Can hand sweat corrode a flashlight over time?

Can the sweat and oils from your hands corrode a flashlight over time (HA2 and HA3)? I have a couple I use that I want to keep in pristine condition.

Jeff

Hello Jeff,

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/evilgrin07.gif I think it depends on what you eat... and drink... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nana.gif

My hand sweat does not seem to effect the lights that I use regularly, with the exception of my brass Peak lights.

I just checked my Mag bodies, ARC LS, ARC AAA, Peak AA, LionHeart, Aleph, TigerLight, L4, E1e, and Blaster Jr, and do not see any problems at all.

Of course... your mileage may vary...

Tom

I don't think sweat will corrode HA to a significant degree. At least the Mags that I used daily didn't seem to care. The usual scratches and dents, but that's more 'cuz of drops and bangs here and there, now and then.

Rubber, however, gets "gunky" with time when the light is used "out in the field" (I'm thinking hot and humid conditions 24/7).

Most likely sweat will have little effect on plastic, aluminum, and glass. I would guess brass and copper would tarnish faster as would silver but since they tarnish without any help on their own people are used to polishing them on occasion anyway. Some people may have slightly acidic sweat possibly due to health problems etc that may accelerate oxidation and slight corrosion of materials that would already oxidize/corrode on their own in a long time.

I check my lights on occasion and if you also check them now and then you should be able to handle slight corrosion if it should happen before it becomes a problem. I think sweat is almost a non issue compared to battery leakage.

Thanks for the responses. My diet is good and I'm healthy so hopefully I have clean sweat and nothing to worry about.

Just to say it, I don't have 'sweaty' hands but when you hold a flashlight for an hour while walking the dogs, the flashlight hand does get moist. I just don't want people to think I walk around with sweat dripping off of my hands all day long. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Jeff

I always thought salt was excreted in sweat, which would after time, I woulda thought have had an adverse on metal/paint?!

Funny this subject came up. I was at sams club the past weekend and noticed all the push carts have rust where the hands would be near the edges.

I too have not seen any problems. I usually nick and scratch the handle of my mag light from using it like a baseball bat on failed electronic equipment. Nothing like whacking an old scsi 10meg hard drive while its spinning with the butt end of a mag light or a car radio.

hahahah sweat dripping off your hands all day long.

I don't think you have to worry anodize will probably outlast you. Scratches is the main thing to worry about.

(Hmmm, double post! How'd that happen... bad left click. Naughty left click. No supper for you!)

As a long time knife guy I can tell you that the salts and oils that are on your hands will do some pretty destructive things. If you're really worried about it, wipe the lights down with a clean cloth after you use them.

Depending on the light and what it's made of, if you are very concerned about corrosion and rust, you could try wiping it down with a Tuf-Cloth. That's a dry lube cloth that is used on guns and knives. Because there are probably petroleum products in it, be careful around o-rings and some plastics.

If you have really collectible lights that you don't often use, you might want to try using Rennaisance Wax. Ren Wax is used by museums to protect a variety of items. It's more for protecting items that are for display than use. Clean the item to be coated, use very little, and rub the item and then wipe it down gently with a clean, lint-free cloth. I use Ren. Wax on knives and items before I put them into storage. Re-coat the items about once a year or so.

I agree, perspiration is basically salt water with some other stuff thrown in. I would imagine that it would react with certain bare metals over time and the rate of interaction is probably affected by your state of hydration (dilution) as well as the pH balance of your skin.

Ph balance is more corrosive than salt is on most flashlight materials as very few of them are made of steel which suffers terribly from any salt and acidic/basic liquids. Aluminum requires a higher concentration of salt and PH offset to bother than steel that is a reason aluminum boats are popular. If you can think about what stuff is used in the ocean and/or scuba diving those are the types of stuff that are pretty tuff against sweat and salt water.

Only thing to worry with HA is a strong base. I doubt your hands will have enough to affect it much.

And when in doubt, give the light a bath once in a while.

YES, YOU CAN DO THIS to metal Surefires without adverse effects. I will gladly take a photo of my U2 in the sink with water if anybody needs it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

(just for those who are deathly afraid of Surefires mixing with water /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif)

Incidentally, there's a story on Surefire.com about how someone fell in the drink with their G2 Nitrolon, how they turned it on to untangle themselves (underwater too, if my interpretation is correct) and signal the rescue.

isn't HA or regular type II anodize already alumnium oxide? as such, i don't think aluminium oxide can oxidise any further /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif i do have moderately sweaty palms, and it doesn't affect my lights at all.

however, i have noticed that the etchings on my surefires become less white with use, probably due to oxidation since the aluminium is exposed. the steel pocketclips or lanyard rings on surefires can also rust if left exposed to sweat long enough, so make a habit of wiping them after use. i regularly rinse my flashlights in soapy water to get rid of any residual oils.