Method How to make a death mask for inert gas (argon/nitrogen)

[onewayroad]

I have chosen argon as my method but I personally don't want to put a bag over my head for various reasons.

Oxygen masks let too much air in, so they work inconsistently and often very poorly (as documented in the medical report by Dignitas). However there is a case in the medical literature of someone using nitrogen and a full face diving mask, which fully seals around the face. So I decided to make my own mask setup rather than a bag.

Here's how to do it.

This is what you'll need, note that hose clamps (not shown) are a good idea when attaching the hose to the mask and regulator. Left to right there is the diving mask bought from ebay, an adapter bought from BOC gases, 35 mm heat shrink from ebay, two cable ties, a gas hose bought from BOC gases, and my regulator bought from TotalTools. You will also need a heat gun or hairdryer to shink the heat shrink.




First you want to cut around 70 mm of heat shrink.


Then slide the heat shrink over the mask inlet without the snorkel attached, place the adapter in the other end and shrink the heat shrink with a heat gun until it's completely shrunk.



The heat shrink may not completely shrink down around the adapter, so make sure you cable tie both ends as tightly as you possibly can.



And that's it. Now the mask can be connected to the regulator via the hose, making sure the hose is clamped on with hose clamps.

Then you're good to go, if you know what I mean.

 

[crova]

Looks very, very neat! Cable ties and heat shrink tube should work well for this application [15lpm]
Will you test it with argon anytime soon?

 

[TiredHorse]

Now that is a nice piece of craftsmanship.

Were you at all worried about over-heating the heat-shrink and creating stress holes?

I had considered using a full-face shop respirator, but your approach is much better/more likely to succeed.

 

[Trashcan]

Thank you for sharing

 

[onewayroad]

Looks very, very neat! Cable ties and heat shrink tube should work well for this application [15lpm]
Will you test it with argon anytime soon?

Should do, 15lpm is not much pressure and the heat shrink is pretty thick. It'd take a lot to burst it or pop off the cable ties. Sadly renting the cylinders is quite expensive and I am around family a lot right now so I can't have a cylinder sitting in the boot of my car. I won't be able to test it until I'm actually preparing to ctb, which won't be for a while. But I feel it will work.

Now that is a nice piece of craftsmanship.

Were you at all worried about over-heating the heat-shrink and creating stress holes?

I had considered using a full-face shop respirator, but your approach is much better/more likely to succeed.

Thank you. On my heat gun you can set the exact temperature you want the air at (I use it like a volcano vape to vape weed with an adapter I made haha) so I wasn't too worried. I think it should work very well because it is very airtight and it has a one way valve to outlet CO2 at the bottom of the mask, and there's that medical report available online which shows a guy who used nitrogen successfully with a full face diving mask.

If you want to make the same thing and have any questions feel free to ask. My only advice is buy the regulator first so you know the hose diameter you need and therefore the size of the adapter you will connect to the mask with heat shrink.

 

[Help_Me]

This is just amazing ! ctb method i dreamt about.

 

[Jen Erik]

Thanks, this is great.

 

[Final Escape]

I wish I was more intelligent to do this but I'm not high enough functioning at this time. I'd rather do this way though to ensure it works.

 

[onewayroad]

I wish I was more intelligent to do this but I'm not high enough functioning at this time. I'd rather do this way though to ensure it works.

Really the only difficult part was figuring out what I needed to buy and where to buy it. I'd be happy to help you but I'm in Australia so if you're in another country what to buy and where to buy will be different. I can try though, send me a PM if you're interested. The whole setup including gas runs around $300 AU ($215 USD).

 

[Singing In The Rain]

Great post, thanks for sharing. I'm interested in why are you using a mask instead of a bag? I worry if my body will react strangely when I'm unconscious like kick the tank over or something. Or lean on a strange angle and the bag will fall off. Do you think this method would be ok lying in bed?

 

[Singing In The Rain]

I know I've asked you before but how confident are you that argon works as opposed to helium and nitrogen? . I don't know a lot about gas but I know argon is inert. I've still got a bit of research to do lol.

 

[TiredHorse]

I know I've asked you before but how confident are you that argon works as opposed to helium and nitrogen? . I don't know a lot about gas but I know argon is inert. I've still got a bit of research to do lol.

Argon should be just as effective as helium and nitrogen. I keep argon in my shop for preventing the partial cans of expensive paint and varnish from skinning over. Argon works a bit better than nitrogen in this application because it's heavier than air, so will settle in the cans to cover the surface of the paint. Nitrogen is a similar weight to air, less likely to settle out of any gaps in my exit bag, so I'm using N2 to ctb. Nitrogen is also a bit cheaper where I am.

 

[Singing In The Rain]

@TiredHorse since argon is a bit heavier than air, do you think argon will be ok on the lungs for the time required to die? I heard it can take any where from 10 minutes to 40.

 

[TiredHorse]

@TiredHorse since argon is a bit heavier than air, do you think argon will be ok on the lungs for the time required to die? I heard it can take any where from 10 minutes to 40.

I believe all three --helium (He)(lighter than air), nitrogen (N2)(same as air), and argon (Ar)(heavier than air)-- are equally effective. You will be using them in a controlled environment (the exit bag(eb)), and so long as you have enough gas to complete the job --15Lpm flow for 40 min (a 22cuft cylinder theoretically has 41 minutes worth of gas) any of the three should do the job.

If I understand correctly, the initial use of He with an eb was because the gas, being lighter than air, would have an easier time leaving the lungs, and thus would leave no trace on an autopsy. Assuming your friends removed the apparatus, eb/He would appear to be a "natural" death, no one would look for signs of suicide, and your compassionate friends wouldn't find themselves in deep trouble.

He was also easily obtained from a party supplies store. Then the balloon gas companies started diluting it 20% with air, for whatever reason (pro-lifers, He is expensive and in limited supply, etc.), and that avenue closed. However, if you still want to use He for whatever reason, pure He is still available from welding supply stores: air contamination is unacceptible in welding supplies. That said, autopsy tests have been developed that will show markers of He asphyxiation, and the method is now well enough known that if a coroner chooses to look, eb/He is no longer so annonymous as it once was, and using He is no longer the imperative it once was. He is also more expensive than Ar and N2.

But the weight of He did not factor into its efficacy, and I doubt the weight of Ar would either.

N2 and Ar are both easily available from welding supply stores, and N2 is available through beer brewing suppliers.

 

[Final Escape]

Great post, thanks for sharing. I'm interested in why are you using a mask instead of a bag? I worry if my body will react strangely when I'm unconscious like kick the tank over or something. Or lean on a strange angle and the bag will fall off. Do you think this method would be ok lying in bed?

This is my fear as well. I was going to tape my arms down lol! I'm not trying to be funny, I know it's serious. Making it funny helps me not take it so seriously. Coping mechanism.

 

[Singing In The Rain]

Sadly renting the cylinders is quite expensive and I am around family a lot right now so I can't have a cylinder sitting in the boot of my car..

Is it ok to lie the gas cylinder tanks on their side?. I plan on leaving mine in my car too for when I need it.

 

[TiredHorse]

Is it ok to lie the gas cylinder tanks on their side?. I plan on leaving mine in my car too for when I need it.

Yes, that's just fine with N2 or Ar. (Not that it's applicable here, but it is not okay with some other gasses, like acetylene.) Just make sure you have it really well secured; you do not want it getting banged around while you're driving. If that valve gets damaged, the cylinder can turn into a live missile. Even if the valve only gets a bit jostled, it might leak out all the gas --and then where would you be?

 

[worldexploder]

Now that's a set up of my dreams! Good luck with everything. I hope peace finds you well when you decide to go.

 

[scales]

Wow this is a very cool setup and your instructions very clear. You're very creative. Thank you for sharing.

Edit: could you possibly link that dignitas document?

 

[onewayroad]

Great post, thanks for sharing. I'm interested in why are you using a mask instead of a bag? I worry if my body will react strangely when I'm unconscious like kick the tank over or something. Or lean on a strange angle and the bag will fall off. Do you think this method would be ok lying in bed?

There's a documented case in the medical literature of a guy who used nitrogen and a diving mask while lying in bed, so it'd probably work.

I believe all three --helium (He)(lighter than air), nitrogen (N2)(same as air), and argon (Ar)(heavier than air)-- are equally effective. You will be using them in a controlled environment (the exit bag(eb)), and so long as you have enough gas to complete the job --15Lpm flow for 40 min (a 22cuft cylinder theoretically has 41 minutes worth of gas) any of the three should do the job.

If I understand correctly, the initial use of He with an eb was because the gas, being lighter than air, would have an easier time leaving the lungs, and thus would leave no trace on an autopsy. Assuming your friends removed the apparatus, eb/He would appear to be a "natural" death, no one would look for signs of suicide, and your compassionate friends wouldn't find themselves in deep trouble.

He was also easily obtained from a party supplies store. Then the balloon gas companies started diluting it 20% with air, for whatever reason (pro-lifers, He is expensive and in limited supply, etc.), and that avenue closed. However, if you still want to use He for whatever reason, pure He is still available from welding supply stores: air contamination is unacceptible in welding supplies. That said, autopsy tests have been developed that will show markers of He asphyxiation, and the method is now well enough known that if a coroner chooses to look, eb/He is no longer so annonymous as it once was, and using He is no longer the imperative it once was. He is also more expensive than Ar and N2.

But the weight of He did not factor into its efficacy, and I doubt the weight of Ar would either.

N2 and Ar are both easily available from welding supply stores, and N2 is available through beer brewing suppliers.

In my opinion N2 and Ar are slightly better than helium because helium doesn't have anaesthetic properties but N2 and Ar both do. Also He is often mixed with air these days.

Wow this is a very cool setup and your instructions very clear. You're very creative. Thank you for sharing.

Edit: could you possibly link that dignitas document?

Sure, I'll just have to find it.

Edit: Here it is

 

[TiredHorse]

In my opinion N2 and Ar are slightly better than helium because helium doesn't have anaesthetic properties but N2 and Ar both do. Also He is often mixed with air these days.

Neither N2 nor Ar have any aesthetic properties. They are inert, and cause the same hypoxic euphoria as anyone would experience during any hypoxic blackout --partial, nnm, etc. He. would do the same.

He. is only mixed with air when it is sold for party balloons. If you buy it from a welding supply store, it is pure; as a shielding gas, it is imperative that it not have air contamination.

 

[Singing In The Rain]

Here's a case of someone using argon for suicide:
https://www.islandecho.co.uk/university-dean-committed-suicide-bembridge-caravan-using-argon-gas/

If you guys know of any more cases, please post the links.

I'm interested in argon cause I know where to get it easily where I am.

 

[onewayroad]

Neither N2 nor Ar have any aesthetic properties. They are inert, and cause the same hypoxic euphoria as anyone would experience during any hypoxic blackout --partial, nnm, etc. He. would do the same.

He. is only mixed with air when it is sold for party balloons. If you buy it from a welding supply store, it is pure; as a shielding gas, it is imperative that it not have air contamination.

I know it's weird because they're inert, but they do have some anaesthetic capacity. Xenon seems to be greater than nitrogen and argon. Edit: nitrogen and argon don't appear to have much anaesthetic effect at 1 atmosphere. If only it was so easy to buy Xenon!

"How some noble and diatomic gases produce anesthesia remains unknown. Although these gases have apparently minimal capacities to interact with a putative anesthetic site, xenon is a clinical anesthetic, and argon, krypton, and nitrogen produce anesthesia at hyperbaric pressures. In contrast, neon, helium, and hydrogen do not cause anesthesia at partial pressures up to their convulsant thresholds."

The way I see it, if you're going to a welding supply store to buy helium you might as well buy argon or nitrogen. Personally I feel that argon being heavier than air makes it easier to handle too, like pre-filling a mask or bag before you put it on.

 

[TiredHorse]

I know it's weird because they're inert, but they do have some anaesthetic capacity. Xenon seems to be greater than nitrogen and argon.

"How some noble and diatomic gases produce anesthesia remains unknown. Although these gases have apparently minimal capacities to interact with a putative anesthetic site, xenon is a clinical anesthetic, and argon, krypton, and nitrogen produce anesthesia at hyperbaric pressures. In contrast, neon, helium, and hydrogen do not cause anesthesia at partial pressures up to their convulsant thresholds."

The way I see it, if you're going to a welding supply store to buy helium you might as well buy argon or nitrogen. Personally I feel that argon being heavier than air makes it easier to handle too, like pre-filling a mask or bag before you put it on.

Well I'll be dipped. I've learned something new. Thank you, Onewayroad.

I would offer one correction, though: Ar might work better with a mask arrangement --such as this thread is predicated on-- but with a typical exit bag, where it is intended to be inflated above your head, like a giant shower cap, N2 or He would be more effective than Ar.

 

[onewayroad]

Well I'll be dipped. I've learned something new. Thank you, Onewayroad.

I would offer one correction, though: Ar might work better with a mask arrangement --such as this thread is predicated on-- but with a typical exit bag, where it is intended to be inflated above your head, like a giant shower cap, N2 or He would be more effective than Ar.

Ah yeah, N2 or He would probably work a lot better than Ar for an exit bag. I'd say Ar would also be more likely to leak out of the bottom of an exit bag too. But ultimately I'd say if you did everything correctly they'd all work with either a bag or a mask. But yeah some are better suited than others.

 

[creationisdeath]

I don't know about the method itself but it looks really well made! Would be awesome if this were available to buy on the cheap.

Good luck with your method and good sleep!

 

[Singing In The Rain]

Ah yeah, N2 or He would probably work a lot better than Ar for an exit bag. I'd say Ar would also be more likely to leak out of the bottom of an exit bag too. But ultimately I'd say if you did everything correctly they'd all work with either a bag or a mask. But yeah some are better suited than others.

Is that why you are using a mask instead of a bag for Ar, in case the Ar leaks out the bottom of the bag...

 

[onewayroad]

Is that why you are using a mask instead of a bag for Ar, in case the Ar leaks out the bottom of the bag...

No it's just personal preference mainly. I feel like I'd be more comfortable putting on a mask than putting a bag over my head, and I feel it's a little less gruesome for the person who finds my body for me to be wearing a mask than having a bag tied over my head. Other than that it's pretty much personal preference. Don't wanna die with a plastic bag over my head haha

 

[Nitromask]

Where is the air that you breath out going to go? Only ask as I'm intrigued, as I am using a similar method, except I plan on using a respirator so that the air I breathe out leaves the mask. Won't the mask just fill up and break the seal?

EDIT: oops didn't realize this thread was so old!

 

[Violet]

Argon should be just as effective as helium and nitrogen. I keep argon in my shop for preventing the partial cans of expensive paint and varnish from skinning over. Argon works a bit better than nitrogen in this application because it's heavier than air, so will settle in the cans to cover the surface of the paint. Nitrogen is a similar weight to air, less likely to settle out of any gaps in my exit bag, so I'm using N2 to ctb. Nitrogen is also a bit cheaper where I am.

i´am afraid of argon could cause asfixia feeling...