Getting your hands dirty

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Zynster
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Getting your hands dirty

Postby Zynster » Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:27 pm

I had my first go at stripping and cleaning a bike yesterday. I used Kero to clean off all the accumulated grease and !! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !!. The Kero worked really well, however, it ate right through the disposable gloves I've got. After eating 3 sets of gloves I gave up on the gloves. When I finished I washed my hands 6 times and couldn't get rid of the smell. Last night I was feeling a bit poisoned and my hands were burning. I'm ok today.

I had no idea Kero was so toxic. My garage is open (no door=bad for bike shots), so ventilation was ok. What do you do for gloves? Do you wear a mask? Are there reasonable alternatives to Kero?
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philip
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Re: Getting your hands dirty

Postby philip » Mon Jul 20, 2009 3:19 pm

Yeah I had the same problem with latex gloves. Recently I tried some neoprene (I think.. will double check when I get home) gloves which worked a lot better. As for getting the smell off.. no idea, I've had the same problem. I use the bottle + shake method, so I try to get the lids off/on as quickly as possible. I only use kero for the chain, I don't think anything else needs it. I use an old rag and paper towels to clean the rest of the bike. For the cassette/chain ring/jockey wheels the rag works fine.

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il padrone
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Re: Getting your hands dirty

Postby il padrone » Mon Jul 20, 2009 3:45 pm

Probably those dissolved latex gloves that gave you the problems :wink: . I use kero to clean my bike's drivetrain and never use gloves. Been doing this for about 30 years. I don't get any burning sensations. Solvol soap is good to clean off the grease and grime, don't ever have too much worry about smell. Maybe a nice perfumed hand-lotion :?:

Seriously, latex is not so good for you. Some people develop allergic reactions to it. Have a look at the gloves they use in hospitals next time you're there. They are marked as latex-free.
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ValleyForge
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Re: Getting your hands dirty

Postby ValleyForge » Mon Jul 20, 2009 4:01 pm

I really suggest a non-volatile remover like Finish-Line Citrus. It's water based and I don't wear gloves when I use it. And I've even used it to clean the concrete around the barbie!.
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ValleyForge
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Re: Getting your hands dirty

Postby ValleyForge » Mon Jul 20, 2009 4:06 pm

il padrone wrote:
Seriously, latex is not so good for you. Some people develop allergic reactions to it. Have a look at the gloves they use in hospitals next time you're there. They are marked as latex-free.
Oh and I HATE the latex-free gloves in hospitals (I work in one). The reason is legal liability: no large workplace wants an employee saying the gloves the employer supplied gave them allergies.
Last edited by ValleyForge on Mon Jul 20, 2009 4:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Zynster
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Re: Getting your hands dirty

Postby Zynster » Mon Jul 20, 2009 4:06 pm

philip wrote: I only use kero for the chain, I don't think anything else needs it.
Usually yes. However I don't think this Raleigh has been cleaned since the early 80s.
il padrone wrote:Probably those dissolved latex gloves that gave you the problems :wink: .
:shock: Damnit! If it's not one thing! I might look at some skin protector creme as an alternative.
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}SkOrPn--7
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Re: Getting your hands dirty

Postby }SkOrPn--7 » Mon Jul 20, 2009 5:06 pm

If you dealing with petroleum products your going to need Nitrile latex gloves there designed for the job other wise your standard medical latex gloves will dissolve.

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Re: Getting your hands dirty

Postby hartleymartin » Mon Jul 20, 2009 5:54 pm

My bike club uses garden spray bottles to spray kero for cleaning onto bike frames. We also regularly wash our hands whilst working (about every hour or so - sometimes more often).
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twizzle
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Re: Getting your hands dirty

Postby twizzle » Mon Jul 20, 2009 6:44 pm

}SkOrPn--7 wrote:If you dealing with petroleum products your going to need Nitrile latex gloves there designed for the job other wise your standard medical latex gloves will dissolve.
+1 on the Nitrile butadiene gloves (they are not Latex or Latex Rubber). You can buy them at Woolworths/Safeways next to the latex ones.
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Re: Getting your hands dirty

Postby grosry » Mon Jul 20, 2009 8:05 pm

onw job i love but hate! have not yet used the kero as i was adviced to on another tread but i will test it out this weekend - is it badfor the paint of the paint protector on the frames?
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Re: Getting your hands dirty

Postby }SkOrPn--7 » Mon Jul 20, 2009 8:12 pm

twizzle wrote:
}SkOrPn--7 wrote:If you dealing with petroleum products your going to need Nitrile latex gloves there designed for the job other wise your standard medical latex gloves will dissolve.
+1 on the Nitrile butadiene gloves (they are not Latex or Latex Rubber). You can buy them at Woolworths/Safeways next to the latex ones.
Thanks for correcting that I tend to call all those type of gloves just latex they all feel/look the same so I just brand them latex because sure as hens teeth if you ask for Nitrile gloves your going to get a dumb ass look from most folks. Thanks also for the tip on woolies and safeway stocking them I just buy from evilbay they seemed to be the cheapest location but I will check out the prices of your said mentioned stores.

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Re: Getting your hands dirty

Postby Mulger bill » Tue Jul 21, 2009 5:52 pm

+2 for nitrile gloves. Never had a problem with kero, don't even mind the pong. Gloves give me one less thing to clean. :wink:

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fatherofmany
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Re: Getting your hands dirty

Postby fatherofmany » Wed Jul 22, 2009 12:33 pm

clean parts with kero - get black hands covered in kero & oil

wipe most of the black off on a dry (old) towel

spray hands with wd40 to get the rest off, wipe dry with towel

now wash hands with solvol or dishwashing detergent and dry.

presto, clean hands, ok nearly clean hands.
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Zynster
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Re: Getting your hands dirty

Postby Zynster » Wed Jul 22, 2009 12:51 pm

Wow. With 13 bikes to look after, you must be an old hand at this. :P

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Nate
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Re: Getting your hands dirty

Postby Nate » Wed Jul 22, 2009 4:22 pm

For the frame etc - i use Innox (a better form of WD40) on a rag & rub it - cleans everything & leaves it nice & shiny, though it may attract a little extra dust etc, but nothing i've noticed

gloves - i'll find those nitrile ones myself

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Re: Getting your hands dirty

Postby fatherofmany » Thu Jul 23, 2009 2:34 pm

Zynster wrote:Wow. With 13 bikes to look after, you must be an old hand at this. :P
yep.. would cost me a fortune at the lbs if I didn't do it myself. Still costs a bit buying parts though, and motherofmany just grins and asks "how much this time?" Oh, and that doesn't count the other 4 bikes being restored/rebuilt.

my young bloke (7) has got the bug too, started with a BMX, I bought him a XS frame roadie (well KRudd paid for it!) to take down to the track, not satisfied with a single speed on his BMX he just had to have gears, so I've built up a mini mountainbike for him as well, now he wants me to build him a kid sized recumbent.
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Zynster
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Re: Getting your hands dirty

Postby Zynster » Thu Jul 23, 2009 3:15 pm

fatherofmany wrote:not satisfied with a single speed on his BMX he just had to have gears, so I've built up a mini mountainbike for him as well, now he wants me to build him a kid sized recumbent.
Sounds like my boy in about 4 years time. :lol:

Or maybe it's all boys.
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ValleyForge
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Re: Getting your hands dirty

Postby ValleyForge » Thu Jul 23, 2009 4:59 pm

Zynster wrote:
fatherofmany wrote:not satisfied with a single speed on his BMX he just had to have gears, so I've built up a mini mountainbike for him as well, now he wants me to build him a kid sized recumbent.
Sounds like my boy in about 4 years time. :lol:

Or maybe it's all boys.
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I wish it would infect my five year-old! :twisted:
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