How to trim drysuit seals

[Jaaron82]

Just purchased my first drysuit and would like suggestions on methods used for determining how much to cut and how to cut seals properly. Thanks

 

[vladodessit]

What kinda seals do you have?

 

[Jaaron82]

Silicone

 

[Jaaron82]

I get the idea of a clean cut just not sure how tight they should be

 

[divezonescuba]

Stretch the seal onto some circular object. Build up the seal where you need to cut with blue tape as a shoulder / guide. Most importantly use a fiskar circular cutter. Once you start cutting keep rotating the cutter and the round object. Don’t stop or you will have an uneven lip.

Cut one ring at a time. Silicone stretches really well. Unless you have huge wrists, you may not need to cut anything.

If you have a replaceable seal system it won’t be traumatic if you make a mistake.

 

[happy-diver]

Unless they're squeezing the blood completely out immediately
you must dive the suit first, as the seals puff up out and loosen.

PIA

I have two pairs, two sizes of scissors dedicated to my drysuits

A practiced seamstress of many years you see
but nothing you can't practice, on the first ring

 

[rhwestfall]

Start small, you can't go back....

 

[Jaaron82]

I was able to get the neck and wrist seals on and although it was tight it wasn’t crazy tight or constricting that I could tell , maybe a little tight on the neck. I do have user replaceable seals but hopefully won’t screw things up and waste a perfectly good new set of seals. This is my first suit so I have no experience with what “ feels right “

 

[boulderjohn]

I have not trimmed a seal since I switched to silicone. If you have the right size, you shouldn't have to.

 

[Marie13]

Very very sharp scissors