That is really pathetic. I guess some folks will do or say anything to make a buck.
I guess it won't be long until we hear that one school increases intelegence and the others cause brain damage.:willy_nilly:
Simply pathetic.
The following is my theory based on previous facts and putting 2+2 together.
Take it for what it is worth.
Let me shed some light on what I think really happened here with the cobalt scare. About 7-8 years ago the price of cobalt went through the roof. Cobalt became hard to get and tool cantaining cobalt got real expensive. I can rmeember trying to buy some 1/8" cobalt lathe tool blanks from a supplier and they would not even take the order becaseu they did not know how long it would take to get them from their manufacturer due tot he shortage. In short they were not selling any cobalt bits they did not already have in stock.
It was about this time that the Glensteel showed up on the market. I have no proof but I suspect the main thrust behind the development of glensteel was due to the fact that cobalt had gotton so pricy at that time. another more affordable alternative had to be found.
It was about this time that tool companies also started using safety as a marketing ploy to sell the alternative tools. Painters have known for years that cobalt was a health risk and eating blue paint could have long term health hazards just like eating lead based paint. The tool industry capitalized on this and started (in my oppinion) over exagerating the hazards of cobalt. This was a short lived shortage and it was not long until cobalt was again available and the price dropped. Notice how now that cobalt is readily available again all the tool suppiers are again selling cobalt containing tools and they are now very quite about the hazzards of cobalt in their tools.
Apparently some salesman has taken the scare to heart or is counting on the fact that folks won't call him on it.
The real hazzards of sharpening gravers is not the risk of heavy metal poisoning. It is brathing microscopic shards of shar metal into your lungs and airways. These tiny shards can acculilate and irritate and cut up the soft tissues like asbestos does.
Again this is just my oppinon take it for what it is worth.
Ray