Bad Gear Day

[ktrout]

I was attaching a can of Bear Spray (I like to use stuff I buy, and buy stuff I'll use) to a pouch on my water pack prior to going cycling. I used a bit too much force and the safety tab slipped off, and a good amount was released. Fortunately the nozzle was pointed at my shirt instead of the ceiling or my face.
I threw the shirt away and came back to clean up the rest of the mess. Not thinking about it, I touched my hands to my face, resulting in a vigorous 15 minute shower before I was able to get my eyes open again.
When I came back I had to use a mask to be able to get the windows open in the house and turn the fan on.
Even tonight, my hands still sting. I can barely touch the keyboard because the heat from my laptop makes my hands feel like they're burning.
I told my wife it was like the oil they use at her favorite SiChuanese restaurants, except concentrated.
She rejected my offer to let her use it in her cooking.
Strong stuff...

[Devlin]

The jump in the shower trick does not work very well with forms of O.C. spray. Think oil and water. Next time sit in the front seat of your car and blast the cold AC at your face. Time is your friend when dealing with O.C.

[Woodsman]

Years ago when I was just a kid I went to get into the glove compartment in my mom's car to get something and when I opened it a can of mace got caught in the hinge and somehow I got some on my hand and just like you, touched my face with it. That is not a fun experience to be sure.

[ktrout]

The jump in the shower trick does not work very well with forms of O.C. spray. Think oil and water. Next time sit in the front seat of your car and blast the cold AC at your face. Time is your friend when dealing with O.C.

Yeah, I discovered pretty quickly that plain water wasn't working. I think I used half a bottle of shampoo. Today I still have a mild chemical burn on my left hand and forearm.
I can't see it, but I can feel it...

[Kurt]

What I always did for that stuff was slather dish soap all over the affected area first, wipe off the soap with a towel and then slather it on again and rinse. It still spreads evenly over your body but it is a bearable level of pain.

[CR3]

What I always did for that stuff was slather dish soap all over the affected area first, wipe off the soap with a towel and then slather it on again and rinse. It still spreads evenly over your body but it is a bearable level of pain.

I've only had it in my eyes and then soap wasn't really the way to go...

So I had to spend 30 min with the head in the sink running cold water.

[Kurt]

What I always did for that stuff was slather dish soap all over the affected area first, wipe off the soap with a towel and then slather it on again and rinse. It still spreads evenly over your body but it is a bearable level of pain.

I've only had it in my eyes and then soap wasn't really the way to go...

So I had to spend 30 min with the head in the sink running cold water.

For the anti-IMF protests I went to years ago we used baby shampoo for that. Lots of baby shampoo still burns your eyes but you do not notice the burn from the soap when it is curing the burn from pepper spray. Also the trick is to dilute it, and put it in a bottle that can squirt and put your face down so the pepper leaves your face instead of spreading elsewhere.

[CR3]

Lots of good advice there

and yes, it should have been kind of obvious that with pepperspray in your eyes a bit of soap isn't gona kill'ya!

[Abuster]

This whole thread is making my eyes water!

[ktrout]

What I always did for that stuff was slather dish soap all over the affected area first, wipe off the soap with a towel and then slather it on again and rinse. It still spreads evenly over your body but it is a bearable level of pain.

I've only had it in my eyes and then soap wasn't really the way to go...

So I had to spend 30 min with the head in the sink running cold water.

For the anti-IMF protests I went to years ago we used baby shampoo for that. Lots of baby shampoo still burns your eyes but you do not notice the burn from the soap when it is curing the burn from pepper spray. Also the trick is to dilute it, and put it in a bottle that can squirt and put your face down so the pepper leaves your face instead of spreading elsewhere.

Did any protesters take their own gas masks?

[Chimborazo]

I'd probably try using milk if I had some.

[Mikethehack]

Did any protesters take their own gas masks?

Most of them weren't that clever. They used all sorts of wacko stuff, like eggs and onions. You could have fed half of Africa with the stuff they turned up for demos with.

[Q]

For the anti-IMF protests I went to years ago we used baby shampoo for that. Lots of baby shampoo still burns your eyes but you do not notice the burn from the soap when it is curing the burn from pepper spray. Also the trick is to dilute it, and put it in a bottle that can squirt and put your face down so the pepper leaves your face instead of spreading elsewhere.

I will second this method. This must be some kind of standard in some revolutionary/civil disobedience/drunken assholes manual somewhere as my German gf used to treat me in this manner after football matches that per European law, always end up in quasi-riots.


And slightly on topic, you can build up a "tolerance" to non-lethal chemical agents. I didn't have half the problem with the gas chamber in basic that others did.

[ShanghaiedStampede]

My buddy and I used that shit on a crackhead that got too friendly, but had a similar situation. Some of the burst hit his finger and sprayed back into his face. He held his head under a hose until the pain subsided. When we were driving back a crystallized chunk dropped back into his eye and he would not stop screaming! I'm still laughing my ass off. HAHAHAHAHA

[Swordsman]

My buddy and I used that shit on a crackhead that got too friendly, but had a similar situation. Some of the burst hit his finger and sprayed back into his face. He held his head under a hose until the pain subsided. When we were driving back a crystallized chunk dropped back into his eye and he would not stop screaming! I'm still laughing my ass off. HAHAHAHAHA

You're a good friend.