Paint or no paint. What's the policy?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rick Fritz on November 11, 2008 at 9:39pm

Paint makes the tool slick and STICK. ID is important, because tools seem to grow legs, especially at fires and/or training. Plastic colored tape works well but not as well as branding or brazing!

Permalink Reply by Rick Fritz on November 12, 2008 at 1:08pm

Beats WD40, which you shouldn't use. ROTS the wood and loosens glue!

Tom Tulipano said:

I remove the paint off all the tools in which the heads are painted. As far as the handles go, all of our tools are fiberglass and paint never stays. I wrap the head of the handle with lamp cord and cover with electrical tape. I cover the handle with braided rope twisted and then tape down with friction tape. I wrap the end of the handle with a cut off from a bungee strap that help keeps the tool in hand. In other words my whole tool is covered with either tape or friction tape.
Another helpful tip for those of you who want to keep the tool free from surface rust: Boeshield is a spray on waterproof lubricant made by the Boeing company. You could look on line or buy it at a tool dealer. It is designed for raw cast iron table top saws to keep them from rusting. But in our case it works great.

Permalink Reply by Rick Fritz on November 12, 2008 at 1:11pm

Try buying hockey tape Down South of the Mason Dixon line!

Dusty Dines said:

The hockey taps is better than plastic tape. Branding is nice but it's hard to brand a halligan.

Permalink Reply by Andrew Brassard on November 13, 2008 at 7:28pm

I personally like to keep my tools paint free and I don’t typically use friction tape or hockey tape, I think that this is mostly a personal preference thing but I find that having tape on the shaft of my halligan can interfere with striking the squared off shoulder of the halligan (forcing door in zero/limited visibility). The problem that I find with paint on forcible entry tools is that "Irons " have been know to stick together in some cases, the paint hides cracks in the handles and potential cracks in the striking surfaces, and when two tools are struck together (axe and halligan) big chips of paint can come flying off leaving the potential for eye injuries.

I personally do not use any lubricant on the metal surfaces, I clean my tools every day (some times a couple of time a day) I make sure that my tools are always "battle ready".

As for company identification, I use a mig welder on very low setting to put the company identification number in the metal surface. You have to be very careful when doing this because if you heat up the metal to much you can loosen the glue that attaches the head to the handle. Also when doing this the temper of the metal can be ruined so I highly recommend getting this step done at a welding shop.

Having clean tools that are battle ready comps down to company pride, as Tommy Brennan use to say “the first sure sign that a company is in trouble is the shape of there forcible entry tools”.

Take care of your tools and they will take care of you.

Stay Safe Brothers,
Andrew

Permalink Reply by Rick Fritz on November 14, 2008 at 11:16am

Hockey? Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit, that's a game y'all play up north ain't it!

Dusty Dines said:

I never thought about that. Probably not a whole lot of hockey pro shops down there.

Rick Fritz said:

Try buying hockey tape Down South of the Mason Dixon line!

Dusty Dines said:

The hockey taps is better than plastic tape. Branding is nice but it's hard to brand a halligan.

Permalink Reply by Ray on November 14, 2008 at 3:59pm

A bit of paint applied in the right place is a quick and easy way to ID your tools. It should not be applied at a spot that could cause your hands to slip. Colored tape may not hold up as well overall. How about painting a small strip on your hose lengths.

Permalink Reply by Rick Fritz on November 14, 2008 at 8:54pm

I Like the use of hockey tape, thank goodness for the internet! You are farther North than me!
Dusty Dines said:

We're not that far north.

Rick Fritz said:

Hockey? Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit, that's a game y'all play up north ain't it!

Dusty Dines said:

I never thought about that. Probably not a whole lot of hockey pro shops down there.

Rick Fritz said:

Try buying hockey tape Down South of the Mason Dixon line!

Dusty Dines said:

The hockey taps is better than plastic tape. Branding is nice but it's hard to brand a halligan.

Permalink Reply by Rick Fritz on November 14, 2008 at 8:59pm

Ray, we used to paint about six inches of the hose near the coupling with the "company color" this was in addition to the india ink stencilled hose number. It worked well for identfying which engine it came from.

Ray McCormack said:

A bit of paint applied in the right place is a quick and easy way to ID your tools. It should not be applied at a spot that could cause your hands to slip. Colored tape may not hold up as well overall. How about painting a small strip on your hose lengths.

Permalink Reply by Rick Fritz on November 14, 2008 at 9:01pm

What abouy using a welder to write the Co. No.?
Rick Fritz said:

I Like the use of hockey tape, thank goodness for the internet! You are farther North than me!
Dusty Dines said:

We're not that far north.

Rick Fritz said:

Hockey? Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit, that's a game y'all play up north ain't it!

Dusty Dines said:

I never thought about that. Probably not a whole lot of hockey pro shops down there.

Rick Fritz said:

Try buying hockey tape Down South of the Mason Dixon line!

Dusty Dines said:

The hockey taps is better than plastic tape. Branding is nice but it's hard to brand a halligan.

Permalink Reply by Rick Fritz on November 14, 2008 at 9:02pm

Rick Fritz said:

Ray, we used to paint about six inches of the hose near the coupling with the "company color" this was in addition to the india ink stencilled hose number. It worked well for identfying which engine it came from.

Ray McCormack said:

A bit of paint applied in the right place is a quick and easy way to ID your tools. It should not be applied at a spot that could cause your hands to slip. Colored tape may not hold up as well overall. How about painting a small strip on your hose lengths.

Permalink Reply by TR Hagerty on November 16, 2008 at 1:06pm

Brothers
We paint your tools at least once a year. I think it is imporant to take care of your tools. We will take a wire wheel and clean the rust and old paint off and repaint. We also cut off the foam that is wraped on the tools and replace it with hockey tape. I think the hockey tape work better than anything elese. I have found that when your gloves are wet your hands don't slip off the tool. Why not paint it shows pride and ownership for your tools. I did change paint types this year we are using Rust-Oleum Hammered Black,Red and Silver this paint had seemed to hold up longer and looks nicer. We also use a welder and brand the truck number on them. Also when we paint the tools we get a good look at each one of them for damage that we might have missed over the year. If you guys thinks this is a bed idea I am open for a reason why. Thanks TR

Permalink Reply by Rick Fritz on November 16, 2008 at 1:21pm

It's not a bad idea at all. At least the tools get LOOKED AT, paint is better than rust or neglect! I haven't tried the Rustoleum, but I will. All my tools are on loan right now to a friend who is showing them to depts. in the mountains of NC. I will have to look them over when I get them back! He will take care of them but not to my standards!

TR Hagerty said:

Brothers
We paint your tools at least once a year. I think it is imporant to take care of your tools. We will take a wire wheel and clean the rust and old paint off and repaint. We also cut off the foam that is wraped on the tools and replace it with hockey tape. I think the hockey tape work better than anything elese. I have found that when your gloves are wet your hands don't slip off the tool. Why not paint it shows pride and ownership for your tools. I did change paint types this year we are using Rust-Oleum Hammered Black,Red and Silver this paint had seemed to hold up longer and looks nicer. We also use a welder and brand the truck number on them. Also when we paint the tools we get a good look at each one of them for damage that we might have missed over the year. If you guys thinks this is a bed idea I am open for a reason why. Thanks TR

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