Using Nikwax Has Stripped The Seam Tape From My Kit...Advice Please...

Toddy

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Jan 21, 2005
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Russ said it worked well too, but it wasn't great on Himself's jacket. :dunno: I don't know if it was the mix, the fabric (goretex) or something else, but it was almost 'crispy'.

M
 

weekender

Full Member
Feb 26, 2006
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Crispy doesn't sound good😉 maybe I will try it on a small section first and see?
Thanks


Sent from somewhere?
 

Toddy

Mod
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Jan 21, 2005
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I would, I really would.
I told HWMBLT that this was what other folks were doing and getting good results from, but well, put it this way, I'm glad it was an old jacket we were trying to rescue.

If you get it to work well, let me know how you did it ?

M
 

Macaroon

A bemused & bewildered
Jan 5, 2013
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SE Wales
Russ said it worked well too, but it wasn't great on Himself's jacket. :dunno: I don't know if it was the mix, the fabric (goretex) or something else, but it was almost 'crispy'.M

I'm fairly sure the issue here would have been the quality of the silicone sealant used, there are many different ones and you need to have the pure silicone stuff; the other thing I've known to go wrong is the mixing of the sealant and the white spirit, you really have to go to town with a powered paint or plaster mixer for a very long time for this to work properly. The mix can look right but not be anywhere near as thoroughly done as it needs to be.

I'll try and dig up a link from a long time ago on how it's to be done properly but it won't be tonight, I'm afraid.
 

BushBerks

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Jun 19, 2015
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Berkshire
I haven't read this entire thread yet, but will when I get some time later...
All I can say is that I'm looking for an alternative to Nikwax products, after losing my triple point jacket and spray way trousers to tx direct this year.. It absolutely destroyed the backing on both garments!

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mrcharly

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 25, 2011
3,257
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North Yorkshire, UK
I find this really hard to believe. I've used Nikwax washing and proofing products for donkeys years and never had any product damage. As far as I know, the nikwax wash is just a mild soap (no detergent). It certainly smells the same as pure soap flakes.
 

BushBerks

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Jun 19, 2015
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Berkshire
The wash was fine. It was the tx direct that did the damage. When I proofed the jacket, I assumed it was an issue with the tripplepoint, as there were a lot of reports online of the same problem, but then months later to have the exact same issue with the trousers, which were a completely different fabric? Neither of these garments were particularly old, or heavily used.

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Jul 30, 2012
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Treat the bivvy after you seam tape it.

I washed my bivvy in non bio liquid then nikwax and tumble dried it hot and the tape came off it, which was the material sort of tape, probably because of the tumble drier being too hot for old tape. I tried ironing it back on, but given it had mold on the face of the seam tape, I think it was past its best. The bivvy bag was not treated, so some more nikwax, and still not treated. So I decided to start afresh by washing;
1)biological wash that does absolutely destroy nikwax
2)non bio, basically soap like tekwash or soapflakes to get rid of the bio residue,
3)nikwax to proof, on a cold wash slow spin.
4)bio in the washing machine to get rid of the nikwax in there.

Still unproofed, due to the great rinse and spin cycle I think, so warm water in a bowl, nikwax and submerge for 15 minutes, then a warm rince in a bowl to get rid of the exess, otherwise it will not breathe. Left to dry lying flat to make sure the coating did not drain off. Some more seam seal material type,(15m) and 4 hours later it was proofed but not sealed. The nikwax on the waterproof base was stopping the seam tape glue fixing. Wipe it round with meths on the base and seal. The bag has now been reproofed and resealed sucessfully.

The material is eventlite, and changes colour with the ammount of wax on the surface. It's fun and games
 

baggins

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Apr 20, 2005
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With regards to Snowseal, i use it to treat my pac boots and it seems to be very good, wore them in deep slushy snow this year and my feet were nice and dry. i believe it is mainly a mixture of paraffin and bees wax, with a few oils added. smells lovely when putting it on, lol!
 

Angst

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Apr 15, 2010
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thanks for your input everyone....interesting....

and bushberks....i've also noticed today that the inner surface of my older poncho has been partially stripped off in patches all over the surface....

as has been said, it may well have been the tx....either way its fair to say that theres a decent risk of fabric and/or seam-tape damage on older/used items, which most army surplus stuff is...gotta admit i'll be keeping my ears open for alternatives and thanks to all this i've also decided not to use nikwax on my boots and have gone with macs recommendation and bought some altberg leder gris...

s
 

BushBerks

Member
Jun 19, 2015
47
0
Berkshire
thanks for your input everyone....interesting....

and bushberks....i've also noticed today that the inner surface of my older poncho has been partially stripped off in patches all over the surface....

as has been said, it may well have been the tx....either way its fair to say that theres a decent risk of fabric and/or seam-tape damage on older/used items, which most army surplus stuff is...gotta admit i'll be keeping my ears open for alternatives and thanks to all this i've also decided not to use nikwax on my boots and have gone with macs recommendation and bought some altberg leder gris...

s
Had it disintegrated into tiny bits? Almost like a powdered wash that hadn't been properly rinsed?

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mrcharly

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 25, 2011
3,257
45
North Yorkshire, UK
You know I'm suspect that the damage was done by something else. Insect repellent (DEET being particularly bad for this) or sunblock. Washed was just the final straw.

I suspect this because I've had multiple goretex and coated garments over 20-odd years and the only one that has had problems like you described was exposed to a lot of solvents (diesel, petrol, oil etc). All of them got treated with Nikwax.
 

mrcharly

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 25, 2011
3,257
45
North Yorkshire, UK
There is no doubt about the damage DEET can do. This chap did a straightforward test:
http://sectionhiker.com/deet-dissolves-breathable-fabrics-experimental-results/

A quote from 3M
DEET should also not be applied to synthetic fabrics such as rayon or to plastics, because it can damage these products
And from 'jungle formula'
Products containing DEET can cause damage to clothes and so direct contact should be avoided.

I'm not sure how on earth you are supposed to apply this stuff and not get it on clothes.

Sunblock is weird. I've had it damage the plastic on spectacle frames and ruin a mobile phone (the outer plastic cover came off the buttons, where I'd got sunblock on them from my fingers).
 

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