Radium Hands

Submitted by JP on June 2, 2012 - 11:19pm

Just got a nice selection of radium hands in PM me for more info if you are interested. I do trades as well as cash.. Some of the hands are 20's to 30's hands.

JP

mybulova_admin
Posted June 2, 2012 - 11:35pm

Can you post a sample picture of the style of hands please JP.

JP
Posted June 3, 2012 - 12:13am

I am going to try to import them to here. It won't let me so I will try to send them to you and you can put them up.

JP

 

              

JP
Posted June 3, 2012 - 12:21am

It says that my browser settings will not allow me to paste and I have to use cmd/control+V to paste them ?? I have never had this problem before so I don't know what to do.

JP

                                                                    

                                                                     

JP
Posted June 3, 2012 - 12:44am

I just sent you an email with the attachments so you should be able to see what I have.

JP

William Smith
Posted June 3, 2012 - 12:52am

In reply to by JP

JP  Admin is gonna have his hands full w/ a batch of ads to process (no pressure here on the ad front admin, but thats because I have them already :0 ).  If you wanna email to me, I can try to upload for you.   Will

mybulova_admin
Posted June 3, 2012 - 2:19am

 

 

 

Reverend Rob
Posted July 4, 2012 - 6:48pm

By today's standards, a card like this would have to carry a warning. That's a fair amount of Radium, and the cards of hands came in boxes of what, say 100? Watches we had for Regimental stores, despite being the 'softer' Tritium, had to be marked with the appropriate Radioactive hazard rating, the sheer number of watches in one box bumped up the rating. 

JP
Posted July 4, 2012 - 7:45pm

Yes and they have all been stripped now and I am re-blueing them and re-luming them. My watch room would likely set off a gieger counter to go crazy, The half life alone is 900 years. I took all of the appropriate measures according to my training in hazmat handleing to be sure I don't glow or get sick or cause problems with my wife or visitors.

Reverend Rob
Posted July 5, 2012 - 11:52am

I did it once, for a customer's car clock while I was still at watchmaking school. I wouldn't do it again due to the fact that I contaminated a lot of tools and myself. After this, the clock was still radioactive, as the metal in the dial and movt still registered 'hot'. 

Not to nitpick, but half life of Radium is 1600 years, for the most stable isotope, which is apparently what is used in Radium paint. My Grandfather, also a watchmaker, suffered from serious Radium poisoning he got from exposure during the war. He was fixing watches and Aircraft instruments, and he suffered a lot in later years. The body sees Radium as Calcium, and imports it and it settles into bones, creating a terrible ache as one ages. 

Just for anyone who is interested, Radium, despite its hazards being well known, was used well into the 70's, mostly on clocks. I see a lot of 60's clocks with gobs of Radium on the dials and hands. I even used a piece of the paint in high school to put into a Cloud chamber in Physics class. 

edit: I'm not trying to dissuade anyone from buying your hands!, if they are handled carefully and ingestion is avoided, they are fairly safe. It is when there is flaking of the paint and ingestion that trouble starts, unless you are working with large amounts of it. The particles are ejected through the front of the watch, but blocked to the rear, in case anyone is getting nervous. Again, not to cause any kind of panic, but it is always good to know what you're dealing with, and I'm sure your HAZMAT training left your shop cleaner than my desk at school.......

JP
Posted July 5, 2012 - 1:32pm

Yes, I hope so. The hands were soaked in a solution after removal of the radium and then etched for re-blueing before re-luming with a current safe material. I stand corrected on the half life issue.

I have been very lucky in dealing with radium and have not experienced any ill effects. I worked on military gear for many years and never knew it had the radium until after the project was finshed and the government was  ice enough to inform me. I guess being 70 years old and having joint problems anyway has kept me from developing any other symptoms.  

William Smith
Posted July 5, 2012 - 2:35pm

I got two pairs from JP for a great price.  The hands are very nice.  The old radium had been removed w/o any cosmetic alteration of the hands themselves.  The new redium glows nicely. 

Question regarding "color" of the radium.  Are there different "colors" or "shades" of the new/safe lume? 

I've seen some new lume which is a different "color" or shade than what I believe the older original lume.  Since I'm replacing parts which wear out w/ time, I'd like to replace with something as close to "original" as possible.  JP matched original color nicely- Thanks! 

Reverend Rob
Posted July 5, 2012 - 2:48pm

It is usually a pale green. New lume is of course, not Radium, and comes in a variety of shades. I find the green is usually too green, and the yellow not green enough. It is possible to mix shades together to get a better match. I was talking to a guy at a Flea market and he was saying that it was possible to rejuvenate Radium by applying a thin layer of Zinc Sulfide to the lume on old hands. I have not been able to confirm this, although it sounds like it might be possible. The old Zinc Sulfide becomes depleted and no longer glows under the effects of the radioactivity. The Radium, still strong, would bombard the ZnS, and a constant glow would result, just like it did when new. If anyone has any experience with this, maybe they can chime in here. It's a fascinating idea, because that would mean you'd get the original look, and it would last many years.. Interesting, eh?

JP
Posted July 5, 2012 - 5:44pm

Yes, very interesting. I will chedck with my chemist and see what he has to say and maybe get some zinc sulphide and try it on the radium hands I have that are still original. I did not touch the straight hands and may be they will be a good test bed. I will let you know

I tried to match the color as closely as possible and I think it turned out pretty good and they glow nicely. You are very welcome Will. Thanks for the nice comment.

Gerard
Posted July 14, 2012 - 1:05pm

I've seen Radium for hands for sale in the US and Canada. I know it won't pass through borders but what would each country think of these sales?

JP
Posted July 14, 2012 - 2:59pm

Good question. If you aren't buying a dozen or so and they have been stripped and relumed I don't think they will register on their equipment IMO. The ones I sell are usually relumed or there aren't enough to make a serious case with the border inspection.

 

Daca102090
Posted July 14, 2012 - 3:47pm

John, I can verify that yours have absolutely no radiation signature.

Because of work I have access to fairly sensitve detectors and absolutely nothing.

JP
Posted July 14, 2012 - 3:58pm

Thanks a bunch. I am pleased to know I'm not creating a problem. I took all of the precautions I learned as a hazmat instructor and I guess they paid off.

I still have hands left,  if any one needs them please PM me.

By the way, do you have the GS or BB or SUC or WC numbers for the 33 Oakley, preferably in glass. I will need two since I acquired my second Oakley earlier this week.

John

Daca102090
Posted July 14, 2012 - 6:36pm

In reply to by JP

No, I was fortunate that my crystal was pretty minty.  That watch is in the shop right now with the watch maker looking for a set bridge and another piece. :-{ not easy to find parts for!!

JP
Posted July 14, 2012 - 6:49pm

What is the movement?? I may have one and if so you are welcome to the parts if I have them. If it a 13AL, I have a spare movement with some parts missing but I believe the set bridge and most everything but the balance is there.

Daca102090
Posted July 14, 2012 - 8:58pm

yeah, 13AL.  I will talk with him on Wednesday and find out just what he is looking for.

jared.riffe
Posted July 14, 2012 - 10:07pm

Did you buy it off Etsy?? I saw that 13AL

JP
Posted July 15, 2012 - 12:32am

Yes quite a while ago. I think I have had it for almost two  months, I bought it to use for the balance and hair spring on my Oakley and it turned out to be just what I needed to get mine running. Now I have anothert Oakley but it is in great condition, just want a glass crystal for it.

Let me know what he says he needs and I will send it to you.

John

Daca102090
Posted August 28, 2012 - 3:47pm

John,
Sorry for the delay on the pics for you but here are a couple, before and after.

Hmmmm. Seems like I can't put pics into a PM so will reply through the original thread. 

 

 

JP
Posted August 28, 2012 - 3:53pm

WOW they look terrific. What sub sec hands do you need? I have a fair number of blue to fit the 10AN.