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Cleaning kevlar wicks.. necessary?

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#159383 - 17/10/03 10:21 PM cleaning kevlar wicks.. necessary?
Red_RaveN Neo - Hippie Registered: 08/06/03 Loc: Sala, Slovakia	I've made me a pair of kevlar chains and spun with them for a while. Now they're all black from fuel ashes(or whatever it is..) What I'd like to know is that whether it is useful to clean them and if yes, what is the best way to do so? _________________________ Smile.. It confuses people..:) Wonders never cease as long as you never cease to wonder.
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#159384 - 17/10/03 11:00 PM Re: cleaning kevlar wicks.. necessary?
borismcnorris professional pedant Registered: 24/07/03 Loc: Bristol	i've had my fire poi now for about 4 months and have never cleaned the wicks (they're kevlar too) and they still burn as well as the day i got them! having said that, im sure there are people on here who spin a lot more often than i do so its not a definative answer. happy spinning with your new poi tho where did you buy all the stuff? from the HoP store? _________________________ A warrior always returns to the fray. He never does so out of stubbornness, but because he has noticed a change in the weather - Paulo Coelho
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#159385 - 17/10/03 11:48 PM Re: cleaning kevlar wicks.. necessary?
Forau member Registered: 23/08/03 Loc: EIndhoven, Holland	Hm, I really shouldn't know how to clean it. Should you take it appart an clean the whole strip of kevlar? Or just the outside? Good question.
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#159386 - 18/10/03 01:30 AM Re: cleaning kevlar wicks.. necessary?
vanize Lord Ballchain Registered: 21/08/01 Loc: Austin, Texas	If you ever take wicks apart, you will find that the kevlar is basically pritine excpet for the exposed areas. As for cleaning, I never have after years of using kevlar and wouldn't recommened it. The first thing you will probably notice about seasoned kevlar wicks if you do try to clean them is that they are basically water proof. If you take some older wicks and dunk them in a bucket of water - they will float (unless you have a metal core or something) and water will ball up on them like rain off a ducks back because of all the residual petroluem products in the kevlar. You don't really want them to lose this property, and cleaning with soap would either be ineffective or make them no longer waterproof. _________________________ -v- Wiederstand ist Zwecklos!
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#159387 - 18/10/03 05:10 AM Re: cleaning kevlar wicks.. necessary?
MikeIcon Pooh-Bah Registered: 27/03/03 Loc: Philadelphia, PA - USA	No, you definately dont want to clean them. That would just ruin them. _________________________ Let's turn those old bridges we crossed into ashes. We'll blaze a new trail, and torch the rough patches. -Me
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#159388 - 18/10/03 07:12 AM Re: cleaning kevlar wicks.. necessary?
Red_RaveN Neo - Hippie Registered: 08/06/03 Loc: Sala, Slovakia	Thx people!! That helped... I just wanted to clean them causer thez leave black marks on clothes... quote: where did you buy all the stuff? from the HoP store? We have a "Magic Shop" in Slovakia where they also sell all kinds of spinning stuff inc. kevlar... Not as good as the HoP store but better than nothing! _________________________ Smile.. It confuses people..:) Wonders never cease as long as you never cease to wonder.
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#159389 - 18/10/03 07:23 AM Re: cleaning kevlar wicks.. necessary?
KristieEB member Registered: 17/09/03 Loc: Oakland, CA	take a pair of socks and wrap them up after they have cooled off. this not only makes them hurt less when they bop your head, but it keeps the clothes clean and protects your wicks from abrasion and will make them last longer. wash the socks as needed, when they get too sooty or smell too much like fuel.
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#159390 - 18/10/03 10:48 AM Re: cleaning kevlar wicks.. necessary?
vanize Lord Ballchain Registered: 21/08/01 Loc: Austin, Texas	I second the sock motion. I put socks over mine just to store them actually, regardless of whether I am going to practice with them or not. _________________________ -v- Wiederstand ist Zwecklos!
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#159391 - 20/10/03 02:00 PM Re: cleaning kevlar wicks.. necessary?
Ade Are we there yet? Registered: 14/03/01 Loc: australia	There are actually people who clean their wicks, and as far as I can tell cleaning doesn't ruin the kevlar... I have seen a pair of wicks that were 'accidently' cleaned by leaving them in the rain and then in the sun to dry. I was amazed at the brightness of the flame after this cleansing and posted a thread about it... Cleaning wick discussion
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#159392 - 20/10/03 02:27 PM Re: cleaning kevlar wicks.. necessary?
Gnor Carpal \'Tunnel Registered: 31/03/03 Loc: Perth	Alfoil over the wicks keeps you clean and the car as well. _________________________ Is it the Truth? Is it Fair to all concerned? Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships? Will it be Beneficial to all concerned? Im in a lonely battle with the world with a fish to match the chip on my shoulder. Gnu in Binnu in a cnu
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#159393 - 22/10/03 03:44 AM Re: cleaning kevlar wicks.. necessary?
Xanath member Registered: 01/09/03 Loc: strongsville, ohio, usa	If your concerned about black marks on clothes, stop using kerosine. White gas will signifigantly decrease the amount of soot and residue on your wicks. If you feel like cleaning the soot off the method i found that works decent, for one night when you spin burn them in nothing but white gas. This will burn off a good portion of the soot. You'll still get black marks on clothes because its just the nature of the beast but they wont be as numerous or black or as stinky. _________________________ Power percieved is power achieved.
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#159394 - 22/10/03 04:32 AM Re: cleaning kevlar wicks.. necessary?
[Nx?] Scoiattolo de mare Registered: 05/11/01 Loc: Europe,Scotland,Both	If you havent got black marks on most of your clothing then your not spinning enough! anyone who has seen my trousers will understand.... Scruff _________________________ This is a post by tom, all spelling is deleberate -><- Kallisti
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#159395 - 22/10/03 04:57 AM Re: cleaning kevlar wicks.. necessary?
borismcnorris professional pedant Registered: 24/07/03 Loc: Bristol	quote: Originally posted by KristieEB: take a pair of socks and wrap them up after they have cooled off. this not only makes them hurt less when they bop your head, but it keeps the clothes clean and protects your wicks from abrasion and will make them last longer. waht a great idea. can't believe I never thought of that. no more soot marks for me!! and less laundry too! _________________________ A warrior always returns to the fray. He never does so out of stubbornness, but because he has noticed a change in the weather - Paulo Coelho
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#159396 - 22/10/03 08:50 AM Re: cleaning kevlar wicks.. necessary?
Deimos Cinnamon Girl Registered: 22/08/03 Loc: Hfx, NS, Canada	I should have though of cleaning my last set of wicks! I did kind of a dumb thing and kept throwing coffe mate at them to make fire balls but eventually all the crispy coffee mate built up. It didn't seem to affect the burnination, but I could just be inobservant. _________________________ PLU*R
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#159397 - 24/10/03 05:15 AM Re: cleaning kevlar wicks.. necessary?
Austin member Registered: 03/09/02 Loc: South East London	when you clean your wicks you take away the soot that helps soak more fuel. If you notice that when you have you second burn after not usin your poi for a few days the flame will be significantly better. Also during cleaning you could actually damage the wicks by scrubbing etc. And if you dont wanna put socks over your poi, wear dark clothes
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#159398 - 29/10/03 11:02 AM Re: cleaning kevlar wicks.. necessary?
ecofairy member Registered: 15/10/03 Loc: Cardiff UK	Can you imagen how long it would take? , Silly idea. Really it would take a stupidly long time and then what would you have ? a clean set of poi which will last only untill the next time you light up, then ucky again/ ellexxx _________________________ The earth isn't dying its being murdered and the people killing it have names and addresses!
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#159399 - 29/10/03 08:01 PM Re: cleaning kevlar wicks.. necessary?
Red_RaveN Neo - Hippie Registered: 08/06/03 Loc: Sala, Slovakia	quote: If you havent got black marks on most of your clothing then your not spinning enough! about 1 liter of fuel just for me..? but you are right, I still want more: o ) quote: take a pair of socks and wrap them up after they have cooled off. this not only makes them hurt less when they bop your head, but it keeps the clothes clean and protects your wicks from abrasion and will make them last longer. wash the socks as needed, when they get too sooty or smell too much like fuel. bangs head against keyboard Why didn't I think of that earlier..? : o ( But great idea... quote: Can you imagen how long it would take? , Silly idea. Really it would take a stupidly long time and then what would you have ? a clean set of poi which will last only untill the next time you light up, then ucky again/ no, I can't... That's why I wantede to know if there's a easy method.. But seems that the socks will work quite fine for somebody as lazy as me : o ) _________________________ Smile.. It confuses people..:) Wonders never cease as long as you never cease to wonder.
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#159400 - 20/11/06 02:25 AM Re: cleaning kevlar wicks.. necessary? [Re: Red_RaveN]
Mr_Chutney Tosser Registered: 18/04/03 Loc: Herefordshire	I've been thinking about this- cleaning some rope I have- not because I want clean wicks, but because I want to untie and re-tie some monkey fists and I don't fancy doing so with messy kevlar- aside from the impracticality and waterprrof issues (which do seem rather problematic) does rinsing and drying kevlar actually kill it? I have tried using latex gloves to handle wicks previously and didn't find them to be that good for all the intricate pushing and pulling necessary.
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#159401 - 20/11/06 06:37 PM Re: cleaning kevlar wicks.. necessary? [Re: Mr_Chutney]
Mr Majestik CarpalTunnel hunter. Registered: 09/03/04 Loc: home of the tiney toothy bear	it shoudnt kill it. i've just been reading through the info on kevlar and its inventor in this thread and the wikipedia page says that wet kevlar in armour may not be as effective at stopping bullets, however it doesnt mention if, once dryed, it regains its strength. i'd be of the opinion that if wetting kevlar weakens it then once dry it probably still wouldnt be quite as strong as it was beforehand. _________________________ "but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?" jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley
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#159402 - 27/11/06 04:51 AM Re: cleaning kevlar wicks.. necessary? [Re: Mr_Chutney]
funnyangel member Registered: 18/09/06 Loc: north yorkshire	methinks your just gonna habve to get your hands dirts. howevr, i have found that babywipes get rid of soot really well. (faster that soap and water anyhoo)
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