# Vigor Radium Kit



## mercurym (Feb 24, 2011)

Hi,

Recently, I acquired several huge tubs of various watchmaking books, materials, tools, etc., from a recently deceased watchmaker's wife. Inside one of the tubs, I found two boxes of VIGOR RADIUM OUTFIT #722. Each kit has two tins of what must be the remnants of Radium paste, and a wire doohickey that I assume is used to apply the stuff. Also, in one box was a two inch 'spike' on a quarter-sized base. This thing has a very, very, very sharp point. I know because I promptly poked myself on it. So, I have two questions:

1. Is there any reason to keep this Radium paste, other than the box is pretty cool? Is it still useable?

2. Because the sharp spike was in a box of radium paste, I assume it touched radium at some point in the past. So, the spike touched radium, I touched the spike, the spike poked me. . . you can see where I'm going. Am I going to become a modern Incredible Hulk (more like Incredible Hunk! Lol! yeah right...) or grow an extra arm from my forehead in the near future? I don't feel any different except that I have an almost uncontrollable urge to spend too much on vintage watches and watch ephemera. I don't think it's a problem, but my girlfriend has a different opinion. Incredible Hunk or not, what she says pretty much goes. . .

Here's a pic of the radioactive paste and box.


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

Radium is a poison which greatly increases your chances of various cancers. Ingestion is especially dangerous.

Contamination by radium dust is a likely possibility with this kit. I would gather up everything contacted into plastic bags and all surfaces and skin should be washed with a strong soap. Sealed in a metal box is the best way to keep this until you find a method of properly disposing of it -- do not just throw this in the trash.

Modern lume is much better than old radium. This has no use...



mercurym said:


> Hi,
> 
> Recently, I acquired several huge tubs of various watchmaking books, materials, tools, etc., from a recently deceased watchmaker's wife. Inside one of the tubs, I found two boxes of VIGOR RADIUM OUTFIT #722. Each kit has two tins of what must be the remnants of Radium paste, and a wire doohickey that I assume is used to apply the stuff. Also, in one box was a two inch 'spike' on a quarter-sized base. This thing has a very, very, very sharp point. I know because I promptly poked myself on it. So, I have two questions:
> 
> ...


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## Clickjack (Dec 20, 2013)

WOW. Just ran across this. Give us an update. What did you do with the rad waste.


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## xzqt (Jan 26, 2013)

Opps ! Dangerous stuff !
Dispose properly.


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