Well , hangar chat can be random so I wanted to ask my friends & colleagues on here where I should source some new filters for the S10 respirator I picked up recently. Don't want to get scalped on price here in the UK. New filters in-date are obviously better than shelf-expired, sealed ones, but I believe its more to do with the activated charcoal running out rather than the particulate filter. 

There seem to be far too many options on ebay, but I know I should steer clear of MP5 filters as some of those had asbestos in them...

Thanks.

Huh.  I thought you were talking about cameras. 😄 

Hook

I've got a few gas masks, for the novelty interest of having them. But I would not make a point of wearing them with filter on and expecting them to do much because much of the time a filter issued to troops equipped with them, is specific to an expected threat on a current operation anyway. So the ones I have are just an interesting thing to hang on the wall.

British S10 filters don't have any asbestos as far as I'm aware, but some have very large amounts of chromium in them, which is dangerous (carcinogenic and can cause ulcers, dermitisis etc, and chromium has been known to damage DNA in large doses and cause genetic mutations). Apparently the ones with the batch serial number L12A1 definitely should be avoided, because they have excessive amounts of chromium in them.

It is worth bearing in mind too, that with military stuff, safe to use, is a relative term, i.e. if a mask filter has a potential - but comparatively small, or in later life long term - risk to health, this might be deemed acceptable operationally by the military, in comparison to the immediate risk of exposure to a nerve agent gas attack without such a mask, as that would certainly harm troops and put them out of a fight instantly.

Even with 'safe' filters, you should be aware that any filter you open up from its sealed package, then use, will only be good for approximately a day or so, and if it is used in a contaminated environment or a gas or NBC attack, the filter is only good for approximately five hours before needing replacement. They'll still work as particulate filters, so they probably would stop an airborne transmission of Covid19 for example (if that's why you have got one), since that's likely to be carried on a water droplet from someone exhaling, thus way larger in diameter than the filtering system will allow through and in fact there's probably a half decent chance it would stop something like that even without a filter screwed on, just by nothing more than there being a few things a particle could hit if it is heading for your face.

Edited August 15, 20205 yr by Chock

30 minutes ago, LHookins said:

Huh.  I thought you were talking about cameras. 😄 

Hook

Me too🤣

21 minutes ago, Chock said:

They'll still work as particulate filters, ...

That was my thinking and yes that's why I've got one. L12A1 not on the filter it came with (manufactured 06 I believe) SGC A85 is the only other number as well as B & SB written on it. The mask itself was manufactured in 1988, but the rubber is in great condition.

EDIT - I wouldn't wear it without the filter as a guy got turfed off an American Airlines flight after passengers became anxious; he was wearing a mask without the filter canister so that made some people unsure about his intentions.

Edited August 15, 20205 yr by HighBypass

Thanks to Al's in depth informative post, I did a bit of digging regarding chromium and found this via a youtuber who appears to spout common sense:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9I7L2534fM

https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a325213.pdf

An update - I need to go to specsavers! That filter which came with the S10 was manufactured in 86, not 06...  The good thing was that the filter wasn't "leaking" any of its internals - gently shake or tap the filter over a clean sheet of paper to see if any particles fall out and also inspect the outlet area (the threaded part which goes into the mask ) for dark spots which might be carbon (charcoal) getting dragged through. The filter wasn't Eastern Bloc and new enough not to have any asbestos in it 😉 Whilst I would not have trusted the filter against gasses or vapours, the interesting thing was that it still blocked out the smell of air freshener.

However, I have since bought a couple CFF3 filters (French NATO issue I believe) plugged and sealed in their plastic wrappers. I'm using the oldest one (after testing for "leakage" - see above) which is definitely from 2000 (I CAN read the numbers stamped into the metal casing LOL!)

So as far as particulate filtration goes, then that's fine by me. Particulate filters tend to work until they clog up. One can also buy brand new particulate filters as used in industry if gas protection is not an issue.

If I ever need the respirator to protect me against a real gas attack then I fear civilisation will have taken a darker road... 

All set for the zombie apocalypse then I take it?

'KAAAAARRRRRRRL.'

4 hours ago, Chock said:

All set for the zombie apocalypse..

Aside from some training and access to a bunch of firearms and associated ammunition - the locations of which in the UK are fairly obvious, but hard to gain access to..., then I think so..