Is Silicon Grease Toxic Or Carcinogenic?

[Pendimonium]

I cannot find much information on the toxicity of silicon grease. There are some mentions of it being carcinogenic, but nothing too specific.

 

Anyone know how careful one should be when eyedroppering with silicon grease from Goulet Pens or any other pen shop? These greases don't come with any instructions or warnings.

 

Otherwise, is there any non-harmful alternative I could use?

[aeba]

I cannot find much information on the toxicity of silicon grease. There are some mentions of it being carcinogenic, but nothing too specific.

 

Anyone know how careful one should be when eyedroppering with silicon grease from Goulet Pens or any other pen shop? These greases don't come with any instructions or warnings.

 

Otherwise, is there any non-harmful alternative I could use?

Ron Zorn of Main Street Pens, our local moderator on repair forums uses Molycote / DowCorning 111 which FDA approved, and food grade heavy silicone grease which is used in food industry, and water applications. It isn't known to be toxic to humans. But it isn't cheap. If you have coffee afficianados somewhere near you, they might have that same grease for their espresso machines.

 

Material safety data sheet on http://www.dowcorning.com/applications/search/default.aspx?R=393EN

Edited December 24, 2017 by aeba

[Mr.Rene]

This days EVERYTHING is carcinogenic

[Monophoto]

By far, the most common application for silicone grease is as a plumbing lubricant where it comes in contact with the water we drink. Every single-handle faucet ever made is lubricated with silicone grease. If it were hazardous, I seriously doubt it would be used for that application.

 

It might be a problem if you were to consume large quantities of it. Remember that water is very hazardous - you can drown in it, and drinking too much in a short period of time can have negative consequences. But the amount of silicone grease that you are likely to come in contact with while working on a pen is negligible.

[Monophoto]

Two more thoughts - - -

There have been reports that silicone implants used for cosmetic augmentation (think fake breasts) can be harmful if they leak.

 

In the event of a detached retina, a surgical procedure called a vitrectomy is used to reattach the retina to the back of the eye. This procedure requires that the vitreous in the eye be removed. At the end of the procedure, the eye is reinflated using a saline solution, and normally, a small amount of an inert gas that is slowly absorbed by the body and eventually disappears. But in complicated cases, a silicone oil is used instead of the gas. The oil forms a bubble that presses the retina against the back of the eye. When I had this done several years ago, I was told that the problem with using oil is that it isn't absorbed into the bloodstream, and could cause neurological complications if it is left in place for many years. So for younger patients (I was 68 when I went through this process), the routine procedure is to leave the oil in place for about a year, and then do a second 'oil change' vitrectomy in which the oil is replaced by a gas (a form of propane).

[corgicoupe]

If California hasn't declared it unsafe, it's fair to assume it's safe.

[LizEF]

FWIW, this is the MSDS for the silicone grease I use: https://www.manualshelf.com/manual/danco/88693/msds.html

[Bo Bo Olson]

BBQ and bacon is carcinogenic....just don't eat as much silicon grease as you do BBQ or crispy bacon.

Uncooked bacon is not carcinogenic... ......or how many decades do you want to be prisoner in an old folks home?

[MuddyWaters]

You can also use regular Vaseline which you don't have to special order from a fountain pen store

[Pendimonium]

By far, the most common application for silicone grease is as a plumbing lubricant where it comes in contact with the water we drink. Every single-handle faucet ever made is lubricated with silicone grease. If it were hazardous, I seriously doubt it would be used for that application.

 

It might be a problem if you were to consume large quantities of it. Remember that water is very hazardous - you can drown in it, and drinking too much in a short period of time can have negative consequences. But the amount of silicone grease that you are likely to come in contact with while working on a pen is negligible.

 

Ok, but there are many different variations that contain many different components. From Wikipedia: "Special versions of silicone grease are also used widely by the plumbing industry in faucets and seals, as well as dental equipment. These special versions are formulated using components not known to be an ingestion hazard" [1]. When you buy from a pen shop, you typically don't know what you're getting.

 

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicone_grease

[Pendimonium]

You can also use regular Vaseline which you don't have to special order from a fountain pen store

 

Interesting, I will give this a try. Thank you!

[Bo Bo Olson]

NO!!!!! Vaseline :angry: ...contains petroleum which is bad for fountain pen plastics.

 

A small tube of 100% silicon grease will last you half your life. I was sent a one inch container some 8 or so years ago when it was much harder to get and still have some left.

 

So there is no reason to cheap out and buy contaminated with what ever plumbers silicon to either save a few cents or be to lazy to order some from Gulett(sp) or some other pen item supplier.

 

Twsbi is a somewhat watery silicon grease from my understanding, but would be better than Vaseline. You only need 1/2 of a rice corn's worth of 100% pure silicon grease to lube a Pelikan for the next three years.

Edited December 24, 2017 by Bo Bo Olson

[Pendimonium]

You're right, thanks for the warning, Bo Bo

[Baalberithim]

I never really worried about the toxicity of it since I don't come in contact with it. Just use a q tip or toothpick as an applicator and wipe off any excess. Wear some nitrile gloves while you do so if you want to be extra cautious. Then just don't chew on the threads or whatever you greased up and you should be good to go.

Edited December 24, 2017 by Baalberithim

[Freddy]

You can also use regular Vaseline which you don't have to special order from a fountain pen store

 

Hell No!

 

Fred

[Freddy]

I cannot find much information on the toxicity of silicon grease. There are some mentions of it being carcinogenic, but nothing too specific.

 

Anyone know how careful one should be when eyedroppering with silicon grease from Goulet Pens or any other pen shop? These greases don't come with any instructions or warnings.

 

Otherwise, is there any non-harmful alternative I could use?

 

They are using quality Divers Silicone Grease {or you can purchase yourself}..which is

Non-Toxic..Non-Flammable..Safe........But..would not add to me list of favorite condiments.

 

Fred

[FarmBoy]

They are using quality Divers Silicone Grease {or you can purchase yourself}..which is

Non-Toxic..Non-Flammable..Safe........But..would not add to me list of favorite condiments.

 

Fred

I remember that burger...

[Chrissy]

I bought some from Ron Zorn, and it's really good. Thicker than the other pot I originally bought. I would recommend it.

[Oranges and Apples]

I wouldn't worry about such a small factor, such as silicon grease. Perhaps worry about car emissions (source provided below, and assuming you are around car fumes) which has a bigger impact on your health (if that is what you're worried about).

 

http://www.downtoearth.org.in/coverage/how-carcinogenic-is-your-car-18096

[corgicoupe]

I have a container of Dow silicone grease 11 that we used to seal glass vacuum systems when I was in grad school in the 1960s. I wonder if it's a precursor of the 111 molycote that Ron Zorn mntioned?