Don’t Flame Your Mask! (per Undercurrent.org / May 2018 Issue)

[scubafanatic]

Don’t Flame Your Mask.

Last month, we report-ed that a few Hollis masks had shattered when a diver hit the water, and now we believe we have found the culprit: not the mask, but the diver.

During manufacturing, a silicone release agent is deposited on the glass, and a diver needs to remove it by polishing the inside surface to prevent the mask from fogging up.

Some divers think they can burn off that silicone deposit with a cigarette lighter, but this weakens the tempered glass and can result in a frameless single face-plate mask shattering on impact with the water.

This is especially so if the strap is pulled so tight it stresses the weakened glass.

The proper way to remove the film is to polish the glass with a gentle abrasive such as old-fashioned white toothpaste.

This applies to all masks.

 

[npole]

OK...

 

[northernone]

Blaming the end user instead of pushing for a product recall... Why am I not surprised?

 

[JohnnyC]

You would have to hold the lighter in one spot long enough to get the glass to annealing temperature. That's like, 400-500 degrees celsius. Who is burning their mask like that?

The danger with burning masks is that if you're not careful, you can mess up the skirt. You're not going to remove the temper of the glass in a mask by using a cigarette lighter unless you're specifically trying to.

 

[hroark2112]

You would have to hold the lighting in one spot long enough to get the glass to annealing temperature. That's like, 400-500 degrees celsius. Who is burning their mask like that?

The danger with burning masks is that if you're not careful, you can mess up the skirt. You're not going to remove the temper of the glass in a mask by using a cigarette lighter unless you're specifically trying to.

Let's not get all sciency here...it's obviously the diver's fault for owning a lighter in the first place.

It's NEVER the manufacturer's fault. Never!!

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

We've never gotten any negative feedback on results with our video

 

[Soloist]

The residual chemical film from the manufacturing process has been a known issue for years. Special cleaning agents, scrubs, and countless techniques to remove this film have been marketed and prescribed. If the buyer fails to remove the film they can expect the mask to fog. Why is the removal of this chemical film my freaking responsibility? I have gone through numerous masks over the years and I am exhausted with the process, yet the manufacturers continue to ignore the problem. I will continue to “flame” my mask thank you.

 

[jblack]

You would have to hold the lighter in one spot long enough to get the glass to annealing temperature. That's like, 400-500 degrees celsius. Who is burning their mask like that?

The danger with burning masks is that if you're not careful, you can mess up the skirt. You're not going to remove the temper of the glass in a mask by using a cigarette lighter unless you're specifically trying to.

i know thats right! i burn them all and follow with tooth paste...... never a problem in 28 years never a foggy mask either!

 

[scubafanatic]

OK...

I'll be watching.....

 

[divad]

Don’t Flame Your Mask.

Last month, we report-ed that a few Hollis masks had shattered when a diver hit the water, and now we believe we have found the culprit: not the mask, but the diver.

During manufacturing, a silicone release agent is deposited on the glass, and a diver needs to remove it by polishing the inside surface to prevent the mask from fogging up.

Some divers think they can burn off that silicone deposit with a cigarette lighter, but this weakens the tempered glass and can result in a frameless single face-plate mask shattering on impact with the water.

This is especially so if the strap is pulled so tight it stresses the weakened glass.

The proper way to remove the film is to polish the glass with a gentle abrasive such as old-fashioned white toothpaste.

This applies to all masks.

This apparently doesn't apply to my Atomic masks....but, which "old-fashioned white abrasive toothpaste" are they recommending? Baking soda? Ipana? Crest.......