Re: toxicity of sealants

["Bob Maglinte" <bbqbob917@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Howard Chandler" <chandler@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "Bob Maglinte" <bbqbob917@xxxxxxxxxxx>; "G." <gigs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>;
<harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2003 8:53 PM
Subject: Re: toxicity of sealants


> Concerned Harpers,
>
> I'm going to go on a limb and guess that the finish used on the 1923
Herring
> is not "liquid Paraffin" , known on this side of the pond (if I'm not
> mistaken) as mineral oil. I say this because, while mineral oil is quite
> commonly used as a "finish" for things like cutting boards and salad bowls
> (not to mention the medical applications), it is not in the true sense a
> finish, since it does not polymerize. That is, is does not form a skin
like,
> say boiled linseed oil, varnish, or urethane. What I see when I look at
the
> one 1923 I have is a thoroughly cured finish. Just what was used is up for
> conjecture. Assuming it is one of the commonly available non-toxic
finishes,
> it is most likely either shellac (which has been dissolved in an
> appropriately pure form of alcohol) or a water based poly. The test ford,
> shellac is to rub with alcohol. If it dissolves, it's shellac.
>
> Whatever the finish, it would seem in the best interest for Herring to
clear
> up this matter ASAP as it may be off-putting to potential customers.
>
> Howard Chandler

Hi Howard,
I mentioned that very same thing to both Dino DeLima at their Miami offices
and Carlos Bertolazzi at their main offices in Brazil, and the way I put it
to them in a nutshell was that it was better to reveal what sealant they're
using because should someone get sick or dies from a  possible allergic
reaction to the sealant, they could be in a very serious multi million
dollar lawsuit that would be potentially damamging for them here in the US,
and such a revelation would prevent this from happening. The only thing I
could personally get out of them was that it wasn't beeswax because it
didn't work particularly well with the wood being used (Marfim Imperial).

On the other hand, having a wood comb sealed from the factory on a diatonic
IMO is a definite step in the right direction when it comes to these types
of combs.

Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA