How Dangerous Are Lead Weights?

[Alex21]

How dangerous are they. I'm constantly handeling them and never really think about it,

[SirSnookalot]

Handling sinkers or jig heads for a few moments at a time while rigging isn't the same as a baby ingesting lead based paint off a wall. Or a worker in a lead smelting plant where both physical handling and the constant fumes (not everything goes up the flu) 8 solid hours a day, is probably at risk.

Not debating the lead ban issue in some states, I don't believe there is much risk for a fisherman.

[rockchalk06]

Most if not all of the lead exposure that's toxic is from breathing in fumes when smelting

If your truely worried about it, take some rubber gloves and a mask. Open the baggie of weights. Spread them on some wax paper and hammer them with some black krylon spray paint. Coat a few times and that should suffice.

[Sam]

If you eat them; hit someone in the head with one; or are pregnant you may have a problem.

Especially the pregnant part!!!!

[Goose52]

As someone that used to have a blood lead level of 47 micrograms/deciliter (lead poisoning level), I would say that after handling lead, it's always a good idea to wash your hands before eating, drinking, smoking, or otherwise getting your hands near your mouth. Now, if you only handle a lead weight a couple times a day while tying up a Texas rig, you will probably die of old age before feeling any effects from lead poisoning. If you are sorting out a bunch of lead sinkers and have handled quite a few - for your health and safety you should be washing your hands. There is indeed the potential to transfer lead into your system while handling the solid form. The effects are minimal, but can be cumulative, depending on frequency of exposure. Handle enough lead, enough times, and you run the risk of gradually increasing your blood lead level.

[slonezp]

I'm in trouble. Been closing splitshots with my teeth for 40 years.

[Scorcher214]

Only dangerous if you live in California.

[MT2]

They will put your eye out have a buddy as a kid got a new combo for his b-day tied on a egg sinker and went to the back yard, stuck it in the grass....yank yank yank....POW....right in the eye. Luckly he didnt loose the eye but that eye is lazy, if you was to meet him the 2 things you'd notice off the bat is he's got unique sense of humor and what happened to his eye.

As far as the lead poisoning goes, wouldnt worry bought it unless your pouring 8 hours a day worth of sinkers jigs and others.

[Kevinator1]

I take 2 half ounce weights each morning with my multivitamin to get my daily allowance and I'm just fine.

[Alex21]

I'm not worried about. You just know how everybody is today. All you hear is everythings dangerous its crazy.

[smalljaw67]

I've been pouring lead for over 15 years, and I never got lead poisoning. While having good ventilation helps lead doesn't vaporize or become airbourne until it hits 900+ degrees which is far hotter than what we do at home which is about 700 degrees. After handling lead it is best to wash your hands and do not smoke, or eat until you washed your hands. I get more lead exposure prepping jigs and stuff because of filing off sprues and flashing but a quick wash with soap and water and all is good. Handling finished lead weights will require a lot of handling for a long period of time before it will affect you.

[MT2]

I'm not worried about. You just know how everybody is today. All you hear is everythings dangerous its crazy.

No joke, how many of us grew up eating hotdogs several times a week for lunch. Cut up hotdogs I bet is alot of peoples first memory of food. I also bet everyone of us has ate a uncooked one straight out of the fridge. Now days they say hotdogs is one of the most dangerous and unhealthy foods for kids, and to boot uncooked ones are said to cos all sorts of health issues.

[River Rat316]

We pour alot, and like goose said after handling bare lead wash your hands and you will be fine. The true danger for lead poisoning for humans is the fumes and ingestion, I take it you are not melting it so wash your hands if you are handling it more than just tieng a texas rig or something.

Lead bans are not for our safety its for the birds, they are worried about birds ingesting it with gravel from the bottom of the lake.... funny thing is many bird populations are higher now than ever, including the all precious loon

[flyeaglesfly5186]

I'm in trouble. Been closing splitshots with my teeth for 40 years.

Not as many years but ditto. I close them and open them with my teeth all the time never had an issue.

[Bair]

I don't worry about it. I'm already screwed up from being raised in a NASCAR shop breathing all those racing fuel fumes and other assorted hazards. Some lead weights that I touched for 3 seconds is not going to hurt me anymore.

[WRB]

They can be almost as dangerous as tungston weights when they hit you in the eye trying to get it out of a snag!

The first lead ban on fishing tackle was due to a study with Loons. The hunting ban on lead pellets or bullets followed from a study on water fowl and condors. Lot of debate with the science in these studies. The bottom line is don't eat lead weights or get in the way of incoming high velocity metal objects, it is dangerous.

Tom

[gonefishing1965]

Well I guess If it was going to kill me I would be dead already. I been biting on lead to open and close it for years. I think my dad thought me this trick when I was 5 years old. and that has been a long time now.

[iceintheveins]

Just don't put them in your mouth, and wash your hands after handling them a bunch. They really aren't that dangerous and lead bans are baseless.

[SirSnookalot]

Biting on a lead split shot is not the same as little children ingesting lead based paint off a pealing wall. Kids will put anything in their mouths and their systems are much more delicate.

[JerDanson]

I don’t fish in the winter time, that’s my break from all the lead poisoning I’m getting in my head.  I keep my fishing stuff in the house though which I think is worse, I go over to the gun aisle and I can smell all the lead from the endless racks of BULLETS and ammo.  I did an experiment this year, I think the bullets cause more damage when not in use, same thing with the fishing gear.  It says right on the pack of bullets, “keep in a an airy place”.  Why doesn’t it say that on my fishing gear?  They’re both made out of lead, they’re both considered a projectile, and they both give off those annoying ear piercing fumes.  I need a break from fishing, might take a year off.  Might not even walk into a Cabelas or Scheels again if this doesn’t get better.  Maybe if I take a year off I’ll be able to wash all that crap off and out of my head.

I don’t even like using my cell phone either, might take a long break from that.  Everything has lead in it, our cars, our phones, even our watches.  I have a watch with black paint on it that I keep around to remind me to take a break from anything that has a battery or plugs into the wall.  I don’t even like turning on the TV.  I like car radios though, the static does something to my head.  Don’t know if it’s good or bad but I don’t have to stare at an ugly picture.

[Vilas15]

An interesting first post on a 5 year old thread...

[WCWV]

I've been casting lead bullets for many years and have my lead level checked on my yearly check up and everything has been normal. 

I use common sense while doing it. 

[Russ E]

like most here have already mentioned children are much more susceptible to lead poisoning than adults. that is usually from ingesting it. I have hunted and fished with lead my whole life and I honestly don't personally know anyone who has had lead poisoning.

[JustJames]

Since someone pull this thread out from the death. As of now They try to ban every fishing equipment with lead according to new bill AB-2787 2018. Am I glad to live in CA, time to stock all weighted hook.

[eyedabassman]

Just wash your hands, and don’t put them in your mouth!