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7.62mm Crusader
posted
I used to shear beryllium copper flat stock up until we were ordered not to due to some workings of this material, welding and braze, causing cancers. I found this weekend past, a really nice pair of standard 8" pliers for sale for 2 bucks. A Flea Market find. They look to have been used very little to not at all. The odd brownish color had me curious. With my glasses I could read the familiar name of Burylco on them. They really look like a standard pair of steel pliers. I looked them up on line and find this little 8" plier costs $121.00 new. I find they are for such work as gas and oil industries and are called non sparking. Pretty cool find for 2 bucks. Best I can determine they are machined and hardened to 45 Rockwell. Probably not as hard as steel pliers. What other industries would use non sparking tools? Where might the common man use these without premature wear or damage?
 
Posts: 18064 | Location: The Bluegrass State! | Registered: December 23, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
eh-TEE-oh-clez
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Maybe in and around oxygen tanks?

Otherwise, 45 hrc is pretty low. Knipex advertises their plier teeth to be hardened to 61 hrc.

Keep it for the cool factor, or sell it for $60 to someone who might use it?
 
Posts: 13069 | Location: Orange County, California | Registered: May 19, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Shall Not Be Infringed
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They would probably be used in XP (Explosion Proof) environments.

I love unique tools. Can you post a pic or two? I'd like to check them out... Cool


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Posts: 9853 | Location: New Hampshire | Registered: October 29, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
7.62mm Crusader
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I sent you a few pics nh. Cant post with my cell.
 
Posts: 18064 | Location: The Bluegrass State! | Registered: December 23, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
A man's got to know
his limitations
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When I worked in paint shop years back in industry, all the tools were non-sparking. Expensive stuff too.



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Posts: 9518 | Registered: March 23, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
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A lot of industrial supply places sell beryllium copper tools for explosive environments. I know McMaster Carr used to, I imagine they still do.

They are all super expensive, and from what I can tell they are generally ONLY used in explosive environments because they are not as durable/functional as steel tools (see the hardness comment above - e.g. softer pliers teeth will wear faster and not grip as well).

They're cool, though.
 
Posts: 6321 | Location: CA | Registered: January 24, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
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quote:
Originally posted by David Lee:
What other industries would use non sparking tools? Where might the common man use these without premature wear or damage?
Fuel transfer docks . EOD guys .
 
Posts: 4502 | Location: Down in Louisiana . | Registered: February 27, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
A Grateful American
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Aircraft fuel systems.




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Posts: 44952 | Location: Box 1663 Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: December 20, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Edge seeking
Sharp blade!
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I’ve got a beryllium copper pipe wrench I bought at a close out store. These tools are also used in applications where them being non magnetic is important like around MRI. They are also quite corrosion resistant for harsh chemical environments.
 
Posts: 7816 | Location: Over the hills and far away | Registered: January 20, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Low Speed, High Drag
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quote:
Originally posted by sigmonkey:
Aircraft fuel systems.


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Posts: 10391 | Location: Santa Rosa County | Registered: March 06, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Sabonim
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These tools are also used in proximity to strong magnetic fields such as magnetrons and crossed-field amplifiers (CFA), used in radar transmitters.

I’ve had the experience of a CFA magnet snatching steel tools from my hands, occasionally with a minor injury.
 
Posts: 1439 | Location: Florida | Registered: September 06, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Equal Opportunity Mocker
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I think that's what my old Ping Eye 2's were, back in tha day.... same metal?


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Posts: 6393 | Location: Mogadishu on the Mississippi | Registered: February 26, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Just because you can,
doesn't mean you should
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Buy it because it's cool.
When you get tired of it, sell it on eBay for a significant profit.


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Posts: 10119 | Location: NE GA | Registered: August 22, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
chickenshit
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Just be careful if you decide to polish any beryllium alloys. As in, don't do it without taking caution that you are not leaving any particulate beryllium around. That stuff is nasty.

Otherwise, enjoy the pliers. You got an amazing deal.


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Posts: 8000 | Location: East Central FL | Registered: January 05, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Little ray
of sunshine
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The use for beryllium tools is that they are non-sparking. If you don't work where fire or explosion is a risk you don't need them. They are also non-magnetic if that is a factor.

That said, they are cool, and expensive.

Beryllium in the copper allow is low or lowish in risk, but beryllium is dangerous. As said, be careful and don't grind or polish them.

Back in the '80s and maybe the '90s, Ping golf made irons and putters out of Beryllium copper. They had a softer feel than steel clubs. I still have an old Ping Pal 2 putter in the material. It is notably softer in feel the same putter in steel.




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Posts: 53499 | Location: Texas | Registered: February 10, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Hop head
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are they big enough to make a Beryllium Sphere?



meanwhile, I have a screwdriver at the shop (somewhere) made of the stuff



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Posts: 10731 | Location: Beach VA,not VA Beach | Registered: July 17, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Non-Miscreant
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Which flea market? Smile Are you the guy who used to collect admission at the one down past Florence? Good stuff to be had at them.


Unhappy ammo seeker
 
Posts: 18394 | Location: Kentucky, USA | Registered: February 25, 2001Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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We used the non sparking hammers to tighten the oxygen hose fitting on
our tanker trucks. If I remember, the metal was pretty soft. The hammer
face would mushroom out and have to be replaced fairly often.
 
Posts: 1473 | Location: Mason, Ohio | Registered: September 16, 2015Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Edge seeking
Sharp blade!
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Wiki article describes the alloy and uses: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beryllium_copper
 
Posts: 7816 | Location: Over the hills and far away | Registered: January 20, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Spread the Disease
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Working with explosives, I see such tools. However, nearly all the Be tools have been replaced with non-sparking alternatives that don’t have the toxicity issues that Be has. Ampcoloy and aluminum copper are two examples.


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Posts: 17927 | Location: New Mexico | Registered: October 14, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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