Here is the second installment of our posts about
glass toy safety. We will have the third and final installment coming up next week with our special guest blogger and champion of body safe sex toys,
True Pleasures, weighing in on the topic.Now for the interview:
Destin wrote up some questions and
Phoebe sent them along to
Standard Glass, the makers of our lovely
Candy Colored Glass Dildos, to find out more. Here is the full interview with questions and answers:
Babeland: What is the typical lead level in the glass stock which is used for this type of ?hand blown? product? SG: The clear glass we use to coat our products is lead-free. It is a soda-lime glass, composed mainly of sand, soda ash, and lime. These are melted in a furnace at around 2400 degrees Fahrenheit until they become molten clear glass. We buy this raw material from one of the most reputable and well-known producers in the business.The interior coloration is made from colored glasses we buy from a different supplier. These are complex, proprietary formulas that are rigorously tested for quality and consistency. They are designed to work well with our clear glass, and that is tested again in house. Some but not all of these colors do contain lead. We have a message in to our supplier, but they might not be willing to divulge their specific recipes.This lead is actually dissolved in the glass solution, and also coated by the layer of clear glass on the outside during our blowing process. There is really no risk of exposure to lead via our toys.
Babeland: Does ?Pyrex? have a lead level in it?SG: Pyrex is a brand name of borosilicate glass. Pyrex also does not have lead in it. See these wikis for an explanation of the types of glasses:
Borosilicate GlassSoda Lime GlassPyrexLead GlassLead GlassBabeland: Is any lead amount in the glass exposed to human contact while the glass is in a regular state? (Or is it only something that humans can be exposed to while the glass is hot/molten)?SG: Because our clear glass is lead free, there is no risk with our products once finished. Lead crystal and lead-based ceramics glazes can leach lead when certain liquids are stored in them over the long term. This does not happen with our products. During our blowing process, there are some brief periods where chemicals are liberated due to the heating of the colored glasses in the core. We deal with this through extensive exhaust hoods and fresh air ventilation. Once they are coated with clear, this ceases to be an issue.
Babeland: Is there such a thing as ?lead-free? glass stock which would/could be used to manufacture this type of product? SG: Yes, as noted above, our glass stock is lead-free, as is borosilicate glass.
Babeland: What does the lead do for the glass anyway? i.e, why is it ever present at all? SG: Lead has the effect of lowering the melting point of the glass, making it softer and easier to work hot and grind when cold, and makes the glass transmit light very well, adding sparkle. Some factories, like Steuben or Waterford, still use leaded glasses for blowing and subsequent cutting/polishing. Other companies, like Schott, produce very high lead glasses for use in optical lenses, radioactive shielding, and other industrial applications.
Babeland: Does lead level fluctuate depending on the color of the glass? I.E., Does colored glass stock have more lead than clear? SG: Yes, as mentioned above. Some colored glasses are lead-free, some have lead. It is up to the manufacturer. The exact chemistry involved is quite complex, and if you would like further explanation, we will have to consult our suppliers.
Babeland: Is there a cost correlation based on the lead level in the glass (i.e., is glass with lots of lead less expensive)? SG: No, not particularly. The optical glass stock used for telescope lenses is very expensive. With our blowing stock, no, because none of the options contain lead, so it?s not a cost issue. With the colors, no, there is no cost correlation with lead. The expense difference between the colors comes from other ingredients like gold or silver, or from varying difficulty in successful repetitive production. If you have any other questions about this, or anything involving our products or glass in general, please feel free to contact us. We will do our best to answer them as quickly as possible. Thanks for your concern, and your thoroughness as a retailer!
Standard Glass
standardglass@glasstoys.com
Need another reason to check out this work of art that doubles as a Dildo? How about 10 reasons why we love it too!of product?
SG: Yes, as noted above, our glass stock is lead-free, as is borosilicate glass.
Babeland: What does the lead do for the glass anyway? i.e, why is it ever present at all? SG: Lead has the effect of lowering the melting point of the glass, making it softer and easier to work hot and grind when cold, and makes the glass transmit light very well, adding sparkle. Some factories, like Steuben or Waterford, still use leaded glasses for blowing and subsequent cutting/polishing. Other companies, like Schott, produce very high lead glasses for use in optical lenses, radioactive shielding, and other industrial applications.
Babeland: Does lead level fluctuate depending on the color of the glass? I.E., Does colored glass stock have more lead than clear? SG: Yes, as mentioned above. Some colored glasses are lead-free, some have lead. It is up to the manufacturer. The exact chemistry involved is quite complex, and if you would like further explanation, we will have to consult our suppliers.
Babeland: Is there a cost correlation based on the lead level in the glass (i.e., is glass with lots of lead less expensive)? SG: No, not particularly. The optical glass stock used for telescope lenses is very expensive. With our blowing stock, no, because none of the options contain lead, so it?s not a cost issue. With the colors, no, there is no cost correlation with lead. The expense difference between the colors comes from other ingredients like gold or silver, or from varying difficulty in successful repetitive production. If you have any other questions about this, or anything involving our products or glass in general, please feel free to contact us. We will do our best to answer them as quickly as possible. Thanks for your concern, and your thoroughness as a retailer!
Standard Glassstandardglass@glasstoys.com
Need another reason to check out this work of art that doubles as a Dildo? How about 10 reasons why we love it too!
Here is the second installment of our posts about glass toy safety. We will have the third and final installment coming up next week with our special guest blogger and champion of body safe sex toys, True Pleasures, weighing in on the topic.Now for the interview: Destin wrote up some questions and Phoebe sent them along to Standard Glass, the makers of our lovely Candy Colored Glass Dildos, to find out more. Here is the full interview with questions and answers: Babeland: What is the typical lead level in the glass stock which is used for this type of ?hand blown? product? SG: The clear glass we use to coat our products is lead-free. It is a soda-lime glass, composed mainly of sand, soda ash, and lime. These are melted in a furnace at around 2400 degrees Fahrenheit until they become molten clear glass. We buy this raw material from one of the most reputable and well-known producers in the business.The interior coloration is made from colored glasses we buy from a different supplier. These are complex, proprietary formulas that are rigorously tested for quality and consistency. They are designed to work well with our clear glass, and that is tested again in house. Some but not all of these colors do contain lead. We have a message in to our supplier, but they might not be willing to divulge their specific recipes.This lead is actually dissolved in the glass solution, and also coated by the layer of clear glass on the outside during our blowing process. There is really no risk of exposure to lead via our toys.Babeland: Does ?Pyrex? have a lead level in it?SG: Pyrex is a brand name of borosilicate glass. Pyrex also does not have lead in it. See these wikis for an explanation of the types of glasses:Borosilicate GlassSoda Lime GlassPyrexLead GlassLead GlassBabeland: Is any lead amount in the glass exposed to human contact while the glass is in a regular state? (Or is it only something that humans can be exposed to while the glass is hot/molten)?SG: Because our clear glass is lead free, there is no risk with our products once finished. Lead crystal and lead-based ceramics glazes can leach lead when certain liquids are stored in them over the long term. This does not happen with our products. During our blowing process, there are some brief periods where chemicals are liberated due to the heating of the colored glasses in the core. We deal with this through extensive exhaust hoods and fresh air ventilation. Once they are coated with clear, this ceases to be an issue.Babeland: Is there such a thing as ?lead-free? glass stock which would/could be used to manufacture this type of product? SG: Yes, as noted above, our glass stock is lead-free, as is borosilicate glass.Babeland: What does the lead do for the glass anyway? i.e, why is it ever present at all? SG: Lead has the effect of lowering the melting point of the glass, making it softer and easier to work hot and grind when cold, and makes the glass transmit light very well, adding sparkle. Some factories, like Steuben or Waterford, still use leaded glasses for blowing and subsequent cutting/polishing. Other companies, like Schott, produce very high lead glasses for use in optical lenses, radioactive shielding, and other industrial applications.Babeland: Does lead level fluctuate depending on the color of the glass? I.E., Does colored glass stock have more lead than clear? SG: Yes, as mentioned above. Some colored glasses are lead-free, some have lead. It is up to the manufacturer. The exact chemistry involved is quite complex, and if you would like further explanation, we will have to consult our suppliers.Babeland: Is there a cost correlation based on the lead level in the glass (i.e., is glass with lots of lead less expensive)? SG: No, not particularly. The optical glass stock used for telescope lenses is very expensive. With our blowing stock, no, because none of the options contain lead, so it?s not a cost issue. With the colors, no, there is no cost correlation with lead. The expense difference between the colors comes from other ingredients like gold or silver, or from varying difficulty in successful repetitive production. If you have any other questions about this, or anything involving our products or glass in general, please feel free to contact us. We will do our best to answer them as quickly as possible. Thanks for your concern, and your thoroughness as a retailer!Standard Glass
standardglass@glasstoys.comNeed another reason to check out this work of art that doubles as a Dildo? How about 10 reasons why we love it too!of product? SG: Yes, as noted above, our glass stock is lead-free, as is borosilicate glass.Babeland: What does the lead do for the glass anyway? i.e, why is it ever present at all? SG: Lead has the effect of lowering the melting point of the glass, making it softer and easier to work hot and grind when cold, and makes the glass transmit light very well, adding sparkle. Some factories, like Steuben or Waterford, still use leaded glasses for blowing and subsequent cutting/polishing. Other companies, like Schott, produce very high lead glasses for use in optical lenses, radioactive shielding, and other industrial applications.Babeland: Does lead level fluctuate depending on the color of the glass? I.E., Does colored glass stock have more lead than clear? SG: Yes, as mentioned above. Some colored glasses are lead-free, some have lead. It is up to the manufacturer. The exact chemistry involved is quite complex, and if you would like further explanation, we will have to consult our suppliers.Babeland: Is there a cost correlation based on the lead level in the glass (i.e., is glass with lots of lead less expensive)? SG: No, not particularly. The optical glass stock used for telescope lenses is very expensive. With our blowing stock, no, because none of the options contain lead, so it?s not a cost issue. With the colors, no, there is no cost correlation with lead. The expense difference between the colors comes from other ingredients like gold or silver, or from varying difficulty in successful repetitive production. If you have any other questions about this, or anything involving our products or glass in general, please feel free to contact us. We will do our best to answer them as quickly as possible. Thanks for your concern, and your thoroughness as a retailer!Standard Glass
