going to be pretty.

Anyone else have this sort of trouble with ill fitting or worn out respirators?

I always, ALWAYS wear a respirator. Occasionally I may start to cut or grind or sand something without my respirator - thinking I'll be real quick, but then I make myself stop and put it on. Good advice though because there is some nasty stuff that can mess you up.
 
Feel better Steve!

Every time I grind without a respirator i regret it....It's ALWAYS due to rushing and a quick job that ALWAYS takes 3x longer than I thought....sheesh. I am a slow learner...but I am getting better on health related stuff.
 
good post, Steve. I hope you start feeling better.

Now that you mention it, my straps aren't as springy as they used to be and i've been dealing with it. Facepalm. Ordering a new one tomorrow!


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No. I've spent a lifetime in the trades and never worn a respirator. The only time I got into trouble was thirty years ago, cutting galvanized steel with a torch.
 
Most have heard me preach about respirators..... I've worn one for the majority of my knifemaking career, but in my younger days never paid much attention to the fit/seal. Then, about 6 years ago, they found "spots" on my lungs. This precipitated a host of things, including a trip to the Mayo Clinic, where I was diagnosed with "Nodular Lymphoid Hyperplasia" Long story short, after the first biopsy, they found traces of many things from the knife shop (and also some things associated with my military service). The stuff we work with is cumulative in it's effects....meaning it builds over time/exposure. I've been through another lung surgery since, and now the Docs are talking about me having to go through another lung surgery.

ALWAYS be vigilante and WEAR a GOOD RESPIRATOR. Trust me, $20-$30 for a respirator and filter is a far cry better then $65K in lung surgery, and 9 week laying in a recliner recovering...IF IT DOESN'T"T KILL YOU FIRST! I'm still going in every 2 months for "treatments", and each time they stick that needle in my arm for a treatment, it's $24K! When we're young, we all think we're 10 feet tall and bulletproof....but trust me, it WILL catch up to you.
 
So... Is it even possible to wear a respirator with a beard? Do they make a respirator that will actually work with a beard? I don't have a full on Duck Dynasty beard but I do like to keep a beard on my chin. Basic "footprint" is shown in pic below. Length varies with the season. Sometimes trimmed shorter but more often than not that is what I've got on my chin. Currently about 2" long.

JLH - Photo.jpg
 
I thought of you on Monday Ed from your past posts. and I knew what was happening because it felt just like the times I went thru this with the coco bolo. I thought ,damn, here we go again. I'm still coughing bad but my voice is getting better.
I'd say live and learn but I said that years ago. I'm getting the new respirator today and hope to spend a couple hours in the shop today...maybe.
 
So... Is it even possible to wear a respirator with a beard? Do they make a respirator that will actually work with a beard? I don't have a full on Duck Dynasty beard but I do like to keep a beard on my chin. Basic "footprint" is shown in pic below. Length varies with the season. Sometimes trimmed shorter but more often than not that is what I've got on my chin. Currently about 2" long.

View attachment 61257

I have a beard also, similar to yours and it also varies in length from time to time. I've never had any issue with my 3M respirator not working with my beard - even when I let it get pretty long last winter. So you shouldn't have a problem with one.
 
Wasn't sure. Last time I used a mask was in the early 90's in the USAF. No beards allowed then so wasn't an issue. hehe Then in the late 90's I got fitted again for a mask as part of the fire/hazmat team at a factory I worked at. No beard then just a mustache. So, no fit issues. And other than training, never had to put the mask to a test. Can't imagine being able to get a good seal with a beard though. Seal checks I was trained to do are; exhale, put hand over inlet, and inhale. Mask should "collapse" a little if the edges are all sealed against the face.
 
Wasn't sure. Last time I used a mask was in the early 90's in the USAF. No beards allowed then so wasn't an issue. hehe Then in the late 90's I got fitted again for a mask as part of the fire/hazmat team at a factory I worked at. No beard then just a mustache. So, no fit issues. And other than training, never had to put the mask to a test. Can't imagine being able to get a good seal with a beard though. Seal checks I was trained to do are; exhale, put hand over inlet, and inhale. Mask should "collapse" a little if the edges are all sealed against the face.

I understand what you're saying, and you're probably right - it may not be a "perfect seal", but I've never had any issues with anything getting into my mask with my beard.
 
I sometimes grow a beard, usually about an inch long. I noticed that with the 3M half mask I didn't get a very good seal. Since then I have switched over to the scott safety xcel half mask and it seals up much tighter. It's just a little bit more expensive, but it's worth the extra to me

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You can't get a complete seal with facial hair. They have a special machine to check us with where I work and they won't even check you with any facial hair.
Doug
Jn. 3:16
 
You can't get a complete seal with facial hair. They have a special machine to check us with where I work and they won't even check you with any facial hair.
Doug
Jn. 3:16

We need a like button. Not only do they not seal but what you are grinding gets trapped on the inside and you keep breathing the same stuff. More and more material gets trapped on the inside and is worse than not having one on.
 
I work for a natural gas utility and was the first responder for leaks, big leaks. we used positive pressure facemasks but more often then not we just used full face respirators, the problem I had is I wear glasses so I always stuffed some rag around where the glasses broke the seal. that worked most of the time but there was a few times the pieces of rag would fall or blow out and dirt would come flying in to the point I couldn't see and would have to get out of the hole, I wasn't inhaling it but it would swirl around inside the mask.

I'm still coughing from my first post but it's nothing like all week long, it's almost over. I'll tell you what, I think if I was another ten years older it would of put me in the hospital, damn it's been a long painful week.
 
Guys, like Ed told you, you ain't ten foot tall and you damn sure ain't bulletproof. I quit smoking back in 1998. After they put the 2nd stent in my heart, and before the third heart attack and quadruple bypass surgery. After the heart surgery the lung under my heart collapsed twice and had to have a tube put in it three times. Believe what Ed is telling you when you are trying to suck a breath on one lung, it ain't no fun!
I had a three pack a day habit and had been smoking since about 1973. Wow first time I done the math, that figures up to about 25 years of huffing on them things. I done construction from the time I was fourteen till 1998. I can't count the number of things I worked with that were either asbestos related or just plain cancer causing! Back when I started no one knew all that stuff was bad for you and since I either worked for myself or worked for small companies, no one was overlooking what we were using!!

Now days I have to filter the air I breath just when I mow the lawn, or the dust will about kill me. Believe me you ain't ten foot tall or bullet proof. Your eyes, your ears, and your lungs are among those precious things that you use, and when they are gone.............................

Believe me I just found out today that not only has my wife been fighting COPD for the last couple of years, she maybe battling another lung issue, that is caused another auto immune disease along with her TM, which was triggered by another auto immune issue. We are now waiting for referral to another specialist! Life is precious and taking care of yourself is JOB 1!!
 
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Percentages work two ways.

If 100 men work in a coal mine for 30 years and 4 die from black lung:

You might say "There's a 96% chance I'll be fine."

The flip side is "Four guys will die. Someone has to be the 4%. Maybe it will be me- OR I could spend $40 on a respirator and NOT be one of the 4."




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Or I could do what 96 of them did (probably nothing, smoke cigarettes, use table saws that have no guards, drink cheap whiskey, drive drunk, chase cheap women) and be fine.

Or I could stay out of coal mines altogether, ban smoking in my house, pay others to cut wood, drink nothing but filtered water, hire professional drivers, remain chaste and die of cancer.
 
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