Klarinet Archive - Posting 000220.txt from 2002/05

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausmann1@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Crystal mouthpieces
Date: Wed, 8 May 2002 17:10:18 -0400

At 09:27 AM 5/8/2002 -0400, LeliaLoban wrote:
>A genuine, leaded crystal mouthpiece would look beautiful, and it would be
>less fragile than soda-lime glass. Unfortunately, it would be a health
>hazard, especially to growing kids. Saliva would leach lead out of the glass
>and into the mouth. That might not be a problem for someone who only
>practices half an hour a day, but a serious student or a professional
>clarinetist using a leaded crystal mouthpiece for hours at a time might take
>in enough lead to get sick. Liquid doesn't usually stay in contact with
>leaded crystal drinking glasses long enough for significant amounts of lead
>to leach, but the AMA now strongly recommends that small children never drink
>from leaded crystal and that people never store their booze in fancy leaded
>glass decanters, for instance.

I never would have thought of that. You can't do much of ANYTHING these
days without exposing yourself to some health risk or another!

>(I'm a semi-retired, professional stained glass designer-builder, BTW. My
>information comes from standard glass industry references and from the
>Federal government-mandated Material Safety Data Sheets I had to post in my
>studio.)

I LOVE stained glass! We have an oak ice box that we converted into a
liquor cabinet, complete with glass shelves, mirrors in the back, and a
light inside. We had the panels removed from the doors and replaced with
custom-made stained glass panels.

Bill Hausmann bhausmann1@-----.net
451 Old Orchard Drive
Essexville, MI 48732 ICQ UIN 4862265

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is TOO LOUD!

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