# WAAAHHH!!! I want a Tritium keychain! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 9, 2004, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waaahhh-i-want-a-tritium-keychain/249383 "2004-06-09T01:31:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waaahhh-i-want-a-tritium-keychain/249383/1 "2004-06-09T01:31:28Z")
[This is so cool](http://www.cashncarrion.co.uk/?listPos=&productID=44&search=&op=catalogue-product_info-null&prodCategoryID=19) It lasts for ten years, and did I say it´s cool? Rats! [they ship only to the UK](http://www.cashncarrion.co.uk/?listPos=&op=catalogue-products-null&prodCategoryID=19) As if I needed another excuse to take a holiday on the UK… 🙂 (though at my current rate of savings, by the time I have the money England would have drifted a couple hundred kilometers to the East already) ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waaahhh-i-want-a-tritium-keychain/249383/2 "2004-06-09T02:05:40Z")
Sounds to me like if you carried it in your pocker you’d become sterile. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waaahhh-i-want-a-tritium-keychain/249383/3 "2004-06-09T02:06:54Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > pocker **pocket** , dammit. Does it have a spell checker? ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waaahhh-i-want-a-tritium-keychain/249383/4 "2004-06-09T02:09:00Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > **pocket** , dammit. Ahh, ok. I get it. Although the typo I had in mind works too. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waaahhh-i-want-a-tritium-keychain/249383/5 "2004-06-09T02:20:36Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Sounds to me like if you carried it in your pocker you’d become sterile. > 🙂 Pocker… heh Anyway, [this guy says it´s safe](http://www.theodoregray.com/PeriodicTable/Elements/001/index.s7.html) ; and seems to have good credentials. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waaahhh-i-want-a-tritium-keychain/249383/6 "2004-06-09T03:13:17Z")
Hey fella, nothing that glows in the dark is going next to my…pocker. Besides, I think they have that tritium shit on Star Trek and shoot stuff with it from the deflector array dingus. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waaahhh-i-want-a-tritium-keychain/249383/7 "2004-06-09T03:21:45Z")
You want lust, how about a [notebook bag](http://www.everquestdesign.com/list.cfm) made out of a Soyuz mission-used parachute? ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waaahhh-i-want-a-tritium-keychain/249383/8 "2004-06-09T03:23:04Z")
Ummm, tritium is radioactive. Granted, it’s not a high-energy emitter, and the container would shield you quite well from the low-energy beta particles tritium produces. But still, in these post-9/11 days, is flying around with one of the key components of thermonuclear warheads and dirty bombs, right near your pocker, something you want to try? ---
**Author:** ![Fritz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c57346/32.png) [@Fritz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fritz)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waaahhh-i-want-a-tritium-keychain/249383/9 "2004-06-09T03:28:03Z")
> [@Loopydude](#): > > Ummm, tritium is radioactive. Granted, it’s not a high-energy emitter, and the container would shield you quite well from the low-energy beta particles tritium produces. But still, in these post-9/11 days, is flying around with one of the key components of thermonuclear warheads and dirty bombs, right near your pocker, something you want to try? The advert doesn’t mention tritium, does it? Tritium is wicked expensive… ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waaahhh-i-want-a-tritium-keychain/249383/10 "2004-06-09T03:43:27Z")
Yep, [tritium](http://www.glowrings.com/traser-technical.htm). And compliant with ANSI N540. No idea whether they’re legal in the States, though. If they’re legal in the U.S. I must. have. one. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waaahhh-i-want-a-tritium-keychain/249383/11 "2004-06-09T03:44:56Z")
> [@Fritz](#): > > Tritium is wicked expensive… So is my pocker, fella. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waaahhh-i-want-a-tritium-keychain/249383/12 "2004-06-09T03:52:01Z")
> [@manhattan](#): > > Yep, [tritium](http://www.glowrings.com/traser-technical.htm). I must. have. one. Good gad, man, you moderators will rot off with that in your pocker. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waaahhh-i-want-a-tritium-keychain/249383/13 "2004-06-09T04:26:51Z")
> [@Loopydude](#): > > Ummm, tritium is radioactive. Granted, it’s not a high-energy emitter, and the container would shield you quite well from the low-energy beta particles tritium produces. But still, in these post-9/11 days, is flying around with one of the key components of thermonuclear warheads and dirty bombs, right near your pocker, something you want to try? Yes, heck, YES!!! 🆒 And, **Manny** thanks for the link, those guys DO ship the things outside the UK… _where´s the credit card?_ By the way, **carnivorousplant** you seem to have a fixation about your… uhhmmm, pocker… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waaahhh-i-want-a-tritium-keychain/249383/14 "2004-06-09T13:23:56Z")
It doesn’t look like those things are built to last as _keychains_, though. Think about all the abuse we casually mete out to our keys: tossing them onto into purses and onto tables, dropping them on pavement, even dropping them from walkup apartments to friends below. That glass had better be shatter-resistant! Otherwise, yeah, they’re really neat looking. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waaahhh-i-want-a-tritium-keychain/249383/15 "2004-06-09T13:38:28Z")
> [@](#): > > Ummm, tritium is radioactive. Granted, it’s not a high-energy emitter, and the container would shield you quite well from the low-energy beta particles tritium produces. True. The plastic of a watch crystal will stop the particles. > [@](#): > > No idea whether they’re legal in the States, though. Tritium sights are common on firearms sold in the U.S. I have a military surplus Stocker & Yale watch that has tritium markings. I’ll have to dig it out and remember to wear it next time I fly. 😉 What has always amused me is that it has a nuclear trefoil on the back, and a warning to “DISPOSE AS RAD WASTE”. ---
**Author:** ![Exgineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Exgineer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exgineer)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waaahhh-i-want-a-tritium-keychain/249383/16 "2004-06-09T13:39:04Z")
> [@manhattan](#): > > Yep, [tritium](http://www.glowrings.com/traser-technical.htm). And compliant with ANSI N540. No idea whether they’re legal in the States, though. > > If they’re legal in the U.S. I must. have. one. If tritium nightsights for handguns are legal here (and they are) I have to believe they’d allow a friggin’ keychain. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waaahhh-i-want-a-tritium-keychain/249383/17 "2004-06-09T13:45:03Z")
Could have been very useful during that blackout. I’m trying to decide between blue and green. Pink is right out. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waaahhh-i-want-a-tritium-keychain/249383/18 "2004-06-09T14:01:37Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > Could have been very useful during that blackout. > I’m trying to decide between blue and green. Pink is right out. I´m debating wheter to order a blue or green one too; I´m not sure if the blue is that deep blue or the more intense light blue that appears in different photos… 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waaahhh-i-want-a-tritium-keychain/249383/19 "2004-06-09T14:12:06Z")
> [@Ale](#): > > And, **Manny** thanks for the link, those guys DO ship the things outside the UK… Nuts. [No shipments to the US or Canada,](http://www.glowrings.com/usa-canada.htm) though. ☹ Any European keychain smugglers coming to PA anytime soon? ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waaahhh-i-want-a-tritium-keychain/249383/20 "2004-06-09T15:11:47Z")
I did a little looking (sorry, no actual site, maybe I’ll go find one) and the consesus seems to be that, aside from a few applications (such as firearms and military) tritium is illegal in the US, to buy AND own, so even buying it in eBay and shipping it here would be illegal. I don’t know why, personally. Beta particles? Those things are practically harmless! If it emitted gamma radiation, then I might be scared…might. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waaahhh-i-want-a-tritium-keychain/249383.md?page=2)