25
When mine gets too bad I use WD40 to free it up, then clean with soapy water and a brush. Mine also goes through the dishwasher sometimes, with the blades partially open. If it gets gummed up with sugary stuff (your candy, or cutting up fruit) a good soak in hot water will free up the blades.
After cleaning it is a good time to sharpen it. If the hinges ...
25
Where I live, we just take such shoes to a Cobbler and he stitches the sole with the shoe all the way around within 30 minutes for negligible amount of money.
And the shoes get a new life. Your boots are good candidates for that treatment and will give you a few more years after that.
The cobbler is more suited to tell you whether that treatment will help ...
22
My experience with gluing boots and shoes is that it never does the job for long. Whilst this may to some extent be down to the glue I've used, I think it is also due to the surfaces having been glued in the past.
The surfaces will have the old glue that has failed still present. This means you'll have to thorough remove the old glue. If you don't, then any ...
17
There are 3 ways I've found of finding a leak in an air mattress:
Soapy Water - It may not be likely, but perhaps you have some camp soap or something similar that you can use to make a soapy mixture that will bubble near the leak.
Submerged - I know you said not near a large body of water, but even if you have just a small stream you may be able to dam up ...
17
They were glued when they were originally made, there's no particular reason they shouldn't be reglued now. It's better than having no shoes or the heel flapping about as you walk.
Though the glue that was used the first time obviously has a limited lifespan, perhaps look for a better one.
Whether it's reliable or not is really down to the quality of the ...
15
Do you have 2 split rings (keyrings) with you? If so, here's how to make a buckle like that (or rather its D-ring predecessor):
Attach both split rings to the upper strap, where the old buckle is/was. Pass the lower strap up through both split rings and back through the first.
Here's an ASCII-art sketch before you pull it tight:
-----
| //|
...
15
The producer offers a page of care instructions on their website (here) (PDF). The gist is:
don't use a dishwasher, that might be too aggressive
open and close the blade multiple times in warm water
dry thoroughly
put some oil on the friction points (where the blades rotate), open and close multiple times
@chris-h's answer is also spot on. I, too, use a ...
11
Sometimes you don't have a place to submerge your pad to find leaks, or it's just too cumbersome to do so. Here is a method for leak-finding that can be done at home or in the field:
(Note the location: in a crease that is repeatedly stressed, being by the valve. Also note the difference between bubbles from suds and the bubble from the leak.)
Fill a ...
11
Take a bath.
Fill the bath tub with water and the pad with air, and put the pad underwater (if it's too big to all go under at once, check section by section). You should see bubbles coming out of the leak.
10
Slightly different take here: prevention
You should regularly inspect the pack
The joining of straps to seams. Can you see stitching? Can the strap move independently of the seam (even a little)? This is easy to reinforce. I turn it inside out, add a piece of fabric over the inside seam, and stitch just a bit past the original (note this can only ...
10
Gelcoat cracking is pretty much a fact of life in boat ownership. The sun and water is a tough environment. However, gelcoat cracking is usually not too concerning as long as it is fixed right away.
While you could probably get by for awhile just slathering some new gelcoat or epoxy over the crack, if there is any moisture trapped in the cracked area, you'...
10
My Merrell boots came apart like yours after a few years. I glued the soles back on with Gorilla Glue (original version, amber polyurethane) and they're still holding strong after several more years. If you use this glue, be sure to follow the directions and moisten one of the surfaces with water before gluing.
10
I've had nice boots glued properly - the local shoe-mender took a look and said "this needs three-day glue, come back on Friday" Wasn't particularly expensive either.
Those boots lasted years more, so it was definitely worth doing. I don't think that any glue you can buy in a hardware store will do the job well-enough though.
I also should add that ...
9
My personal recommendation would be to use Super/Krazy Glue for any small "cracks" in the rubber. I have successfully used it on rubber and it is quite effective!
for the slightly larger holes than cannot be filled using a liquid glue, I would recommend the following:
Apply a Gore-Tex or similar patch along with some "Shoe-Goo" or similar product. **After ...
9
The main issue with repairing plastic hulls is that is that most adhesives don't bond very well to the plastic. For temporary repairs duct tape is the way to go. Its quite adhesive and waterproof. If the hole is too big use the duct tape to secure something else waterproof (e.g plyboard or plastic) in place. If possible try and do both inside and out.
If ...
9
There's a product called "Tenacious Tape" which is used for fabric repair. You should be able to find it at your local outdoor store, or search for it online.
9
Testing by the QC Lab at Black Diamond suggests there is a lot more design and consideration going into cam/friend sling design than just knot vs bar tack.
Because when the Camalot was loaded during testing, the cable pinches down, and ultimately cut the webbing at loads less than we were happy with (gunnin' for 14 kN but only getting about 10 kN)
So ...
9
Often when we say "Fibreglass" we're actually referring to a composite of both fibreglass and resin (usually polyester for glass, epoxy for carbon/kevlar - sometimes glass). This is important, that resin is a distinct component was missing from the question.
The composite is formed when glass fabric is shaped in/on a mold and saturated with resin. The resin ...
9
There are several factors that can inhibit the gelcoat from curing. There is not enough information in the review to identify the specific cause. The only specific cause mentioned is stirring, if we assume the catalyst (hardener) and gelcoat where well mixed, here are some other potential causes (most common, not exhaustive).
Old Product Both the epoxy ...
8
Your best bet for sewing is to use a Speedy Stitcher. The thick gauged thread works really well in boot/shoe repairs and is easy to use. You will be punching holes through the leather which creates potential for water to invade, but the waxy thread helps eliminate this issue.
I would finish up with a coat of Sno-Seal, which is a great way to help ...
8
I believe that the best material is the same as you backpack is made of, though you may want something tougher if you are planning more scrambling over granite boulders.
There is a plenty of Cordura varieties which will meet your requirements. Make sure to choose waterproof Cordura (with a waterproof glistening film on one side, which will be the inner side ...
8
From looking at the Crazy Glue Website and from reading what it can be used for on the packages, I wouldn't try it on fabric, especially synthetic things like a rain jacket.
There does appear to be a Crazy Glue for wood and leather. Check the website.
http://www.krazyglue.com/products/product.aspx?pc=KG821
Read the directions. I have used some other ...
8
My only thought is to use them as patching material for the other self-inflating pads your kitties will puncture. Cutting them to-size for inside an animal crate or other surface you want to protect.
7
I've seen people use a soldering iron and a piece kf abs plastic to repair tears in the hull but the best answer is short and simple to use for small holes: epoxy putty.
just follow instructions on the packaging, fill the hole with a small (few mm) overlap inside and out and if you want sand down when hard and paint.
7
I think you are correct and what you see it is the polyurethane coating chemically breaking down. Warm or damp conditions will accelerate this. An example image is displayed on the Outdoor Gear Lab tent-buying page under the section discussing polyurethane coatings.
Usually this means it's time to get a new tent, although there is one thing you can try. ...
7
If it doesn't need to be pretty, a cost effective option is spinnaker repair tape (nylon cloth tape, for example, see products on this page). It is designed for repairs to yacht sails so it is durable, weatherproof and should survive a machine wash (but it wont be breathable). Stick a piece over the hole on the front and back of the fabric.
7
SilNet Seam Sealer is designed to seal the seams on nylon flysheets and can also be used glue to repair the same. See http://www.terra-nova.co.uk/tents-and-spares/all-tent-accessories/seam-sealer-glue/ for more information.
Alternatively, you could get Vango to repair the flysheet for you: http://www.vango.co.uk/gb/content/28-aftersales
6
The go to shoe repair glue I've always used is Shoe Goo. I've used it mostly for when my soles started to separate from my uppers, and it's always done the job for me.
As far as resoling your shoes, you're right in your suspicion that the "easy solution" doesn't last, Shoe Goo advertises that it can be used to rebuild worn soles, and it will for minor ...
6
Aluminum has a crystal structure and can be hardened using a process called "work hardening." Long story short, you've hardened your pole by causing dislocation movements in the crystal structure of the aluminum. If you compare your bent pole to your other poles, you'll notice that it doesn't flex as much as it used to, that is because it is now a harder ...
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