Does G10 Material in Pocket Knives Pose a Cancer Risk?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the potential cancer risk associated with G10 material used in pocket knife handle scales, particularly in relation to California's Proposition 65 warnings. Participants explore the implications of these warnings, the nature of inhalation hazards, and the broader context of chemical exposure and cancer risks.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether the cancer warning related to G10 handle scales is exaggerated, suggesting that only the G10 material could be responsible for such a warning.
  • Another participant asserts that the cancer risk is primarily an inhalation hazard.
  • Some participants reference California's Prop 65, noting that it includes many chemicals, including those found in knife steel, and suggest that the warning may be a legal formality rather than a significant health risk.
  • One participant humorously suggests that avoiding breathing or touching the material is the safest approach.
  • Another participant discusses the general risk of cancer from fine dust, citing sources that indicate no safe threshold for inhaling fine particles and the association of such particles with increased cancer risk.
  • There is a mention of the difficulty in isolating the cancer risks of various materials from the known risks of smoking, which complicates the discussion on G10 material.
  • A later reply suggests that even if the entire knife were ground into fine particles, the cancer risk would still be less significant compared to the risks posed by smoking or secondhand smoke.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the significance of the cancer warnings associated with G10 material. Some believe the warnings are exaggerated, while others emphasize the inhalation risks and the broader context of chemical exposure. The discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing perspectives.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference various studies and sources regarding fine dust and cancer risk, but there are limitations in the discussion regarding the specific mechanisms of exposure and the definitions of risk. The relationship between G10 material and cancer risk is not definitively established.

yungman
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I have been looking at pocket knives, seems like all the ones with G10 handle scales have a warning about cancer. This is a very typical pocket knife.

https://www.chicagoknifeworks.com/steel-will-cutjack-c22m-linerlock-od/

You see the cancer warning message?

The rest of the knife is all steel, bronze, they cannot be causing cancer, only the G10 scale I can think of that can cause cancer.

Is this exaggerated?

If you put in pocket with no skin contact, does that help preventing the problem?

Thanks
 
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I believe it is an inhalation hazard.
 
Frabjous said:
I believe it is an inhalation hazard.
I am still looking, this is what I saw on Google:

"In fact, there are hundreds of chemicals on the California Prop 65 list—including things like nickel and chromium that have always been a part of knife steel. As a responsible manufacturer, we are including the warning as required by the law."
 
The Prop 65 notice is an almost completely meaningless warning.

More evidence here

BoB
 
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rbelli1 said:
The Prop 65 notice is an almost completely meaningless warning.

More evidence here

BoB
I guess the sure way to be safe is don't breath, don't touch.:biggrin::-p
 
Humans are made of chemicals and government policies cause cancer, yet incumbent politicians are not labeled as cancer causing. :wink:
 
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If you take most any solid material and grind it into small enough particles, it causes cancer. Search terms fine dust causes cancer readily found this from the American Lung Association at: https://www.lung.org/clean-air/outd...threshold,respiratory disease and lung cancer. A quote from that link:
There is no safe threshold to breathe in fine particles. A recent review of all available scientific evidence to date clearly shows that particle pollution is associated with increased mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease and lung cancer.

Another hit is from the National Institutes for Health at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7546438/ has the following quote:
Exposure to PM2.5 air pollution contributes to lung cancer incidence and is potentially associated with non-lung cancer incidence.

Further searching adding wood dust to the search terms finds studies that deal with the confounding factor of cigarette smoking. The cancer causing effect of smoking is far greater than the cancer causing effect of fine dusts. This makes it difficult to isolate the possible hazards of most materials from the known hazards of smoking, especially when the effect of second hand smoke is included.

More searching using search terms fine dust smoking cancer finds this link (and others): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25395026/. A quote: reductions in cigarette smoking will achieve the greatest impact on lung cancer rates

yungman said:
Is this exaggerated?
Yes, even if you grind up the entire knife into submicron size particles and blast those particles into the air. On the other hand, if you are a smoker or even breathe second hand smoke, you are definitely endangering yourself.
 
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Thread paused for Moderation...
 
With the excellent post by JR, this is probably a good time to tie off this thread. Thanks folks.
 

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