-- [ From: John H. Rodgers * EMC.Ver #2.5.02 ] --

Scarey Stuff!

Hydrofluoric Acid is highly corrosive, so much so that it cannot be kept in
glass containers as can sulfuric, hdrochloric  and nitric acids. HF can and
does eat glass, must be stored in plastic or a special kind of wax container
.

Handled properly, you can work with it, witness the glass frosting kits you
can buy to put designs on your toilet mirror.

But out of its place and in larger quantities, look out.

All acids are aggressively hygroscopic, that is they will take water from
anything.  This is why acid "Burns" the skin. It will literally draw the
water right out in a chemical reaction so hot as to cause  your skin to
smoke as the skin is reduced to carbon as a leftover whe the water is
removed.

Remember, the body is mostly water, especially the soft tissues, and when
the water is removed, the remains is mostly carbon, with a few trace
minerals left.

John Rodgers
'85 GL Driver
-------- REPLY, Original message follows --------

Date: Tuesday, 07-Apr-98 06:09 PM

From: Derek Drew               \ Internet:    (drew@interport.net)
To:   Vanagon@VANAGON.COM      \ Internet:    (vanagon@vanagon.com)

Subject: New Haynes manual says touch burnt Vanagon rubber=amputate your

     li

I got the new Haynes manual today (about 5 days after I emailed them for it)
, opened it up, and it says this:

Special Hazard

Hydrofluoric acid

This extremely corrosive acid is formed when certain types of synthetic
rubber, found in some o-rings, oil seals, fuel hoses, etc., are exposed to
temperatures about 400 degrees C. The rubber changes into a charred or
sticky substance containing the acid. Once formed the acid remains
dangberous for years. If it gets onto the skin, it may be necessary to
amputate the limb concerned.
_____________________________________________________
Derek Drew                           New York, NY & Washington DC
ConsumerSearch
drew@interport.net
212-580-6486 (W)
212-580-4459 (H)

-------- REPLY, End of original message --------