All right Rev Tim. What is it the world wonders?
Jerry
It isn't that it's a trade secret.... But, those who use it encourage one another to keep it secret-ish because of its volatility.
Yah, Ron uses the evil stuff. It is pretty evil. Think I first heard about it 8 years ago. I blank on the fellow's name, but for a bit he was aggressively selling "Depression pens" on ebay.
regards
d
As far as how nasty it is.... It's pretty bad. "Dr. I" could probably tell us more of the dangers to humans, as far as respiration and contact. It is used in a well-known compound that has likely been used in your house in some form or another, but that doesn't mean it's safe. Until I get a respiration mask, I can only use it in REALLY small bursts--and I have to hold my breath for a considerable amount of time. Having been a trumpet player for most of my life, I can hold my breath longer than most. Thankfully, I have my workshop in a rather large room, and it is well ventilated. If I was working in a confined space, I simply would not be able to use it at all--without a mask or ventilation hood.
Amazingly, I found it on a website and could get it. But, really, it's only used on celluloid. For acrylics, I use another substance that is also quite nasty (but, perhaps not as protected a secret). But my acrylic solvent had to come via UPS ground, because it could not be sent through the air. Almost everything I mentioned about the celluloid nasty-stuff applies to the acrylic stuff, too.
For one thing I use MEK, and I got my MEK at a model shop (so, I think it has glue in it also). When I fix the older Laban Mento pens, I have to make a new inner cap that is inserted into the existing (and quite inadequate) inner cap. I use polystyrene and my modeler-shop MEK. So far it's worked well.
All that said, I have considered buying a large fire-proof document safe to store the several bottles of nasty stuff in.... But, the greater question there is what problems, if any, would all of those nasty things bring to each other in a closed space.
Considering that the celluloid stuff is used in that nasty, but common, compound I referred to earlier, and the people who work with it don't have to wear hazmat suits to do their jobs, I think the danger is more an improper and careless use--not simply exposure (though the fumes can bring dizzy-ness and general loopy-ness). And, of course, it's highly flammable.
If you should happen to find out the substance, please don't spread it around (you've seen what happens when people think themselves to be nibmeisters because they think nibs can be smoothed with a brown paper bag!!!???), and, certainly, be careful with it.
Blessings,
Tim
EDIT: A bit of spelling.
Edited by TimGirdler, 12 February 2014 - 09:16 AM.