Karra Issues

[guru'sfateh]

Vaheguru ji ka khalsa Vaheguru ji ki fateh,

If you are wearing a steel kara then that is what is most likely reacting badly with your skin, it isn't really a problem for humans to wear iron as our bodies naturally hold iron component (lots in our blood).. so try a completely iron kara. Also the kara should be worn on the wrist.

Vaheguru ji ka khalsa Vaheguru ji ki fateh.

[guru'sfateh]

I forgot to add: the power of ardas is so amazing, your friend was right to advise you to pray.

[Guest _Singh_]

if all other avenues fail ie trying a sarbloh kara or trying to put some kind of coating on the kara and you still keep getting rash...i'd suggest you place a kara in your dastar, or try to tie it to your gatra.

its not ideal but Guru ji knows everything and that what counts.

[Bhajan_preet]

Nickel is one of the most common causes of allergic contact dermatitis; a skin inflammation resulting in swollen, reddened and itchy skin due to direct contact with an allergen.

Large amounts of nickel (often 8%) is added to stainless steel so that a hard oxide forms on the metal surface to inhibit corrosion. This is true with other kinds of steel as well, not just stainless steel, that's just the example :lol:

You can get 100% nickel free steel stuff, but I don't know where from...

Or go with the straight up iron karra's--a lot of people argue that it's supposed to be 100% sarab loh anyways.

[Knight Singh]

couple of options...

1. is it a karra that rusts easily? if thats the kind then go in for the stainless steel karas..they are more expensive but the wont cause you any rash.

2. get special karas made for youself...they will cost you some amt of money by then it will last you a lift time...

3. some people wear a silver one...though under normal circumstances it is not accepted...in yr case its a differenst sorty...no one will say ok do it...you have tomake the decision yrself....its your relation with the guru..you have to make the decision how you want to maintain it..

4. the other option is get a small kara and tie it in yr dastaar but be careful when you are flying...i know doctors who do that when they scrub in for surgery...no one said kara must be in the right hand...some people might believe so but that is not the panthic stand.

5. or you an sow a pocket into your gatra and put yr kara there..i know some bibeya who do that with thier kanga...

singh dont worry....amrit is not a glass vessel that breaks ...amrit is a bond between the guru and you...

welcome to the family!

Hello all,

I'm a Sikh male based in London. I've been having problems with the 'karra' for quite a few years now. No matter what karra I wear my skin reacts to it and starts giving a rash of some sort. It really gets messed up.

For this reason I have not worn a karra or any other bracelet for some time. At first I thought the inside may not be clean and germs may be contributing to it. I tried cleansing it on a regular basis but still no success.

Then someone suggested applying oil to my arm where the karra sits. Still nothing.

Physically my body is unable to tolerate the karra for any period longer than two hours.

I spoke to some other sikh dude the other day and he goes:

'pray.. yeah it'll be better'..

I mean.. COME ON! I'M LITERALLY ON THE VERGE OF HAVING MY SKIN LEFT WITH TERRIBLE DISEASE-LIKE SCARS I'M BEING TOLD TO PRAY!

Anyway,

I'm soon going to be trying out the full sikh lifestyle with the 5K's. The karra is one of the components & whereever you look it comes up time and time again.. steel bangle.

I was wondering if:

a) are wooden karra's availible?

b) can you wear that when taking amrit?

Sorry if I come across as being disrespectful or if I accidently said something which offended someone. I'm just really vexed at the moment.

[Knight Singh]

100% iron is like sand you cant amke anything out of it..anyone who has studied metals ought to know this

what we call sarbh low is low carbon steel..basically about 98% to 99% percent steel rest carob and other metals.

Nickel is one of the most common causes of allergic contact dermatitis; a skin inflammation resulting in swollen, reddened and itchy skin due to direct contact with an allergen.

Large amounts of nickel (often 8%) is added to stainless steel so that a hard oxide forms on the metal surface to inhibit corrosion. This is true with other kinds of steel as well, not just stainless steel, that's just the example :lol:

You can get 100% nickel free steel stuff, but I don't know where from...

Or go with the straight up iron karra's--a lot of people argue that it's supposed to be 100% sarab loh anyways.

[Bhajan_preet]

:lol: Thanks for that; I just did some quick searches online, and I thought that was some interesting stuff, so I posted it guess I didn't know the topic 100%

[Guest Guest]

Thank you to everyone for replying. I'll be trying out a Sarbloh karra soon. I got a 'fashionable' bracelet made recently out of 'chandi', that didnt settle either. Hopefully this sarbloh will work out. I'll get back to you all soon.

- VS

[Guest baba amarjeet singh]

its simple

just wear a sweat band and put the kara on top of that :TH:

[Guest - Gupt guy from London -]

Just wanted to update you all.

I got my karra today from India. Wore it and it turned out to be the wrong size. Now it's stuck on my hand and noway is it going to come off unless I go to the local fire brigade station (silly singh!).

Anyway, I'm going to wear it and see how the metal reacts to the skin. By this time tommorow if my skins up in flames.. I must have a serious skin condition.

It arrived rusted (seeing that it's sarbloh). So, how do you go about maintence. Do you bother getting out the old wire sponge thing to make it all nice and sparkly again or do you just leave it?

Rust & Skin --> ?

thank you.