[panosgr]

I keep my swab cloth near my mouthpiece.
I wonder what kind of metal is that on the one side acting as a weight.
If it is lead (Pb) it could be a problem cause it's toxic.

The swab is from Selmer, came with III series.
I got on Selmer's sight by there wasn't any way to contact them.

Anyone who has to say samething is welcome.

Now I'm thinking of it I'm heading on buying a metal mpc, Dukoff for alto or/and a Yani metal for sop.
These surly won't have any cadmioum (Cd), antimonioum (Ad) or mercury, would they?

 

[gelliot2]

If you take a magnet, I think you'll find the metal weight on your Selmer swab is steel (at least mine is).

A Yani metal mouthpiece will be silver plate on brass. Not sure the exact make-up of Silverite on a Dukoff but some non-toxic alloy (or Dukoff players would be dropping like flies).

As long as it doesn't glow in the dark, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Raphyel]

Well most heavy metals are not as poisonous unless they are in a diffusable compound. For instance thermometer mercury is poisonous if you ingest it, but mercury oxide is way more poisonous as it can easily be taken into the vascular system, whereas liquid mercury is much more difficult to take in. Not to say that either is safe, but if the swab is lkead, unless you have a lead derivative circulation in your case you should be ok.,But if you are worried, just keep the swab in a ziploc.

 

[Dave dix]

Selmer wouldn't sell toxic materials and neither would big mpc's production companies
Dave

 

[potiphar]

It takes a while for lead ingestion to drive you mad. The Romans used them for cooking. Caligula was a Roman. But he didn't play sax.

 

[xax]

It takes a while for lead ingestion to drive you mad. The Romans used them for cooking. Caligula was a Roman. But he didn't play sax.

Stop! You're giving my stomach a headache...

 

[csax]

I suspect we're very much more at risk from our germ infested swabs and pull-thro's...... Not to mention what might be germinating on a well-used reed or inside a reed clip/guard :twisted:

 

[Gordon (NZ)]

We need those germs to keep our immune system operating well.

Current thinking is that one casue of asthma is that the immune system doesn't have enough to do in relatively sterilised environments.

 

[JerryJamz2]

Unless you are playing on a Yamaha manufactured in the last 5 years, all other manufacturers still use lead solder.

Regarding self-contamination, I use this analogy to all our customers;

"Not cleaning your mouthpiece is like using the same fork everyday without washing it."

Keep in mind that if you have a home with copper piping which has not been changed out or installed in the last 10 years, there is sufficient lead solder in your plumbing joints which should concern you more.

As an avid fisherman also, the DEC has eliminated legally all "lead" based properties from gunshot pellets to fishing sinkers. Current versions are now made from non-poisonous materials such as tin, bismuth, steel, and tungsten-nickel alloy.

 

[Ian]

Relax. Unless you suck that thing daily after cleaning the sax you will not come to any harm. In fact if you do that you probably still won't come to any harm. Probably more likely be killed by a meteorite. My grandmother toiled over a paraffin stove 4 or 5 hours a day for around 20 years making fishing sinkers from reclaimed plumbing pipes!! She died a couple of years ago at 97. Chronic high level exposure is the issue. Kids sucking toys painted with lead based paints etc.... Remember that life is inevitably fatal. You'd be so lucky to live long enough to get lead poisoning at current exposure levels!