[rzzzzz]

when i took up playing tenor tenor a couple of years ago i impulsively snagged a Link Millenium off the web. i never cracked open the box and it sits buried in the closet. that's because i noticed a number of warnings on-line against oral-nickel contact, probably most convincingly from the EU.

i probably would have broken down eventually to try the thing anyway, if i hadn't noticed that Peter Ponzol made the move away from even gold plated nickel to "safer" metal pieces. (admittedly, the price of gold does seem like a potential factor.) and various other manufacturers do brag about their non-metal pieces being more in line with current health provisos.

so i'm interested in the collective wisdom of much more experienced players as to whether such caution is warranted or ridiculous. (Can you hear me Dr. G?) Thanks.

 

[dogster]

Nickel is dangerous to ingest look it up I would not use that MPC at all

 

[smonkman]

I haven't heard any of these warnings. I find it hard to believe the Babbitt company would sell a mouthpiece knowing full well it's harmful.
I played a Link Millenium for years, selling it is still a huge regret. RZZZZZZ, if you want to get rid of yours, let me know and I'd gladly buy it off of you.

 

[hakukani]

I don't eat my mouthpieces, regardless of the material.

 

[milandro]

You don't need to eat it to have problems!

Nickel can cause allergies ,it is a well known fact

".....
By Mayo Clinic staff
Nickel allergy is one of the most common causes of allergic contact dermatitis — an itchy rash that appears when your skin touches a usually harmless substance.

Nickel allergy is commonly associated with earrings and other jewelry for body piercings. But nickel can be found in many everyday items — from coins to necklace clasps, from watchbands to eyeglass frames.

Nickel allergy can affect people of all ages. A nickel allergy usually develops after repeated or prolonged exposure to items containing nickel. Treatments can reduce the symptoms of nickel allergy. Once you develop nickel allergy, however, you will always be sensitive to the metal and should avoid contact........."

 

[dogster]

I will stick to rubber MPC's

 

[hakukani]

You don't need to eat it to have problems!

Nickel can cause allergies ,it is a well known fact

".....
By Mayo Clinic staff
Nickel allergy is one of the most common causes of allergic contact dermatitis - an itchy rash that appears when your skin touches a usually harmless substance.

Nickel allergy is commonly associated with earrings and other jewelry for body piercings. But nickel can be found in many everyday items - from coins to necklace clasps, from watchbands to eyeglass frames.

Nickel allergy can affect people of all ages. A nickel allergy usually develops after repeated or prolonged exposure to items containing nickel. Treatments can reduce the symptoms of nickel allergy. Once you develop nickel allergy, however, you will always be sensitive to the metal and should avoid contact........."

So can mangoes, peanuts, and shellfish, but they are delicious to those that are not allergic.

I would definitely go with gold plating on a mouthpiece, though. It's probably safer than hard rubber. After all, I have two gold crowns. I don't think that I'll be needing chelation therapy.

 

[rzzzzz]

yeah, it's not like i've ever had a specific allergy to nickel. and i sure got a hankering for trying out a decent STM on my aging horn. but my mouth does tend to get sore easily. and i'm kind of hoping (rationalizing?) that my Ponzol ML already covers the metal Otto experience.

 

[milandro]

yes, there are other possibilities to develop allergies and ultimately life brings to certain death........

 

[captain blowhard]

Does that rule out stainless steel mouthpieces? They would typically contain around 10% nickel. Not to mention most household cutlery . . . (18/10)

 

[milandro]

alright

from http://nickelfreelife.com/nickel-allergy-faq.php

Special note on stainless steel: Stainless steel and "surgical grade stainless steel" contain nickel. The reason so many sites say it is nickel free is that it is less likely to cause a reaction, but it can cause a reaction. Nickel is actually very water soluble. When nickel contacts sweat on the skin a nickel salt compound is created that is easily absorbed. Stainless steels tend to hold on to the nickel so tightly that it does not leech out easily, but it is not nickel free! Sensitive people will often have problems when wearing stainless steel items. It is important to understand this. Also, cookware that is stainless steel can leach nickel into the food being cooked if the food is acidic, like tomatoes. Always be observant of stainless steel items.

Why is nickel allowed?

This is a very good question. The first country to limit the use of nickel in products was Denmark, all the way back in 1991! Statistics show a dramatic drop in nickel allergy in people born after that year. All of Europe followed Denmark's example in 2000. Since then, all of Europe has shown a marked decrease in nickel allergy. So why not in the United States? Most likely it has to do with economics. So many companies have products sourced from China, where pricing competition is fierce, that it is considered too costly to cater to a minority of nickel allergy sufferers. However, this is changing. Some statistics show that the true number of people with nickel allergy is getting closer to 20% of the population. This is no longer a small minority! The more we get pierced (by so called "surgical grade stainless steel") the more of us develop nickel allergy. Many larger companies are starting to recognize this skyrocketing population and are adopting "nickel free" sourcing guidelines. We do believe that this is a trend that will continue and someday, hopefully soon, all products will be free of nickel! Until that day, we are here to help you shop, learn and live nickel free!

 

[dubrosa22]

Should I be worried about my 60s stainless steel Berg???

When I was a kid I had a 'silver' watch that turned my wrist green and then it went red, sore and pusey.

Phew! That's tough to spell for a couple of reasons!

 

[milandro]

well, you might have problems or not.......if you do you should know by now, if you don't , you don't

 

[bruce bailey]

What do you expect from a five cent mouthpiece?