WARNING Berilium Brass

SteelSlaver

Well-Known Member
WARNING Berilium Brass
I was recently given a 12# "brass" hammer head. It was very yellowish and had some chips from the face. The guy who gave it to me had good intentions when he said I could clean it up and use or cut up for guards. I have worked in the oil industry much of my life and have ran across a good many brass tools. Hammers, wrenches, sockets and wedges.
Here is the thing many of the yellow brass appearing tools are a beryllium alloy. Berilium makes the brass much harder, but, it is also toxic. It can cause a variety of physical ailments and should be avoided. Do not grind, solder or mess with it in anyway.
If you come across any brass tools be very wary of using them for anything besides what the were intended for. Don't use them for metal stock.
Just thought I would bring this up as many are probably not aware of Beryllium/Brass and the dangers

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/beryllium/recognition.html
 
When I was an EOD tech, we had a whole set of Berilium tools, shovels, wrenches, hammers the works.

At least I guess we did, I NEVER saw anyone break the banding that the kits came with to open it. No one wanted to mess with the Non-Mag tools, cuz ot the Berilium.... So I never actualy saw them myself...

Bombs where no problem, but the Berilium was best left alone. ;)
 
Only EOD would be more scared of tools than bombs!

Thank you for posting the info. It was very informative.
 
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