Breakfree CLP, are petroleum distillates a carcinogen?

Pops1085 · September 15, 2016, 11:27 PM

So before I get started, I am aware that there are more concerning things than wondering if your gun cleaner causes cancer but that doesn't make me think we should not talk about the small things.

Anyways, I've been looking up various gun cleaners, particularly Breakfree CLP and I can't really find anything regarding it's carcinogenicity. The only references to it are various posts on forums mentioning that it contains petroleum distillates and that those cause cancer. However, upon some brief research I can't find anything that says that petroleum distillates are carcinogens.

So what gives? Can anybody actually provide a source that says PD's cause cancer or is this a bit of a "I heard it talking to a guy at work" situation?

The obvious answer to this whole problem is wearing gloves but that's not what I'm interested in, more of just the knowledge.

BarryLee · September 15, 2016, 11:52 PM

Maybe the MSDS will help: http://www.sinclairintl.com/userdocs...6I_default.pdf

Chaz88 · September 16, 2016, 12:36 AM

Quote:

contains petroleum distillates

That is an incredibly large category. It contains everything from the most volatile alcohols to asphalt. Yes, some of them are carcinogens but most that you run into are not that bad unless you have long term chronic exposure.

FlyFish · September 16, 2016, 07:19 AM

Page 9 of the MSDS indicates that none of the ingredients is on the California Proposition 65 list of carcinogens, and Page 10 further indicates that none is on the EPA, IARC, or NIOSH lists. Those lists include many substances that we all come into contact with every day, so Breakfree CLP must be pretty innocuous stuff.

JWT · September 16, 2016, 11:36 AM

Perhaps I should, but the total exposure I have to the various gun cleaners is not that significant over time. I've never considered it, and likely will not. I'm not inclined to get too upset over California and their 'interesting' laws.

No offense meant to the OP.

Pops1085 · September 16, 2016, 12:29 PM

Absolutely none taken. The reason I ask is mainly because I know so little about chemistry and have no background in which I would generally read a MSDS. I know it's not a big deal. I am just curious as to which gun cleaning products are "non-toxic" and really how toxic are the others. My grandfather used to splash gasoline on his hands to get the grease and oil off of them after working in the shop, and we know how bad that is for you. He lived until he was 90 years old.

Eazyeach · September 16, 2016, 04:09 PM

Lol. That made me think of my grandad. He used gasoline to wash paint off his hands. He's 85. Don't try this at home!!

burrhead · September 16, 2016, 06:31 PM

When I was a little boy growing up on the Gulf Coast, the grown-ups would slather us down with gasoline to keep the skeeters off. Roll that around in your head a bit, not so much for the toxicity but the flammability. Of course we also use to run behind the DDT truck.

TXAZ · September 16, 2016, 06:41 PM

Only in the state of california is it carcinogenic. It's safe everywhere else.

**Aguila Blanca** · September 16, 2016, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TXAZ

Only in the state of california is it carcinogenic. It's safe everywhere else.

No, no. Only the state of California has found it to be carcinogenic. (Nobody else is looking.)

**44 AMP** · September 17, 2016, 01:58 PM

Take a good look at CA's lists, and note the headings, "known" and "suspected carcinogens"

I used to work in chemical management, and the list of things that are known carcinogens is tiny compared to the list of things that are suspected carcinogens, and California suspects more than anyone else I've found.

johnwilliamson062 · September 17, 2016, 02:22 PM

Quote:

No, no. Only the state of California has found it to be carcinogenic. (Nobody else is looking.)

The way this works in the US is extremely odd. Simplified down it is basically, something must be proven dangerous for there to be limits on its use. How is it proven dangerous? A large scientific study. How do you get a large study funded? You have to prove a chemical is worth studying because of its danger using results from a scientific study

Frog Lube is supposed to be non-toxic.

buckhorn_cortez · September 17, 2016, 03:20 PM

Quote:

The way this works in the US is extremely odd. Simplified down it is basically, something must be proven dangerous for there to be limits on its use. How is it proven dangerous? A large scientific study. How do you get a large study funded? You have to prove a chemical is worth studying because of its danger using results from a scientific study

Uh..huh...well maybe not everything gets studied before California decides to put it on its "known carcinogenic" list. When I go to the masonry section of the local home center and look at the playground sand, on the back of the bag it says that the sand is listed as carcinogenic in the State of California.

Kind of makes you wonder if sand is carcinogenic, why the State of California hasn't closed all of the beaches...

**Aguila Blanca** · September 17, 2016, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buckhorn cortez

Kind of makes you wonder if sand is carcinogenic, why the State of California hasn't closed all of the beaches...

Obviously, because it isn't carcinogenic until it's put in bags and offered for sale at Lowe's or Home Despot. "Beach sand" is a naturally-occurring mineral. "Play sand" is ... a product?

Whoever said it had to make sense?

Slopemeno · September 17, 2016, 07:43 PM

......it's probably just the bag.

FITASC · September 17, 2016, 07:54 PM

Whenever you have any questions, look up the MSDS sheets on the Net. That will give you the components which you can then research as to their toxicity.

http://www.msds.com/

To the folks mentioning gasoline, we also used to wash things (and our hands) in Zep - Trichloroethylene, a really nasty product.

Petroleum distillates are harmful to inhale, so always use in a well-ventilated area.

One reason I buy the blue nitrile gloves at Sam's to clean my guns so as not to allow absorption into my skin/bloodstream.

**44 AMP** · September 17, 2016, 07:59 PM

Quote:

.. sand is listed as carcinogenic in the State of California.

Kind of makes you wonder if sand is carcinogenic, why the State of California hasn't closed all of the beaches...

Sand (silica) is indeed a listed carcinogen, BUT ONLY IN OCCUPATIONAL USE.

Sand that you BUY for any workplace (or home use) must, by law, have the appropriate warnings. The sand that blows into your eyes in the desert is exempt from the law...because it is not provided by a company or employer, for industrial or occupational use, and therefore the "worker's right to know" laws don't apply.

Another example of wisdom I have encountered is the DOT regs that allow a given amount of small arms ammunition to be allowed to be shipped on commercial passenger aircraft, but do not allow any quantity of BLANK ammunition to be shipped the same way.

September 15, 2016, 11:27 PM	#1
Pops1085 Senior Member Join Date: November 25, 2012 Posts: 369	Breakfree CLP, are petroleum distillates a carcinogen? So before I get started, I am aware that there are more concerning things than wondering if your gun cleaner causes cancer but that doesn't make me think we should not talk about the small things. Anyways, I've been looking up various gun cleaners, particularly Breakfree CLP and I can't really find anything regarding it's carcinogenicity. The only references to it are various posts on forums mentioning that it contains petroleum distillates and that those cause cancer. However, upon some brief research I can't find anything that says that petroleum distillates are carcinogens. So what gives? Can anybody actually provide a source that says PD's cause cancer or is this a bit of a "I heard it talking to a guy at work" situation? The obvious answer to this whole problem is wearing gloves but that's not what I'm interested in, more of just the knowledge.

September 15, 2016, 11:52 PM	#2
BarryLee Senior Member Join Date: July 29, 2010 Location: The ATL (OTP) Posts: 3,946	Maybe the MSDS will help: http://www.sinclairintl.com/userdocs...6I_default.pdf __________________ A major source of objection to a free economy is precisely that it ... gives people what they want instead of what a particular group thinks they ought to want. Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman

September 16, 2016, 07:19 AM	#4
FlyFish Senior Member Join Date: January 20, 2009 Location: Overlooking the Baker River Valley Posts: 1,723	Page 9 of the MSDS indicates that none of the ingredients is on the California Proposition 65 list of carcinogens, and Page 10 further indicates that none is on the EPA, IARC, or NIOSH lists. Those lists include many substances that we all come into contact with every day, so Breakfree CLP must be pretty innocuous stuff. __________________ NRA Benefactor Life Member NRA Certified Instructor: Rifle, Pistol, Shotgun, PPIH, Metallic & Shotgun Shell Reloading; RSO Pemigewasset Valley Fish & Game Club

September 16, 2016, 06:31 PM	#8
burrhead Senior Member Join Date: July 6, 1999 Location: Chihuahuan desert, Texas Posts: 1,148	When I was a little boy growing up on the Gulf Coast, the grown-ups would slather us down with gasoline to keep the skeeters off. Roll that around in your head a bit, not so much for the toxicity but the flammability. Of course we also use to run behind the DDT truck. __________________ Join the GOA, SAF and the TSRA I'm offended by people that are easily offended.

September 16, 2016, 06:41 PM	#9
TXAZ Senior Member Join Date: September 5, 2010 Location: McMurdo Sound Texas Posts: 4,322	Only in the state of california is it carcinogenic. It's safe everywhere else. __________________ Cave illos in guns et backhoes

September 16, 2016, 11:36 AM	#5
JWT Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2007 Location: Southern Arizona Posts: 3,888	Perhaps I should, but the total exposure I have to the various gun cleaners is not that significant over time. I've never considered it, and likely will not. I'm not inclined to get too upset over California and their 'interesting' laws. No offense meant to the OP.

September 16, 2016, 12:29 PM	#6
Pops1085 Senior Member Join Date: November 25, 2012 Posts: 369	Absolutely none taken. The reason I ask is mainly because I know so little about chemistry and have no background in which I would generally read a MSDS. I know it's not a big deal. I am just curious as to which gun cleaning products are "non-toxic" and really how toxic are the others. My grandfather used to splash gasoline on his hands to get the grease and oil off of them after working in the shop, and we know how bad that is for you. He lived until he was 90 years old.

September 16, 2016, 04:09 PM	#7
Eazyeach Senior Member Join Date: January 14, 2014 Posts: 706	Lol. That made me think of my grandad. He used gasoline to wash paint off his hands. He's 85. Don't try this at home!!

September 17, 2016, 01:58 PM	#11
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,791	Take a good look at CA's lists, and note the headings, "known" and "suspected carcinogens" I used to work in chemical management, and the list of things that are known carcinogens is tiny compared to the list of things that are suspected carcinogens, and California suspects more than anyone else I've found. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

September 17, 2016, 07:43 PM	#15
Slopemeno Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2007 Posts: 2,663	......it's probably just the bag.

September 17, 2016, 07:54 PM	#16
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,440	Whenever you have any questions, look up the MSDS sheets on the Net. That will give you the components which you can then research as to their toxicity. http://www.msds.com/ To the folks mentioning gasoline, we also used to wash things (and our hands) in Zep - Trichloroethylene, a really nasty product. Petroleum distillates are harmful to inhale, so always use in a well-ventilated area. One reason I buy the blue nitrile gloves at Sam's to clean my guns so as not to allow absorption into my skin/bloodstream. __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa Last edited by FITASC; September 17, 2016 at 08:02 PM.

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