really? why? I never said a thing about lye..maybe YOU should read what I said before you post. To state that "I honestly think "foodsafe" is just an excuse to perform sloppy chemistry." says nothing at all about lye specifically..or does it? if so, can you please point out where? If the origional poster was trying to make a poin about people choosing lye alternative teks than mayb they should have mentioned that, yet they didnt and instead chose to arrognatly lable(an generalize) people who use food safe teks as "sloppy"..So yeah I dont really get your point here but good luck with that. If you want to run off to someone elses defence at least make it relative to what they said man..otherwise you sound just as arrogant as well.

Im sorry but the way people choose to say things does matter. Maybe they could have said "I honestly think using lime or sodium carb is just an excuse to perform sloppy chemistry"..which I think would be just as arrogant, but that doesnt matter since they did not say that. Instead they went off on some tangent about foodsafe teks in general..and in a very negative almost antagonizing fasion.

People often talk about lye like it's toxic.

So sorry if I offended you. I just found your answer to hyperspacing very rude.

My extractions are anything but sloppy.

I do use IPA at the end though, to extract the freebase from the sodium carb/fumarates or sodium carb/acetates powder.

Well since this thread is about "LYE" and how people are "scared" of it. I assumed I wouldn't have to reference it specifically. A lot of people use "foodsafe teks" because they are scared of working with lye or scared it may somehow end up in their final product. I don't think I said anything about naphtha.

I'm sorry if I came off generalized. I'm sorry if I bruised your ego by sounding like all foodsafe teks are sloppy chemistry. Done right foodsafe teks are just as good as a normal tek. I just don't like how people think all is well as long as it says foodsafe on the tek. Just because it says foodsafe doesn't mean you need to show these substances any less respect.

so? you still said what you said..which was a crude generalization..and still, arrogant as hell. I bet you havent even used other bases..if you had you might realize how un-sloppy it can be anyway.

It was a bit rude.

Someone disagrees with my opinion so that means my head is up my ass?. . . . . That sure makes sense. . . . Grow up.

I dont get offended over things like this. Really it means not much to me. But when you start to call people "sloppy" and tell them they just want an excuse to do sloppy chemistry, how is that NOT rude, assuming and arrogant? Can you not see how one sided and biased an opinion that is? People do food grade teks for all kids of reasons, and I highly doubt the fact that they want an excuse to do sloppy chemistry is the reason. Making statements like that is like asking for arguements to ensue onthe forums, which is like innitiating a waste of space.

I dont care if you were referring to lye or not, the comment was rude and it was made in bad taste. End of story.

Don't think I called anyone sloppy. If you want to disagree with my OPINION go for it. We all have opinions and I'm open to other peoples. You call my statement rude yet look at your posts. Are you not being alot ruder? Perhaps you should go read the ATTITUDE page. It seems like you forgot it.

how about we stop pointing fingers here and just have each one look at himself and see how he can make better posts in the future?

Works for me

I hate arguing with someone I respect

I'm sorry I posted. Errrr .

Damn guys really.

Fractal, seriously, I thought you were above this.

Yep. That was taken too personal.

I see where hyperspacing is coming from. Often these "foodsafe" teks are less efficient than straightforward organic lab teks that were tested and polished for decades.

Speaking of lye, other bases may be more forgiving during handling but being a strong base lye is more efficient than most other bases when it comes to just reaching a certain pH with least amount of chemicals.

If you handle lye with care there's nothing to be afraid of. Don't use lye if you don't know what you're doing.
I can't see the scenario where I would splash lye into my eyes. More likely that I would be run over by a car while crossing a street. So should I not go out of the house?

I find this fear of lye sometimes be out of proportions. Irrational at times. And I think a lot of people think lye is toxic or poisonous. It's just very alkaline.

Be all that as it may, I certainly wouldn't like a child to get their hands on it so it's probably safer to use sodium carb in the event of close proximity to adventurous little feet.

and you base your comment on what evidence? Any accurate side-by-side comparison anywhere?

and you mean less efficient in what terms?

hehe - grow a pair

and always use goggles when working with lye - take all the right safety precautions and u have nothing to worry about.

The comment is based in... lye?!

Safety and mindfulness is obviously very important whenever engaging in any kind of chemistry, BUT, from my relative background and experience, foodgrade techniques feel much safer than attempting to work with lye. It is not harm ELIMINATION, but it is a huge potential harm reduction.

And I love oranges! That alone...

Gloves, goggles and a handy vinegar bottle. Of course, no animals nor children running around, that's asking for problems whether the tek is food safe or not.

Neither the people that had lye splashed in their eyes could. Heh, at least not anymore!



Its not as if someone is insinuating that people will turn lye solutions to eye drops, or run around on a wet floor carrying an open flask of concentrated lye solution, or will bend over while adding lye to see extremely close-up if it dissolves nicely. Accidents can be really freak occurences where the only words that could describe them would be akin to "famous last words" such as "who would have thought!" , "this never happened before, i have done it a thousand times" etc. Most of the accidents i had in my life (not chemical related) were usually moments i could not forsee, hence they happened : if i had an idea i was in danger or a senario of injury seemed not that farfetched i would have avoided them altogether!

Eitherway the bottomline is be careful, work as a considerate adult and work sober.While accidents can happen even in very careful labs from people with considerable experience handling more dangerous chemicals than lye, its always good to have at least a backup plan and some safety precautions.

I can speak only for myself here: Whenever i am about to do something that could prove dangerous i always ask myself "Am i considerate enough?". If in any form or way i doubt myself i doublecheck what am i about to do and what safety precautions i have at hand. I also have the habit of treating every chemical (yes, even water) as a potential hazard. That does not mean i am afraid or shaking like a wet dog when carrying out a procedure, it means that i try to be mindfull : accidents have greater chance of happening when one relaxes at the point of carelessness or extreme confidence.

No need though for anyone to get worked up or angry, all advice is good, everyone in this thread wants their fellow travelers to be safe and retain their pretty eyes and sexy hands in pristine condition!