Lead Fumes let's settle this.

[lightman]

I've never really worried about lead fumes. But, when I'm smelting, be it wheel weights or other lead, I provide good ventilation and try to stay up wind and out of any smoke. I avoid eating, drinking, smoking and rubbing my eyes, lips or other -----! If the lead looks to be oxidized I try to disturb it as little as possible. We are probably in more danger from depriming a lot of brass and from whatever dust comes from the tumbler. Good hygiene and common sense should keep us safe enough.

[OldBearHair]

X2 on what Lightman says here except I worry some. Now for a little off topic but not really. I make knives of all sorts, even forging some with a coal fired forge. I have been taught to never breathe any airborne particles of any kind. Always use a good mask. Some things like grinding bone handles, bone dust is accumilative, that builds up time after time. You breathe it in, it doesn't come out and after a while you run out of lung space. Have a squirrel cage fan that moves air toward the forge away from my left, so I don't get a swirling effect. So My take on this is that avoid all airborne particles and wash hands and face often. As sure as shootin' get your hands all yucky and your nose or eyes start to itch, huh