ever ruined a mask flaming it?

[compton384]

That is why I was curious. I've been snorkeling all my life and only during my OW training did I even hear about having to do anything to a new mask. Stores don't tell you when you're buying and the booklet with the mask also says nothing. So, just because there is nothing written, doesn't mean that it isn't necessary.

Thanks everyone for the input. I think I'll stick to toothpaste for now unless I have a problem. After all the success everyone else has had with flaming and no one has come forward with stories of ruining a mask, I think I'll be nervous but willing to give it a shot..

 

[ScubaSam]

+ 1 for Soft Scrub.

I only found out about Soft Scrub last month when my instructor used it on my new mask. The toothpaste route did not work and my mask fogged up the whole first day of diving.

After a day of continuously flooding my mask to clear it, he took my mask from me and used Soft Scrub.

 

[Scuba Dive Asia]

I did "flame" quite a few masks. They did not get damaged in any ways and do not fog anymore I also find it a lot faster & easier than scrubbing. I must say, i was also a little worried the first time, but after seeing the effectiveness I converted

 

[Blue Sparkle]

I helped my dive buddy "flame" a new Tilos frameless mask after numerous vigorous toothpaste scrubs were unsuccessful. We only had wooden matches on hand, so we used those (middle of dive trip/camping). It worked fine, and the mask has not subsequently fogged. There was a slight "campfire" smell that an overnight soak in a bucket of water took care of. This would probably not have occurred with a lighter vs. matches.

It does *sound* scary, but glass and silicone are both pretty heat resistant. I don't know if there might be vulnerable glues between the silicone and the glass, but they don't seem to be affected by the short duration flame to the glass.

Of course I would probably try toothpaste first, but if that didn't work..... I would use flame. The frameless masks seem to pose more of a fogging challenge, perhaps because the manufacturing process leaves more silicone residue on the glass with a frameless style?

 

[Nemrod]

I've read on many threads that scrubbing may not get all the coating and that flaming is the only thing that will work to get the chemicals off. I was wondering if anyone has ever ruined a mask doing this? I'm concerned about either melting the silicone parts (I know silicone can handle lots of heat so that's unlikely) or scorching the lens so that it is permanently discolored.

Unless you use a flamethrower it is not likely you would damage the mask and flaming does work better than toothpaste or chemicals.

N

 

[Elvistheking]

I've not tried it yet but I've heard that putting you mask through the dishwasher is a good way to prepare it for use, also a good way to get rid of the mold that grows in the corners.

 

[compton384]

I flamed my mask with no problems! I scrubbed for a while with toothpaste, but without somewhere to try it out, I didn't want to risk having a foggy mask in Turks and Caicos.. It wasn't bone dry from scrubbing it, so it may have been the water/condensation, but I swear I could see the residue receding as I flamed it.

 

[eponym]

I flamed my mask with no problems! I scrubbed for a while with toothpaste, but without somewhere to try it out, I didn't want to risk having a foggy mask in Turks and Caicos.. It wasn't bone dry from scrubbing it, so it may have been the water/condensation, but I swear I could see the residue receding as I flamed it.

Congratulations! I know well the thing you're referrering to seeing.

I followed your thread but was not going to post, as your previous post made it seem as though you had settled this in your mind, but kudos on trying something new.

By the way, you can test a mask in the bathtub . . . or just by blowing on the glass to see whether or not condensation forms.

I flame-clean student masks quite often, when they show up for the first session with a new, not cleaned, mask. It's a great deal quicker and requires no scrubbing to get the toothpaste residue out.

I have not ruined a mask to date. Touch e-wood.

-Bryan

 

[scubafanatic]

I flamed my mask with no problems! I scrubbed for a while with toothpaste, but without somewhere to try it out, I didn't want to risk having a foggy mask in Turks and Caicos.. It wasn't bone dry from scrubbing it, so it may have been the water/condensation, but I swear I could see the residue receding as I flamed it.

Hopefully that wasn't some sort of anti-scratch/optical coating you were watching 'receed'..... :shocked2:

 

[Nemrod]

The vast, vast majority of masks use plain old tempered plate glass and there are no coatings or anything on them, just dirt. The silicone skirts are a high temperature molding product and there is essentially no likelihood a cigarette lighter will damage them. Now, if you take a propane or acetylene torch to it, yeah, that will ruin it.

N