Why does metal smell of metal?

[AdamW]

I've just been fidgeting with a paperclip (whilst working of course!), and my hands now smell of metal. I'm sure you have also all noticed similar things.

But smells are due to particles of a substance in the air: which is why gases can smell, liquids smell and volatile solids smell. But metal isn't volatile. What gives?

Is it:

a) not really the smell of metal but the smell of some coating they put on it
b) metal is evaporating off the surface of the metal
c) some reaction (oxidation?) removes tiny amounts of metal from the surface into airbourne particles

Come on, someone must know!

 

[kendor]

So to put it simply you are asking "does metal smell"?
Certainly you get a smell if you burn ,cut or saw it but is this the vapour from the friction of cutting? Is the definition of smell the chemical reaction between the substance and the lining of your nostrils?
As you are unable to break down metal into a consumable item such that you can eat and sample the taste due to dissolving of particles i'd say no you can't smell or taste metal. In other words to actually sample a substance it needs to be soluble to be able to activate your sensory (smell and taste) buds.

 

[jtaunton]

Maybe it is something to do with cleaning processes - If you pick up a stainless steel fork, then your hands won't smell, but if you have a machine shop machine a lump of stainless then it will smell of cutting fluid, which you could mistake for the smell of metal. Similarly, a silver-plated item won't smell, but if it has been polished then it will smell of brasso which, again, you could tell yourself is the smell of silver.

So, maybe low-cost items aren't as rigorously cleaned after manufacture and it is some residue of the manufacturing process that you get on your hands. Only a guess though.....

 

[nstreet]

I've just been fidgeting with a paperclip (whilst working of course!), and my hands now smell of metal. I'm sure you have also all noticed similar things.

But smells are due to particles of a substance in the air: which is why gases can smell, liquids smell and volatile solids smell. But metal isn't volatile. What gives?

Is it:

a) not really the smell of metal but the smell of some coating they put on it
b) metal is evaporating off the surface of the metal
c) some reaction (oxidation?) removes tiny amounts of metal from the surface into airbourne particles

Come on, someone must know!

This makes me think back to scholl days and the metal bars in the school gym, your hands always used to smell of 'metal' as you describe with the paper clips.

 

[jtaunton]

Guess number 2 - Maybe sweaty hands/fingers are dissolving a fine layer of the metals surface. If anyone has any particularly sweaty folds then they could do an experiment for us by leaving a paper clip in there overnight.

 

[Freddie]

But you can smell and taste iron or rather the oxidisation of iron.

As for the breakdown and consumption of metal, your body consists of it and you need so much of most metals everyday for your body to function properly.

I think there is enough iron in a healthy body to make a 6" nail.

Keep these things going cause i'm sick of politics and no way can Damocles bring Iraq into it.

 

[DAZB]

I cannot believe you are discussing how or why metal smells ! Have you lot really not got anything better to do or what ?

 

[ninebob]

I cannot believe you are discussing how or why metal smells ! Have you lot really not got anything better to do or what ?

We're desperately trying to avoid politics!

 

[Scoby_Beasley]

But you can smell and taste iron or rather the oxidisation of iron.

As for the breakdown and consumption of metal, your body consists of it and you need so much of most metals everyday for your body to function properly.

I think there is enough iron in a healthy body to make a 6" nail.

Keep these things going cause i'm sick of politics and no way can Damocles bring Iraq into it.

So if an evil dictator, say, oooooooh, somewhere like Iraq, could find enough victims to melt down, they could make a "super gun" !

 

[Freddie]

Dont encourage him he's bad enough as it is

 

[Thermo]

Why does metal smell of metal?


cos its metal!

 

[securespark]

If anyone has any particularly sweaty folds

urrrgh!! Information Overload!!

 

[Damocles]

Just been licking my screwdriver. Yep, it tastes of metal. The steel parts taste more than the chromed parts. Does that mean that chrome is not reactive enough to dissolve when I lick it, or that it just tastes of nothing much?

Sadam didn't have enough metallurgists to rub together to start a fire. So we sold him everything he needed. As to the supergun, wasn't that specially approved by the british secret service?

 

[loublou]

Nop, none of these, you're really Uri Gella!

 

[Igorian]

Does that mean that chrome is not reactive enough to dissolve when I lick it, or that it just tastes of nothing much?

No, it means either it's a cheap screwdriver and it's crome coloured plastic, or you destroyed your tastebuds by licking the steel, so they no longer work when licking the chrome.

P.S.

Why are you licking your screwdriver