Gunsmithing safety

[Old Tom]

I noticed in the article about sear spring replacement it warned about the spring flying away.
I also noticed in all the articles the absence of the caution "always wear safety glasses".
It is also a very good idea to wear them when cleaning guns. Solvents and sprays are more powerful than ever
and can cause serious eye damage.
The smartest way to take guns apart is in a plastic bag. The 1911 flying barrel bushing is a thing of the past inside
a bag from the dry cleaners. Jo Ann fabrics sells a heavy plastic by the yard that,with some duct tape, makes a good
plastic disassembly bag. I've used mine for years.

[BurstBarrel]

Taking things apart and back together in a plastic bag is an excellent idea way to keep from loosing parts. I've done variations of it while developing techniques that result in lossless assembly.

There is more to safety than just Safety Glasses being called in a post, it may say it on the tool / container label that was removed or not read or followed.

But it goes deeper. Using common sense and knowing what you are doing with tools. Perhaps a respirator is needed? Don't hit yourself with the hammer or stab your fingers with the screwdriver, etc.

[cwebb]

Great idea, thanks for posting it. I need to swap out some springs and will give this a try. Will save me parts, time and a lot of profanity.

How does one amplify shop safety? Add a gun! I'm a novice by any account but some of the things I do are:
• Checking and re-checking the firearm religiously.
• Eye-pro all the time...a no-brainer when you're older like me.
• Knowing how to use your tools properly and avoiding the temptation of "short cuts" when using them. Short cuts is where my friends who are better craftsman than I'll ever be have gotten hurt.
• A respirator when creating particulates. I have a bit of boat building background and I know folks who laughed-off respirator use over the years and they are paying a steep price now.
• Same with welding. Visor now or blindness later. Another no-brainer.
• Fire: Requires it's own category.