[TheForge] The Beard vs. the Respirator

[Larry Brown]

Remember if you are not wearing a mask of any sort now, one that allows the 
beard to filter the leaking air is still an improvement. I find that I use 
the 3M masks pulled tight top and bottom and I get very little leakage. It 
works MUCH better than none at all for welding fumes and grinding. I have a 
rubber mask that I use for the little spray painting I do and I get very 
little smell. I really like not shaving
L Brown



>From: "Mark Novak" <mark at fireworkspdx.com>
>
>
>>I need to ask this question before I shave. I wear a respirator when  I'm 
>>grinding, so as to minimize the amount of metal dust I inhale,  but I 
>>have a beard that interferes with the effectiveness of the  mask. The guy 
>>at my local Safety Store told me in no uncertain terms,  "If you don't 
>>shave the beard off, the mask will never work  properly," which is what I 
>>was noticing while wearing it. He told me  that there is no respirator 
>>that works on guys with beards... they  all need skin contact.
>>
>>Does anyone out there have a beard and wear a respirator 
>>effectively?  And if so, how did you do it? Did you fill your beard with 
>>vaseline?  Did you shave a silly looking thin line wear the mask can rest 
>>on  your skin?
>>
>>Mark Novak