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Vaseline and vacuums…
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May 27, 2009 at 6:48 pm #1236599
So I had a bright idea the other day. Figured I should use my food vacuum sealer to vacuum seal my survival kit, minimize its size and ensure that it all stays together and dry until I really need it.
Part of my kit is a climashield/momentum hat, just over half an ounce and quite warm. Vacuuming the packaging helped reduce my kit size quite nicely. Fits nicely into the side hip pocket on my pants.
What I didn't think about was the vaseline-soaked cotton balls I have wrapped in two separate foil packets… (Foil for lightweight packaging and to maximize burn time.) The part I missed was that the vacuum process would squeeze vaseline out of the cotton balls; I also thought I had the tinder sufficiently wrapped to prevent leaking. Wrong!
Short version, I noticed a day into my weekend trip that the plastic of my survival kit had taken on a strange yellowish hue. I was bright enough to realize what had happened, cut it open, and was not delighted to find a vaseline-soaked hat (and other gear).
A couple of function and cleaning questions:
I keep a bit of 250# and 500# Spectra line wrapped around my kit; it is now soaked in vaseline. Other than making that sticky line finally smooth and slick, do you think the vaseline will degrade the strength of the line? Or perhaps even add some advantage?Other question is, what would you use to clean vaseline out of a synthetic insulated garment?
Mainly, just thought you'd get a chuckle out of the experience.
May 27, 2009 at 9:04 pm #1504018The title alone is a winner.
Not that I have any ideas on how to clean THAT heck of a mess. My brother got his entire car vaselined when he was young and it took forever to get rid of it. Though Dawn soap did a pretty good at it.
May 27, 2009 at 11:02 pm #1504034> I keep a bit of 250# and 500# Spectra line wrapped around my kit; it is now soaked in vaseline. Other than making that sticky line finally smooth and slick, do you think the vaseline will degrade the strength of the line? Or perhaps even add some advantage?
Spectra is hard enough to knot securely. Adding vaseline will probably make it even harder! But I can't see it doing anything to the strength of the line. Very sliding knots though.
> would you use to clean vaseline out of a synthetic insulated garment?
Blimey.
Atsko Sports Wash, possibly twice.Cheers
May 27, 2009 at 11:45 pm #1504046I think I might give up on the hat. How about a hat stove experiment? :-)
It's always a sad thing losing a long loved hat. Like parting with an old friend. Many years ago I was at an outdoor party and someone trod on my bag in the dark, bursting a pot of yogurt over my beloved felt trilby. :-(
May 28, 2009 at 4:54 am #1504061> bursting a pot of yogurt over my beloved felt trilby
So? Lick it off.Cheers
May 28, 2009 at 5:51 am #1504065It wasn't my usual bag, and I forgot about it for a few weeks after I got home….
It was a good party though.
May 29, 2009 at 7:53 am #1504314I'm glad Mr. Caffin didn't suggest I lick the Vaseline off my hat…
I like the hat stove experiment idea! But there's just something about the smell of burning plastics in the morning…
Reckon it's time to rework the kit a bit. Next idea is to individually vacuum seal tinders, then vacuum that package into the kit.
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