# "Keys contain lead." ..WTF? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 25, 2016, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keys-contain-lead-wtf/766800 "2016-09-25T05:48:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keys-contain-lead-wtf/766800/21 "2016-09-26T11:46:22Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > This is so silly a fear. Put it in perspective! > > The amount of lead in the bass of a key is so small, and the amount of it tha would wear off, and be absorbed into your skin is so much smaller … > > Somebody more technical than me could get the figures, but you probably absorb more lead by breathing in the exhaust fumes from traffic on your commute to & from work. We phased out leaded gas decades ago. ---
**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keys-contain-lead-wtf/766800/22 "2016-09-26T12:19:41Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Actually, the copper in brass has anti-bacterial properties. The copper can also can tune your chakras and cure your arthritis. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keys-contain-lead-wtf/766800/23 "2016-09-26T14:03:43Z")
> [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](#): > > The copper can also can tune your chakras and cure your arthritis. you jest, but copper does actually have anti-microbial properties. > **[Antimicrobial properties of copper](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimicrobial_properties_of_copper)** > > Copper and its alloys (brasses, bronzes, cupronickel, copper-nickel-zinc, and others) are natural antimicrobial materials. Ancient civilizations exploited the antimicrobial properties of copper long before the concept of microbes became understood in the nineteenth century.\[unreliable medical source?\] In addition to several copper medicinal preparations, it was also observed centuries ago that water contained in copper vessels or transported in copper conveyance systems was of better qua The anti... ---
**Author:** ![rat\_avatar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rat_avatar/32/255_2.png) [@rat\_avatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rat_avatar)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keys-contain-lead-wtf/766800/24 "2016-09-27T06:05:17Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > Even if we agree the hazard is small, there’s still the point of why … make the job of a tiny few easier? If there’s was 2% arsenic in house paint so paint brushes cleaned up better, would this be okay? > > Now, if there’s a good reason to lace brass with a dangerous neurotoxin, let’s hear it … but so far in this thread I’ve only heard that the lead makes shavings easier to vacuum up … and that’s flat lame … It is added not to make the job of a few easier it is to enable the manufacture of the product. If you notice the groves on the side of the key those are machined, and the entire blank is punched from a sheet. They are working on replacing it in all brass products but most of the Si alternatives tend to increase brittleness. The key industry is under some limitations that make it difficult to increase the thickness of the metal to work around that issue and talking consumers into replacing their locks and using thicker keys is not an easy task. It was added and machining techniques were designed way before the health effects were known but for normal users the risk is fairly easy to mitigate by simply washing your hands before eating if there is a concern. And obviously they should not be given to young children as toys. If lead is a primary concern faucets and water fountains and bath fixtures have a higher probably of being a significant source of exposure. Even the lead-free ones will have up to 0.25% by weight. > [@](#): > > - The term lead-free is defined by California AB1953. It applies to all faucets that contain less than one quarter of one percent (0.25%) total lead content by weighted average. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keys-contain-lead-wtf/766800/25 "2016-09-27T08:59:38Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Basically, if you grind all of your keys into a powder, Which is what key grinders do. Which is, I assume, a useful reason for labeling, I see shops using ecnlosed units now, which is probably a good idea. Or you can buy aluminium keys. I miss real-radium watches. I understand that it was a health hazord for manufacturers, but I’ve never heard it was a particular health hazard for watch-wearers. And I’ve never had a non-radioactive flourescent watch that worked well enough so that I can actually read the time in the morning. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keys-contain-lead-wtf/766800/26 "2016-09-27T14:00:13Z")
> [@rat\_avatar](#): > > It is added not to make the job of a few easier it is to enable the manufacture of the product. More than that, it’s to enable relatively inexpensive machining of brass- which is used for all sorts of things- keys, plumbing fixtures, etc… I mean, you could take the lead out, but you’d make the machining considerably more difficult and raise the prices of everything that involves machined brass by quite a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keys-contain-lead-wtf/766800/27 "2016-09-27T14:07:09Z")
> [@sbunny8](#): > > As a locksmith, I worry about this. Most people only touch keys a few times a day, so the trace amounts of lead won’t hurt them. But what about me? I touch hundreds of keys every day, and get piles of brass shavings all over my work bench. Maybe I’m getting lead poisoning and don’t even know it. Locksmithing is apparently [not one of the at-risk professions for lead poisoning](http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/lead/jobs.html). Though it is a serious issue for gunsmiths and firing range employees. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keys-contain-lead-wtf/766800/28 "2016-09-27T14:38:41Z")
> [@rat\_avatar](#): > > [snip] … They are working on replacing it in all brass products but most of the Si alternatives tend to increase brittleness … [snip] Thank you for this insight … I can see why we don’t want keys breaking off in the lockset … ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keys-contain-lead-wtf/766800/29 "2016-09-27T18:13:54Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I bet if you mention this to your physician, (s)he could allay your fears with a simple blood test. Because I used to handle lead on a daily basis, I got my blood tested regularly. Nothing ever showed up, but it was well worth the peace of mind. Plus I’m pretty sure insurance covered it. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keys-contain-lead-wtf/766800/30 "2016-09-27T19:23:24Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > Keys are made from brass. Brass contains contains lead. Most keys are nickel coated. Don’t eat your keys and you’ll be fine. Brass is a metal alloy made of copper and zinc. No lead is necessary. ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keys-contain-lead-wtf/766800/31 "2016-09-27T19:31:14Z")
> [@rat\_avatar](#): > > And obviously they should not be given to young children as toys. Back in the day (60’s-70’s anyway), the car/house keys were often given to babies to play with. It wasn’t obvious then. Maybe that’s part of the reason for the warning. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keys-contain-lead-wtf/766800/32 "2016-09-27T19:55:11Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Brass is a metal alloy made of copper and zinc. No lead is necessary. Read the thread. Lead is commonly added to many different subtypes of brass for legitimate reasons. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keys-contain-lead-wtf/766800/33 "2016-09-27T19:57:55Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Read the thread. Lead is commonly added to many different subtypes of brass for legitimate reasons. I did. I dont deny that brass can contain lead, but "Keys are made from brass. Brass contains contains lead. " is incorrect. Brass keys can contain lead, because they are not a pure brass alloy. ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keys-contain-lead-wtf/766800/34 "2016-09-27T20:03:26Z")
I have seen parents let their babies play with their car and houses while shopping and babies loves to put everything in their mouths. I am like :eek: b/c the keys are also dirty . ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keys-contain-lead-wtf/766800/35 "2016-09-27T21:22:35Z")
Toddlers playing with keys and inevitably there will be a wall socket involved. ETA: Reread the OP … “May be harmful if eaten” … what the hell? ---
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keys-contain-lead-wtf/766800/36 "2016-09-27T21:28:04Z")
> [@sbunny8](#): > > As a locksmith, I worry about this. Most people only touch keys a few times a day, so the trace amounts of lead won’t hurt them. But what about me? I touch hundreds of keys every day, and get piles of brass shavings all over my work bench. Maybe I’m getting lead poisoning and don’t even know it. > **[Assessment of lead exposure risk in locksmiths - PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16705814/)** > > Exposure to lead has been well recognized in a number of work environments, but little is known about lead exposure associated with machining brass keys containing lead. The brass that is widely used for key manufacturing usually contains 1.5% - 2.5... > [@](#): > > Exposure to lead has been well recognized in a number of work environments, but little is known about lead exposure associated with machining brass keys containing lead. The brass that is widely used for key manufacturing usually contains 1.5% - 2.5 % of lead. **Six (6) licensed locksmiths and 6 case-matched controls successfully completed the pilot study to assess the prevalence of increased body lead burden of professional locksmiths**. We measured both Blood Lead (atomic absorption spectrometry), bone-lead (KXRF) and had each subject complete a health and lead exposure risk questionnaire. One locksmith had not cut keys during the past two years, therefore this subject and case-matched control was excluded from the blood lead analysis only. The average blood-lead concentration (+/-SEM) for the 5 paired subjects was 3.1 (+/- 0.4) microg/dL and 2.2 (+/- 0.3) microg/dL for controls. Bone measurements, including all 6 paired subjects, showed tibia lead concentration (+/-SEM) for locksmiths and controls was 27.8 (+/- 2.3) microg/g and 13.7 (+/- 3.3) microg/g, respectively; average calcaneus lead concentration for locksmiths and controls was 31.9 (+/- 3.7) microg/g and 22.6 (+/- 4.1) microg/g, respectively: The t-test shows a significantly higher tibia lead (p\<0.05) and blood lead (p\<0.05) for locksmiths than for their matched controls, but no significant difference for calcaneus lead (p\>0.10). Given that the mean tibia bone lead concentration was 13.1 microg/g higher in locksmiths than in their matched controls, this average difference in the two groups would translate to an OR of increased hypertension in locksmiths of between 1.1 and 2.3, based on the published literature. Even with the very small number of subjects participating in this pilot study,\*\* we were able to demonstrate that locksmiths had significantly higher current exposure to lead (blood lead concentration) and significantly higher past exposure to lead (tibia lead concentration) than their age, sex and ethnically matched controls\*\*. Additional research is needed to fully identify the prevalence and associated risk factors for occupational exposure of lead in this previously understudied profession. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2016, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keys-contain-lead-wtf/766800/37 "2016-09-30T04:17:12Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > Thank you for this insight … I can see why we don’t want keys breaking off in the lockset … Also, softwer keys wear the locks less than hard keys. At the institution where I cut keys, (long ago) we always bought the softer key blanks. The keys had to be replaced more often – the door locks, less often. ---
**Author:** ![ImonLylooking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bc8723/32.png) [@ImonLylooking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ImonLylooking)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keys-contain-lead-wtf/766800/38 "2023-12-11T16:17:21Z")
There is potential for significant exposure to harmful exposure to lead in routine key handling. [https://vhcb.org/our-programs/healthy-lead-safe-homes/lead-poisoning-prevention/lead-in-keys](https://vhcb.org/our-programs/healthy-lead-safe-homes/lead-poisoning-prevention/lead-in-keys) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2023, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keys-contain-lead-wtf/766800/39 "2023-12-12T14:25:49Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > I miss real-radium watches. I understand that it was a health hazord for manufacturers, but I’ve never heard it was a particular health hazard for watch-wearers. And I’ve never had a non-radioactive flourescent watch that worked well enough so that I can actually read the time in the morning. Radium isn’t the only option for glowing watches. Nowadays, they use tritium. It doesn’t last as long (half-life of 20ish years), but it’s apparently easier to work with. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2023, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keys-contain-lead-wtf/766800/40 "2023-12-12T17:43:16Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > We phased out leaded gas decades ago. When Caltrans buys additional land to widen highways, the soil near the highway must first be tested for lead contamination from car exhaust. It’s part of the environmental clearance before the purchase can be completed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keys-contain-lead-wtf/766800.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keys-contain-lead-wtf/766800.md?page=3)