How Dangerous Are Lead Weights?

[Crestliner2008]

Having grown up in the 40's & 50's in a 3rd. floor apartment flat, I guess I've been exposed to lead paint, lead fishing lures and jigs most of my life. Spent time on board a Destroyer back in the 60's, where we chipped lead paint from the '02' level every time we pulled into port. Got out of the service, got married and raised 4 kids. I'm still kicking and my kids all have their Master's Degrees. I'm pretty sure lead payed no part in my successes or failures.

 

I still mold my own jigs and use lead. I guess I'm doomed. But then again, I've got no regrets.

[The Bassman]

When I was a kid our teacher would let us play with Mercury on a tabletop in science class.  Now that's dangerous.  Times have changed.

[Cak920]

Growing up my dad always bit lead split shots to crimp them to his line. There is almost 0 harm in handling them. It consistent exposure (primarily ingestion and especially for children) that causes problems. Back in the really old days they actually made cups and plates out of lead which caused problems.

[Deleted account]

On 3/3/2018 at 7:01 PM, Crestliner2008 said:

Spent time on board a Destroyer back in the 60's, where we chipped lead paint from the '02' level every time we pulled into port. 

Adams class? Thank you for your service. Chipped and painted on 2 Spruance Class destroyers myself.

[Boomstick]

Same deal with Tide pods, don't eat them.

[rboat]

I used to bite on the large lead sinkers when throwing a cast net to catch shiners. It works very well. I think the small bit of lake water that entered my mouth each cast was far worse than biting loosely on the lead.

[Glenn]

I made a video showing how to insert a lead jighead into a tube.  I usually use Megastrike to coat the head first, which makes it easier to slide it into the tube.  But as I was recording the video, I could just "hear" the complaints: people accusing me of hawking products, or people whining about having to buy something to do the task, etc.

 

So in a split-decision, I showed how you can just wet the jighead with your mouth instead.

 

Boy...the comments that followed!  You'd think I'd be dead by now!  LOL!!

 

[Crestliner2008]

23 hours ago, reason said:

Adams class? Thank you for your service. Chipped and painted on 2 Spruance Class destroyers myself.

I spent 2 WesPac cruises aboard the USS Shelton, DD-790 back in the late '60's. Shellback too - the hard way!

 

BTW, on this "dangerous" lead epidemic we are now experiencing all of a sudden, I remember polishing silver dollars with mercury.....with our fingers! Got them beautiful coins a glowin', that's for sure.

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

I played with Hg when I was around 10yo this is my selfie I just took

[RPreeb]

1 hour ago, Crestliner2008 said:

I spent 2 WesPac cruises aboard the USS Shelton, DD-790 back in the late '60's. Shellback too - the hard way!

 

BTW, on this "dangerous" lead epidemic we are now experiencing all of a sudden, I remember polishing silver dollars with mercury.....with our fingers! Got them beautiful coins a glowin', that's for sure.

You were richer than I was... I just did that with quarters.  Fortunately not very often, because mercury is even more toxic than lead, or at least because it's liquid, it's easier to ingest. 

 

My sister nearly died from mercury poisoning when she was an less than a year old because of a mixture recommended by the pediatrician for washing diapers to prevent diaper rash.  She spent a couple of months in the hospital, and had a couple of kidney surgeries.

[BrackishBassin]

Lead, like many other heavy metal contaminants, tends to cause problems over time as it is accumulated in the body. Just like any other heavy metal, your body can flush it out given time. The danger comes from it accumulating too quickly for your body to get rid of it. It’s especially dangerous to developing bodies that don’t have the capacity to deal with it (children). I’m not crazy about avoiding lead, but I also don’t put it in my mouth and wash my hands after handling it. In my mind, it’s easy to avoid ingesting it. So, why not just avoid it? Do teeth work for crimping down weights? Sure do, but a pair of pliers work just as well, and I always have them with me when fishing. The ‘we did it and we’re fine’ thing just doesn’t work for me. People didn’t wear seatbelts ‘back in the day’. Guess what, people died. Be smart and live longer. 

[RPreeb]

13 hours ago, BrackishBassin said:

Lead, like many other heavy metal contaminants, tends to cause problems over time as it is accumulated in the body. Just like any other heavy metal, your body can flush it out given time. The danger comes from it accumulating too quickly for your body to get rid of it. It’s especially dangerous to developing bodies that don’t have the capacity to deal with it (children). I’m not crazy about avoiding lead, but I also don’t put it in my mouth and wash my hands after handling it. In my mind, it’s easy to avoid ingesting it. So, why not just avoid it? Do teeth work for crimping down weights? Sure do, but a pair of pliers work just as well, and I always have them with me when fishing. The ‘we did it and we’re fine’ thing just doesn’t work for me. People didn’t wear seatbelts ‘back in the day’. Guess what, people died. Be smart and live longer. 

When we were kids we just bit down on split shots to close them, but then I didn't carry pliers in my tackle box.  I could barely afford to put any tackle in it, let alone any frivolous luxuries.  Now I always have pliers - 2 pairs in fact, needle nose and split ring.  It's only logical to use them.