Black Light Discussion:

[samosa4u]

Thank you everyone for your responses. Today I went to Lowe's and purchased the Rayovac 9-LED UV Flashlight for $16 CDN. I waited for it to become dark outside, because that's the best time to use it, and I went over my collection. I made a few shocking discoveries unfortunately.

Anyhow, I see there is a sticker on the back of the package which says the following:

WARNING:
This product can expose you to chemicals including DEHP, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.

What exactly is DEHP? Is it really that bad? And why does it only mention California? lol

I ordered a cheap one from China as well for a little over $3 USD - these are the ones a majority of collectors probably use. I want to compare it to my Rayovac model once it arrives.

[drcy]

Don't stare directly at the light (as in shine it in your eyes), but blacklights are no more dangerous, and perhaps even less, than sunlight (which contains UV light). Sunlight, of course, can cause cancer if you're in it too long.

Blacklight is longwave UV-- that's what you have and is the most benign. Shortwave UV (which you don't have) is the more dangerous. However, even then, collectors are just using shortwave UV for a relatively short duration and shining it on objects not themselves, so it won't cause harm.

Shortwave UV lights are a lot more expensive that longwave, which is why I know what you have (at those prices) are the longwave.

An interesting factoid is that shortwave UV doesn't exist naturally on earth and only exists here when its manufactured, such as with a shortwave light. The sun and stars emit it, but it's blocked by the earth's atmosphere.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by drcy

Don't stare directly at the light (as in shine it in your eyes), but blacklights are no more dangerous, and perhaps even less, than sunlight (which contains UV light). Sunlight, of course, can cause cancer if you're in it too long.

Blacklight is longwave UV-- that's what you have and is the most benign. Shortwave UV (which you don't have) is the more dangerous. However, even then, collectors are just using shortwave UV for a relatively short duration and shining it on objects not themselves, so it won't cause harm.

Shortwave UV lights are a lot more expensive that longwave, which is why I know what you have (at those prices) are the longwave.

An interesting factoid is that shortwave UV doesn't exist naturally on earth and only exists here when its manufactured, such as with a shortwave light. The sun and stars emit it, but it's blocked by the earth's atmosphere.

One of the ones sold for Stamp collectors that has both long and shortwave will eventually be handy. Some things react to both, some only one or the other.
I priced out replacing my old dual wave light It's on the list of stuff to repair now.

[samosa4u]

Originally Posted by steve B

One of the ones sold for Stamp collectors that has both long and shortwave will eventually be handy. Some things react to both, some only one or the other.

Really? So there is some card restoration that can ONLY be seen under short wave ultraviolet light?

[frankbmd]

.....and here I always thought black light was used for viewing the dark web.

[bigfanNY]

My collecting focus has always been R300 issues pre war candy and gum baseball cards. I fist started using a blacklight in the early 1980's because I saw how easy it was to tell if a card had glue removed. And I was surprised how many cards in top condition had these marks. Made more sense when I came across scrapbooks full of r300's.
As for the Ruler Magnifying glass etc. Yes these days necessary because if you are a collector like me when a card on your want list shows up your eyes gloss over.

[butchie_t]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

.....and here I always thought black light was used for viewing the dark web.

Dude….

Peter Maxx posters too!

B. T.

[lumberjack]

I don't believe anyone mentioned the use of a blacklight to determine the age of photographs. It isn't foolproof, brightener was added to photo paper sometime in the early fifties, but it is a tool.
lumberjack

[steve B]

Originally Posted by samosa4u

Really? So there is some card restoration that can ONLY be seen under short wave ultraviolet light?

That would depend on the materials, and how extensive the restoration.

I have looked at a lot of modern cards under both short and longwave (why not, I had the light ) And the inks react differently.
I don't have much for fakes or altered cards to compare to real ones.

The typical dual wave units are not sub $10 cheap, but they're not horribly expensive either, usually around $35.
https://www.homesciencetools.com/pro...xoC8xQQAvD_BwE

The one I have that's not working was a lot more powerful, but runs $100+ and is getting hard to find. It really lit stuff up compared to the smaller unit I have now.
For shortwave you should probably at least wear glasses with polycarbonate lenses to block the UV. Some people get headaches etc after some exposure.

[drcy]

People only need the longwave for baseball cards. Shortwave is used in other specialty areas, such as rock and stamp collecting. Stamps specifically have shortwave radiant markers put on them during manufacture for machine sorting purposes.

[Leon]

Here is my contribution for today. I saw a good friend, and grader, use this and had to have one. I just got it a few days ago and it is great. I don't own stock in the company just passing on what might be the best loupe around. It is 10x magnification, Large 21mm Lens, Aplanatic & achromatic, Distortion-free Optics,.Bright LED Illumination, Daylight for Color Grading,UV Fluorescence Detection...
Powered by 3 LR927 included button cell batteries

I am sure they can be found a ton of places....

https://www.esslinger.com/gemoro-ecl...4aAsp_EALw_wcB

.

[Stampsfan]

Originally Posted by samosa4u

... Anyhow, I see there is a sticker on the back of the package which says the following:

WARNING:
This product can expose you to chemicals including DEHP, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.

What exactly is DEHP? Is it really that bad? And why does it only mention California?

As long as you don't use them in CA, you should be fine.

[drcy]

Originally Posted by Stampsfan

As long as you don't use them in CA, you should be fine.

+1