I'll offer a counterpoint: while leaded solder is easier to work with, lead-free isn't too bad if you're willing to work a little harder and deal with a lower yield (at least up front while you get the hang of it).

That said from an exposure hazard standpoint I'm far more cautious about flux than lead. Just using lead-free solder doesn't mean your whole process is safe.

>Lead in solder is not a safety hazard unless you eat it

mm. most of the leaded solder I've used has a bunch of warnings on it about washing your hands after using it before eating or smoking (most of my leaded solder usage was during a time when smoking was more common in the US)

Lead is a pretty soft metal; there are ways it can get into your system besides vaporization. And it's toxic in an extremely scary way; neurological damage is scarier than lung cancer, if you ask me.

Personally, if there were kids in the house I absolutely wouldn't ever use leaded solder. I mean, sure, if it's only you and you are careful and your stuff is in a case or otherwise not handled, maybe it's fine, but it's a very soft, reactive, toxic metal that can cause neurological damage, especially to children. There are a lot of reasons to avoid it.

I exclusively use lead-free solder and solder paste and have no problems with it; sure leaded is easier to work with, but not by much. "Lead" by example, "it's only 1 straw said 1 billion people". Gotta start somewhere.

This stuff is pretty nice, I use it all the time:

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10242

> Lead in solder is not a safety hazard unless you eat it

I'm not sure this is true. I'm entirely certain that some of the lead manages to get away from the place you're soldering. There's no guarantee that it won't end up on your hands or clothes and eventually in your food.

Granted the risk is probably infinitesimal, but modern lead-free solder is barely any harder to work with than classic leaded solders. If you set your soldering iron a smidge hotter you'll barely notice.

That said I use lead-free solder and still make a point of washing my hands after soldering. Solder has a distinct smell when used so something is getting in the air, let alone on my hands.