Help: Mask rust, seeking altneratives

[Bugaboo]

I just bought a lovely new fencing jacket, as snowy white as freshly fallen ... well, snow. Compared to my old grungy uniform, this one virtually glows.

But woe is me! Less than 24 hours passed before I discovered that every time I tucked my mask under my arm, I was staining my coat sleeves with grungy rust. It wasn't a lot, mind you, but small elements can quickly accumulate through repetition.

An aside to those among us who would run off on a tangent and question my hygiene: Don't. I keep my gear clean, but I sweat a LOT. Every epee dent in my mask is very likely to attract rivulets of perspiration that run down my face and/or get sprayed in a fine mist from heavy breathing. It happens. And moisture has a nasty way of transmorgrifying into rust on bare metal. Which leads to my query:

How do you avoid rusty fencing masks? (And a related question: What treatment works best to prevent sweat-wetted bibs from attracting filth and mildew?)

I need some good suggestions, please.

[Konstantinos]

Bugaboo-
all depends on what mask you have. At my class, they have masks you can litterally just throw into the top shelf of your washingmachine. Cleans bibs and sweat off metal

Of course, if you can't do that, just take a spong after every time you fence, damp it a bit, and just run it inside the bib and then air dry it asap

If you already have rust, you can always try and use a wire-brush till it's all off and then try and find some spray paint. Never seen anyone try to salvage a rusted mask though...
good luck

-Konstantinos

[neevel]

Wire brushes and Scotch-Brite pads can be used to remove the rust already on there. Once that's done, touch up the insulating paint-- you might try a rust-inhibiting paint like Rustoleum. After that, just be diligent about not keeping the mask stored with sweaty clothing (maybe a separate small bag just for you uniform, with the mask going into your main bag), and touch up spots where the paint has been nicked as soon as you see them.

Mildew and the like are prevented by the same method of keeping the mask separate from wet uniforms, and regular washings. You can just use a large sink or plastic tub to hand wash it if you don't want to try it in the washing machine, and let it air dry (takes a day or two, depending on the humidity). If mildew has already gotten in there, add a little bit of liquid Lysol to the wash water-- that'll kill it.

-Dave

[Bugaboo]

re keeping mask away from wet items: It's the mask itself that gets wet. I sweat a lot. I breathe hard. Imagine I'm a lawn water sprinkler. And even if I try to wipe the mask dry immediately after activity, it's still been exposed to moisture for two or three hours during the bouts themselves.

re bib: Has anyone had really good results with Scotch-Guard? The inside chin portion of the bib actually comes in contact with the mask mesh, which basically lets moisture sit directly on metal. If that material didn't get wet to begin with, it would alleviate a lot of rust production.

Keep the suggestions coming.

[Inquartata]

Get an electric sabre mask. Stainless steel, y'know!

[damianip]

Get a better mask. They all tend to be stainless, sabre or not, just painted.

Alternatively, wash your mask frequently. It's the saltsandband the moisture which are the culprit.

Maybe your sweat is more corrosive than the norm. I know mine is.

Paolo

[DamedEscrime]

Ok, you must know by now that anything moist witll cause anything metal to rust. Your first step here is to keep things dry and to allow them to dry suffuciently when you are finished using them.

Do not store your jacket or mask or plastron in the bag with your weapons right after you fence. Hang up the jacket, plastron, bandana if you wear one and let them dry. Keep a towel or other cloth around to wipe excess sweat from your mask and chest protector everytime you use it. And dont put that in your bad after use either. Hang you mask up somewhere to dry also.

I know its a lot of trouble and you may have to carry a few things awkwardly back to your car after fencing, but taking good care of your gear is most important.

ps. mildew likes to grow in dark places. Light and good air circulation will prvent that.

[ 11-07-2001: Message edited by: DamedEscrime ]