burning the film on your mask

[Big fish63]

can someone run me through how to do this without damaging my new mask. how long to hold the flame to it and anything else that needs to be done. thanks.

or if there is a better way to get rid of the seal apart from rubbing it after every dive, tooth paste etc.please let me know. i only get to dive on a couple of holidays a year so i want to avoid a fogged up mask..

 

[Insta-Gator]

can someone run me through how to do this without damaging my new mask. how long to hold the flame to it and anything else that needs to be done. thanks.

or if there is a better way to get rid of the seal apart from rubbing it after every dive, tooth paste etc.please let me know. i only get to dive on a couple of holidays a year so i want to avoid a fogged up mask..

I've never heard of burning anything off a mask and wouldn't think of trying it ($$$$) Use a quality mask cleaner and then, while on vacation, be sure to spit into your mask a couple of times, rub it around and then I fill it with sea water and let it sit while I suit up. This helps equalize the temp between the mask and the water. Also, learn to de-mask while under water and wipe it. It's easier with practice. My $0.02

 

[h90]

I've never heard of burning anything off a mask and wouldn't think of trying it ($$$$) Use a quality mask cleaner and then, while on vacation, be sure to spit into your mask a couple of times, rub it around and then I fill it with sea water and let it sit while I suit up. This helps equalize the temp between the mask and the water. Also, learn to de-mask while under water and wipe it. It's easier with practice. My $0.02

I had an oil film in the mask once. I guess I got it by cleaning it with oily water.
Burning it off with a lighter is a quick fix on the boat.
I had a similar problem and just filled in coke and let it stay a few minutes. But I guess on every normal boat there are better options than these.

 

[Big fish63]

yeah thanks. yeah i go through the motions as you explained everytime i have to change my mask to a new one whilst on vacation. after a while it seems it needs a lot less attention regarding stoping it from fogging. it just seems to be a breaking in period where it is annoying to say the least.

whilst away in thailand one of my friends was having trouble with his mask fogging one of the dm's suggested burning off the film ever since hes had no problems. i wasnt around to watch him do it so i dont no for sure what the process was. it was a aqua lung micro mask if that makes any difference mines a halcyon twin lense..

 

[tstormdiver]

Some other ways to clean the film off: As was mentioned earlier, the commercial mask cleaner, tooth paste, a paste of Baking soda & even dawn dish detergent. Know that you must be rather aggressive as you scrub it with your fingers, inside & out. Rinse & repeat 2- 3 times minimum. After rinsing you should hear a squeak when you run your fingers over the lenses.

 

[BKP]

I've heard whispers of this practice (holding a lighter under the lenses 'til you burn off the thin silicone film)... however, IMHO, I wouldn't even consider it.

Baby shampoo, or a non-abrasive toothpaste will do the job. After that, a little anti-fog (anything from spit to a commercial brand -- everyone has their personal preferences) before/during a dive day will take care of it.

 

[Jeff Toorish]

I burn off the film on new masks. A dive instructor in Dominican Republic showed me the trick --Just take a bic lighter and move the flame around inside mask. Don't hover over the silicone areas of course, just hover over the glass. You will see a sort of black soot begin to develop where the inside coating is burning off.

This is the way I prepare new masks, I have done it a dozen times at least and never had a single problem --and it is far more effective than using cleaners and abrasives.

It works great.

After you are finished burning off the coating, just wash the mask in soap and water and you should be all set.

Jeff

 

[Big fish63]

cheers jeff.

 

[Mark Michaud SELAUSAR]

Jeff is right. It works and will not harm your mask. Of course, don't hold the flame on the rubber. You aren't gonna hurt glass with a flame using this method. I had a mask that I couldn't get clean and tried the burning method. It is now my favorite mask. I use a long bic lighter. Today's masks get a lot of crap on them from mass production. All you need to do is pass the flame along the mask, and short contact with the rubber is not gonna hurt it either. Most of the time you see the stuff burning off the glass, but on one of my masks I didn't but it still cleaaned it. Scrub the mask afterward and you should be good.

 

[Dr Neil]

So how do you clean off the soot?

Soft Scrub and a toothbrush will work better and your mom won't get mad at you for playing with fire.