Swim Caps - Silicone?

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C

clifpa

CGF II, Certified Grumble Framer Level 2
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Posts
319
Loc
Huntington Beach, CA
I'm mounting two Olympic (trials) swim caps. :D The Customer says they are made of silicone, not latex?
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So they are supposed to last forever and don't harden, over time, like latex.
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Having said this. My problem is they were dusted and folded in 3rds then put in a box for sale. Now, I can't get the stupid folds out. :mad: I have tried steaming and even put a damp cloth over the rubber and gently ran the iron over the folds....
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I wonder if I could write an entire thread using just the Graemlins...
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WINK.

Thanks
 
Cliff, I think you should wear the caps around the shop for a few days.

It would get some interesting reactions from customers and maybe even smooth out the creases.

Kit
 
It could be that they had folds from when the manufacturer packaged them, and they are "part of its history" (the line I use when we can't do anything about something)
 
I can't do anything about this today, but tomorrow when I get to work, I'll go next door to our neighbor (Swim Pro) and ask them. They should know what to do. (That is if anyone would know.)
 
With respect, Sue, I think FramerGuy is the one that will know what to do. He is The Grumble's silicone expert.

Wearing the cap around the shop won't remove the wrinkles. You'll have to go to a (public) pool and swim a few laps. Be sure to rinse out the chlorine afterwards.

If you're uncomfortable with that idea, get some of those inflatable water wings.
 
Ok, I went and talked with theowner of Swim Pro, and she told me that if they are truly Silicone the folds should relax. (She even pulled out both the silicone, and the latex caps for me to see. The latex keeps deeper folds, than the silicone.

How are you going to mount the caps? If you put a matboard form in the cap, it should help remove the fold lines. She also said that putting the cap on a head (styrofoam, or real) would help take the folds out. But mounting on matboard shaped to fit the cap should be all you need.

I hope this makes sense, and helps you out.

Good Luck
 
Thanks Sue. I currently have them over a form.

I tried steam, iron (with damp cloth), weights while in form and Blow dryer. Nothing worked. Maybe they will relax after time but I see no indication of that? Thank you so much again Sue.

Dermont, that was the only thread that I found before I asked this question and immediately cut a form and slid the caps over them. I did both a matboard and a 3/16" form core.

Say, how would you tell the difference between silicone and latex anyway?

Thanks all
 
Quote:

Say, how would you tell the difference between silicone and latex anyway?

Easy, Cliffie, set them on fire!! The silicone cap will burn with a black dense acrid smoke and an orange flame and ............... no, wait, on second thought maybe you shouldn't do that.

I'll get back to ya on that one.

FGII
 
Don't know if this will help at all, but when I went to my lap swim last night, I asked the Masters Swimmers who were working out what they thought, and then we pulled out the caps that are sold at the pool. The Masters Swimmers said that they use latex caps because they are thinner, conform more to the head when worn, and the water deflects off of them more than silicone. The latex caps cost less and break apart more quickly. My cap is silicone, about 6 years old, is quite a bit thicker, and the center fold has never come out even when it is on. The advantage of the silicone is that it lasts longer and doesn't pull your hair out when you put it on and take it off.

Of course, this seems to be the opposite of what Susan found out at Swim Pro - so go figure!

The swimmers seemed surprised that a framer would be concerned about the folds - and they liked Ellens statement that the folds are just "part of their history".
 
Thanks Terry! You answered my question on how to tell the difference between the two. Mine is thicker.

It all doesn't make any difference now since I took Tom's suggestion and put each, in turn, on my head and set them on fire, ouch. Yes, they burnt "black dense acrid smoke and an orange flame".

Problem now is what will the customer do, pay or run or just sue...wink.
 
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