rainjer wrote:Mike M. wrote:F.Y.I. mantels are radioactive. Make sure you remove the old ones with gloves like latex. I use to work at a place called Fernald and I had to go through machines that detect radioactive material on me.. The machines were set apart about 2 feet apart and they were about 4 feet wide. The day I had to go to work, I replaced my mantels, went through the machine and set the machine two down from me off. Took me a few secs. but I realized what I had done. I had the remains of the mantels on my pants.. I had to go through an hour of decontamination...
Modern Coleman lanters are not radioactive.
Here is a little mantle history:
Older Silk Lites contain thorium. (thorium is radioactive)
Gold Tops replaced the Silk Lites when thorium use ended.
Gold Top mantles went away, maybe as only a marketing move to get back to a green color, and the current mantles use the exact same formula as the Gold Tops.
Some brands of mantles other than Coleman still contain thorium as indicated by the ingredients listed on the package.
Jeremy
Ok that had my wife and I worried also. But now that clears things up.
I love this learning ..and believe me Im taking it all in.
Thanks.