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Chalk puffers

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Old 06-14-21, 05:55 AM
  #1  
microcord
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Chalk puffers

A puncture repair kit could of course include a little stick of chalk and a miniature cheese-grater, or a little bag of chalk dust; but I rather miss these things:



together with the excitement of discovering where, during a long and bumpy ride, the pin might have got to (the tube of rubber solution? the no-longer-pristine spare inner tube?).

Google suggests that these have been almost completely forgotten. This makes me a little sad.

I don't have one. (The photo is ... "borrowed".) Do you use one? (Perhaps I should have titled this "Show me your powder puff!")
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Old 06-14-21, 06:50 AM
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Velo Mule
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I've never seen that before. Interesting. Come to think of it the tubes used to come with powder on the tubes. I don't see that or as much now.

When I worked in the bike shop one of the other mechanics used to call this powder "Vazuli Dust". I don't know where he go that from.
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Old 06-14-21, 07:22 AM
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Researchers found a link between talc and some cancers.(in its natural state, traces of asbestos can be found in talc, but not in talcum powder. But it led to lawsuits and less use of talc.
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Old 06-14-21, 07:32 AM
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Interesting bit of history!

My first thought of the title was we who used chalk at the top of a climb to record how many times we repeated it. Good memories of training days gone by also!
c

Last edited by 3speedslow; 06-14-21 at 07:35 AM.
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Old 06-14-21, 08:23 AM
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They sell "puffers" to deer hunters to track wind direction. The bottles are bigger though.
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Old 06-14-21, 11:42 AM
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Originally Posted by Velo Mule
I've never seen that before. Interesting. Come to think of it the tubes used to come with powder on the tubes. I don't see that or as much now.

When I worked in the bike shop one of the other mechanics used to call this powder "Vazuli Dust". I don't know where he go that from.
Chalk dust or talc prevents the tube from adhering to the tire and makes it easier for the tube to slip under the bead when inflating for the first time. I got a lifetime supply 40 years ago when I started working in a bike shop.
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Old 06-14-21, 03:17 PM
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Juan el Boricua
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Yep, still available (and in "lifetime supply" size).
https://www.rematiptop.com/products/...e-talc-63.html
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Old 06-14-21, 04:49 PM
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microcord
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Originally Posted by Juan el Boricua
Yep, still available (and in "lifetime supply" size).
https://www.rematiptop.com/products/...e-talc-63.html
. . . and with a "Safety Data Sheet" that goes on for nine sheets. Truly a bulk item!

Perhaps there's a niche market for tiny, refillable puffers that can easily be carried around, together with the patches, the little tube of rubber solution, and the rest.
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Old 06-14-21, 05:01 PM
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Juan el Boricua
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Originally Posted by microcord
. . . and with a "Safety Data Sheet" that goes on for nine sheets. Truly a bulk item!

Perhaps there's a niche market for tiny, refillable puffers that can easily be carried around, together with the patches, the little tube of rubber solution, and the rest.
Small, "ziplock" bag like the ones for tablets/capsules; camping salt/pepper shakers; old pill bottles with shaker holes meld with a needle,...
I'm partial to the-piece-of-chalk-and-grind-as-needed-for-roadside-repairs thing, as I still talc tubes at home.
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Old 06-14-21, 05:10 PM
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https://www.99boulders.com/best-chalk-balls
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Old 06-14-21, 08:06 PM
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I carry two spare tubes, each in it’s own ziplock in an under saddle bag. I also use talc to dry lube the tube so it settles in inside the tire while inflating. I add some talc to the wrapped tube inside the ziplock so that it is already applied when I need it.
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Old 06-14-21, 08:12 PM
  #12  
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I had completely forgotten about those. We had kits with them, but I don't recall that we bothered to use them.
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Old 06-15-21, 06:00 AM
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microcord
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Originally Posted by dedhed
An excellent article, from its arresting first sentence onwards. Yes, it may have me grabbing for a ball.
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