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Scotch Gard

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Hi all, I am in the process of washing my rig while the Cypres is off for its 4 year service. Reading past posts about rig washing on dropzone a lot of people talk about using Scotch Gard.

At vast expence I have managed to get hold of a can. Not an easy task in Norway. I would really appreciate it if anyone could confirm that I have got the right stuff. :)
Regardless, I will try a bit on an old grounded rig before I try it on my proper rig.

Any feedback greatly appreciated.

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This is the one I have always used. The only difference was a sticker outside with instructions in Portuguese since it was an imported product.
http://www.amazon.com/Scotch-Guard-DS-SCOTCHGARD-Scotchgard-Safe/dp/B000I1QFI2/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1289042869&sr=8-7

I believe the original can design has changed to this:
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Scotchgard/Home/Applications/Fashion_Upholstery/Do-It-Yourself/Fabric_Protector/

At the website above you can see all types available. I believe you should not use the blue can (carpet cleaner/ protector), purple (for crafts) or the black one (car upholstery)
The can you have looks like for general application and I can’t really comment on that
Engineering Law #5: The most vital dimension on any plan drawing stands the most chance of being omitted

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In North America - red cap or green cap Scotchguard work well on parachute containers. These versions of Scotchguard are formulated for the fabrics on outdoor furniture (pool chairs, hammocks, etc.).

Blue cap dries in ugly splotches that will take many hours to scrub off. I tried blue cap once and vowed to never do use it again!

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Hi Skybear, thanks for the warning. I have not done anything yet.

I was under the impression that this was the function of Scotch gard. To impregnate and protect the material once it has been washed. I never expected it to clean the rig.

I had better spend my day at work tomorrow checking this out. :)

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I was under the impression that this was the function of Scotch gard. To impregnate...



If it impregnates the fibers, that means that it soaks into them. And if it soaks into the fibers, will it then soak into the reserve fabric once it's packed back inside the rig? And will it make the inside of the reserve container sticky such that the reserve fabric could adhere to it and cause a reserve malfunction?

Ask your rig manufacturer when you do your research.

Try it out first on some test swatches of your rig material (cordura?) and some parachute nylon. See what happens.

I'd rather have a dirty rig that works, then one that's clean and doesn't.

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I'd rather have a dirty rig that works, then one that's clean and doesn't.



me too. I wont be doing anything unless I am certain I am doing the right thing.

I finished washing the rig yesterday and it is looking pretty good now. It would be nice with some extra protection but I am not going to sacrifice peace of mind over it.

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It's supposed to repel water and other substances from the fibers.. that's the whole point.

USE IT!!! Just try a small test area first in case the blue cap stuff is blotchy like someone else said.

I use the Red cap Scotch Guard and it works like a charm when I later use lite soap and water to wipe off my dirty rig. The dirt and even some small grease stains I've had came right out.

THIS is the 'red cap' Scotch Guard.
*I am not afraid of dying... I am afraid of missing life.*
----Disclaimer: I don't know shit about skydiving.----

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I'd rather have a dirty rig that works, then one that's clean and doesn't.



me too. I wont be doing anything unless I am certain I am doing the right thing.

I finished washing the rig yesterday and it is looking pretty good now. It would be nice with some extra protection but I am not going to sacrifice peace of mind over it.


Ummm..... if you just washed it there should be no reserve in it. right? and once again two light coats are better than soaking it:)

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Ask your rig manufacturer when you do your research.



This is of course sound advice.

I have written to the manufacturer asking if there is any reason why I should not do this.

I have spent the last week trying it out on old containers and really cannot see that it can cause any harm. however, if the manufacturer tells me it is a bad idea I will most definatly not use it.

Regardless, I have gained a lot of knowledge on rig cleaning through this process. :)

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Ask your rig manufacturer when you do your research.



This is of course sound advice.

I have written to the manufacturer asking if there is any reason why I should not do this.

I have spent the last week trying it out on old containers and really cannot see that it can cause any harm. however, if the manufacturer tells me it is a bad idea I will most definatly not use it.

Regardless, I have gained a lot of knowledge on rig cleaning through this process. :)


Just curious how you clean it and 'what' you found out regarding the cleaning process.

~I wipe mine down with a damp cloth now & again, it really doesn't get too dirty, I land standin' up and pack indoors.

I did loan a rig out to a buddy once, he got it muddy so he chopped the main, pulled the reserve and took the cordura rig to a hi-pressure car wash! :S Don't ever do THAT!










~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

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Just curious how you clean it and 'what' you found out regarding the cleaning process.



Here is a quick list of some of the main points I have registered while washing my rig. It is a quick list so I am sure I have left something out.

The rig was very dirty and in need of a good wash. The rig is totally black. Colours I will not choose for my next rig.

I removed hook knife and packing card prior to washing.

I have washed my rig in a bath. The reserve has remained attached to the risers.

1)Remove the reserve. It is a pain to have it attached.

2)I used zip ties to tie the reserve slinks together. I also covered the meter of reserve line with plastic to keep them dry. The reserve was also protected. This worked well but it would have been better to remove the reserve completely.

3)It was important to keep the reserve and lines higher than the rig in the bath. Otherwise moisture would creep up the lines.

4)I tried with one type of wollite type soap (Liquid) first. The results were disappointing. The water did get dirty and I rinsed it out thoroughly but in drying I saw that not all dirt had been removed. Maybe I used too little soap, Water was too cold, or the soak time was too short.

5)Second run was very successful. I used a different soap (powder) and a bit more than the first run. The water was a bit warmer (still lukewarm) and I left the soak period a good 4 hours. The water turned very dirty and the rig came out very clean. (I followed UPT’s instructions slavishly) http://www.unitedparachutetechnologies.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=46

6)Rinsing the rig is important. It takes many more rinses than I thought. I have a black rig. If the soap was not totally removed it left white marks. (the white marks were not soapy to taste.)

7)Once I got the soak times right it became almost unnecessary to use a brush to get the dirt out. Soaking is better than scrubbing.

8)When the rig is wet it is difficult to see if the rig is worn or dirty in some places. The wear on my rig is on the leg straps and on the reserve cover. I will not let my rig lie reserve cover side down on the ground in the future.

9)If I could have found someone to do the job for me it would have been money well spent.

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