Anyone know details of vintage fire hose? Got a hold of some vintage hose marked "linen ex" 1959. Wondering if it is flax linen or linen cotton blend. Thank you in advance.
Fire hose information
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Nope. I do know old hose can be fairly aggressive on a delicate edge. Have fun experimenting.
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- #3
The cleaning is the fun part.....
If it was firehose actually used on a fire truck, it is going to be nearly impossible to clean. What works best is old firehose that is removed from inside buildings when it is replaced periodically. That will normally be pristine.
If you are willing to go to the trouble of trying to remove the liner and clean the fabric, more power to you.
Tony Miller used to have linen fabric strop components available for purchase, but I am not sure he still sells them separately.
If you are willing to go to the trouble of trying to remove the liner and clean the fabric, more power to you.
Tony Miller used to have linen fabric strop components available for purchase, but I am not sure he still sells them separately.
Vintage linen firehose is flax. When wet it will turn rock hard.
Yes, you want NOS firehose, if dragged on the ground, you will never remove all the dirt and grit in the weave. As it is, NOS hose that has sat in a cabinet or on a shelf for years is coated with fine dust.
It can take a week or more of soaking, scrubbing, and rinsing to remove all or most of it. A cycle or two in a washing machine will not remove it all. A well washed firehose strop should be soft and floppy.
Yes, it is aggressive, but works just fine. I use mine to strop between stone when honing.
A nice Flax strapping was available from Etsy recently and not too expensive.
Yes, you want NOS firehose, if dragged on the ground, you will never remove all the dirt and grit in the weave. As it is, NOS hose that has sat in a cabinet or on a shelf for years is coated with fine dust.
It can take a week or more of soaking, scrubbing, and rinsing to remove all or most of it. A cycle or two in a washing machine will not remove it all. A well washed firehose strop should be soft and floppy.
Yes, it is aggressive, but works just fine. I use mine to strop between stone when honing.
A nice Flax strapping was available from Etsy recently and not too expensive.
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Just curious about the material. It is unlined and gets hard as a rock when wet.
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- #7
It is NOS yet dirty from storage. Cleaning is not problem, there is a lot of great information on the forum about cleaning old fire hose. Also great information about usage, coarseness and the like.
Just have not found consistent information about what years were 100% linen and what years were a linen cotton blend.
Just have not found consistent information about what years were 100% linen and what years were a linen cotton blend.
