An Extremely Radioactive Watch Sent to me in the mail

[@RMX7777]

A geiger counter cannot be used to accurately gauge radiation dose. A geiger counter can detect the number of particles passing through its detector volume, and will display a count rate representing how many particles per unit time are detected. The geiger counter is totally unable to discern the energy per particle. Dose rate is a measure of energy per unit mas per second, in other words the detector must know the energy to give you an accurate dose rate. As a geiger counter can't detect the particle energy, the manufacturer will usually take a sample of Cesium-137 with a known radiation dose rate. They will then measure how many CPM the geiger counter reads on that sample, and the set that to equal the known dose rate. The issue with this is that the geiger counter will now only give an accurate dose rate when measuring Cesium-137. Since the average energy per particle of Radium's decay chain is lower than that of Cesium's, the couter will overestimate the dose recieved. It should also be noted that the alpha particles and most of the betas would not be able to penetrate the watch, and even if they did the alpha particles wouldnt give you a dose from outside your body. To get an accurate radiation dose rate, you need to use a counter that detects only the gamma rays and can discern the energy of each ray. I have taken measurments of radium clocks with such a detector, they typically emit 0.3 μSv/h at thier surface. Also, please do not handle radium paint with your bare hands in the future. Radium is nearly impossible to wash off your skin, it essentially stays there until that layer of skin sheds off.

[@sixthgear5874]

Boy do I have a story for you, just found a deck clock from ww2, using my scintillator, I have been able to detect 25 microsieverts, judging by the fact I could pick up the radiation from 20 feet away, I have no doubt in those numbers I’ve received, realizing my counter is fairly directional through tests, I worry what the real number is

[@RMX7777]

​@@sixthgear5874 That's very high for a radium clock face. The most any of my dials produce is around 5μSv/h. That being said, so long as the face plate is still intact and you don't disassemble the clock I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just don't put it on your bedstand and you should be fine.

[@sixthgear5874]

@@RMX7777 yup, playing it safe, I took a video earlier with my phone and you can clearly see the radiation and (possibly) hear it

[@ReactorLaboratories]

@@sixthgear5874 Did you post it on your channel?

[@sudokode]

I always wondered what would happen if AvE got his hands on an orphan source

[@TobiasThede]

Holy mackerel,that's a Miniature radium Armageddon. Watching your geiger counter goes nuts,freaks the shit out of me.i bought a gmc 320 plus geiger counter from Amazon, and tested my meta autunite, radiating with 7,45 microsievert/h

[@JP5466]

I thought it would be a few millisieverts, but not that high! I'd get rid of that thing pronto.

[@boredom4001]

its in microsieverts so it aint that bad

[@JP5466]

@@boredom4001Meter flashing "DANGER!"... nah, that ain't bad.

[@boredom4001]

@@JP5466 yes it really isnt, just because it flashes danger doesnt mean its that dangerous, its a precaution

[@ericmeek2760]

@@boredom4001 wait, just because it says dangerous doesn't mean its dangerous? Man that makes no since lol. No offense it just sounds silly to say that out loud.

[@N4CR]

@@ericmeek2760 At that point it depends on the exposure time. I wish this guy had a radicode or similar to do gamma spectro on it.

[@anonymous14]

That watch is just happy to see you.

[@anaoricofag1950]

That watch is +100 years old and still more radioactive than that uranium ore

[@IRBitterSoB]

The watch glows in the dark and now so do you!

[@rc-yi8ry]

My condolences. Glad to have watched your last video.😂

[@favoritethings3065]

Wow!….I have a very similar GMC Geiger counter….and I was worried about the 5 microSieverts I get from my vintage Omega watch…jeez!….thank you for a great video!

[@scannerguy1968]

Thanks for watching

[@Kepler_2258]

those little Geiger counter dose cards aren't meant for a point source like this for "Actions" its an Area, or a Full Body Exposure is what its talking about, so a small point source like this isn't a Huge health concern unless you cuddle with it for several hours at close proximity, then you might get some adverse effects in that area of your body that its close to, maybe some irritation at most for moderate prolonged exposure, several days could in theory develop a mild radiation burn if you held it right against your skin

[@evila9076]

it's okay man. you lived a long fulfilling life.

[@artkingofwholefoods74]

As long as you handle it respectfully, and responsibly, the restoration process should be fine. Safe. Wear gloves, and a mask. These watches are works of art. 👌🏼 the Women who helped manufacture them all died very early (Radium Girls). The families had to sue. Such a tragedy. We simply didn’t know…

[@Gramald]

Mindblowing!

[@NoblePineapples]

Wild what we know now and just how many people wore stuff like that everywhere.

[@CChissel]

Man that watch is very irradiated, that’s wild.

[@PschyoSupposeiam]

i have an old Elgin with -under a black light- chunks of bright green !

[@DennisSantos]

Aren't you contaminating your geiger counter by touching the powdery watch face?

[@jessebb193]

What does a tritium vial in gun sights read on the machine?

[@yaykruser]

probably nothing, as most of the radiation gets stopped by the vial. Look up codyslabs radioactive box video, he had very big vials and the geiger counter couldnt pick them up. (the feds still took them away)

[@Kepler_2258]

close to nothing, i get maybe 2-4 counts above background on mine, Tritium emits Beta radiation which is easily stopped by the glass vial its in

[@talavs-jekabsriekstins578]

Don't open these Radium dial watches inside your living space. It's better to open them outside not only because of the dust but also because of Radon gas.

[@ryana3298]

1 watch isn’t going to produce enough radon for it to be a problem. You’d need like a crap ton of watches with the cover off for it to be a little concerning.

[@He11cth3r3]

Put it in a lead box and then put it in more lead. That is horrifying…

[@KaciCooperations]

The riskiest watch that you don’t want to wear.

[@2infinites]

Product name?

[@eddiekulp1241]

Watch from Chernobl

[@bigpig9562]

All that dust is already on the table. Wash your hands now? 🤣

[@FabledFoxtrotGaming4217]

that's insane I kinda want one

[@BottleOfCoke]

Wear gloves man!!

[@deepskychaser5707]

Educate yourself on this topic man!!

[@RMX7777]

​@@deepskychaser5707 Gloves are absolutely 100% required for anything dealing with radium. This isn't for the normal reason people think you need gloves for radioactive materials, it's because radium paint breaks down into micro dust particles that are practically impossible to wash off your skin. Essentially, every time you handle a radium item the dust will remain on your hands until that layer of skin sheds away. This puts you at a high risk of unknowingly consuming it, where the alpha radiation can then do a lot of damage, and the radium itself causes damage to your bones. This is especially dangerous if you handle it on a regular basis, as it will accumulate in your body over time. Other radioactive materials like Uranium and Thorium generally pass through the digestive tract without being absorbed. So while radioactive antiques are generally safe to handle, radium is the exception!

[@RecRoomgamer101]

Thinking same thing!!

[@duracell1battery]

Everyone seems to be really concerned about radiation levels, they aren't very bad, or really harmful at all... But maybe the concerning part is that you disassembled the watch on a wood table with nothing under it, in an enclosed room without gloves? Alpha particles usually aren't a problem until an alpha source gets ingested...

[@iftheseoldbeastscouldtalk7796]

You will live. Unless you are wearing it and / or have it out of a jar or Tupperware and are near it constantly breathing on top of it, you will be fine. Radium is cool and scary, but just practice safe handling and storage, and you will be completely fine. Make no mistake, radium is some of the scarier radioactive material you can get, but minimalizing dosages and contamination risk taking is all you need to be safe.

[@bigpig9562]

@iftheseoldbeastscouldtalk7796 Yeah, tell that to the covid researchers at WIV. 😉

[@frankserpico6785]

Why? Just.... why? 😒

[@gusc6785]

Radium Girls

[@Twobarpsi]

Yeah I heard of them.

[@anupkumarlathar]

May you reveal whether it was beta or Gamma radiation and how you assure it is beta or gamma

[@OMaquinando]

That couter masures alpha too. Probably he is measuring alpha.

[@billybob-jv6fx]

Local man recently diagnosed with all the cancer all of it.

[@c0ba1t]

pfft... I have a 40's compass that gives me +200 uSv/hour. I collect radioactive stuff.

[@paulnewman2778]

I would have sent it right back

[@KI4WVT]

The speaker on that unit will self mute at 150k cpm and higher.

[@eqrc7587]

That’s Crazy….😳

[@4KI75E4NN]

Call NASA to bring it back to the moon 😅

[@politicstoday8002]

i mean that are 'just' like 0.035 millisievert per hour,you would 'just' have minimal dna damage after like sleeping a year direclty neaar it.

[@Randomadventureswithpaul]

Hey guys wanna see me rawdog some Uranium. Remeber be cautious...

[@dxkota2335]

3.4 Reontgen, not great, not terrible.

[@whodattt9850]

3.6 😉

[@jeremyolson2596]

Wow!

[@weerobot]

WTF..

[@sailgears]

Please always use the gloves and mask when about to open such a mails directly…better call radioactive team/unit and rely on their skill/advice.