How can I fix these fins?

    I'm sure that I will not get the terminology right, so you may need to skip ahead to the pics to see what I mean. I've got a pair of Omer foot pockets and some (I think) bat 30 blades. A friend acquired them for me a while back, but somewhere in their previous life, someone trimmed the outsides of the rails. So now, the extensions of the footpockets don't stay in place on the rails. I tried gluing them with 3M 5200, after cleaning with alcohol. the 5200 stuck well to the fin rails, but not to the foot pocket extensions. What can I do?




    Dan, didn't you have rail kits for sale at one time? Could I remove the existing rails, and glue on new ones?

    Yes it's the best way to do it and is simple enough. Just scrape off a length of the old rails corresponding to the length of the tendons and glue the new ones on. Here's the kit I carry http://spearfishing.world/divi…nd-carbon-fin-blades.html Unfortunately I'm out of stock right now. I have a couple of other people that asked for them. I can't say at this time when I'll have them but I will eventually and will let you know. Be mindful not stress your knees and ankles too much if the bat stiffness is not right for you.


    Is there anything else I can try in the short term until you have more rail kits? I obviously don't want to do anything that would keep me from making a propper repair with new rails later. Does anyone know of an adhesive that might work better than 3M 5200 for this application?

    Edited once, last by Guest ().

    Sn, what if you just trim the rails down to the end of the tendons. Then you'll have a good surface for adhesion. Riffe fins are set up this way.

    I don't follow either. Can you post a pic? I have another thought as well. I was pondering the use of a thin aluminum "crimp" for lack of a better word, that could reach around from the outside of the foot pocket extension (is this the tendon?) and grab the inside of the rail.

    This is just a coke-can prototype, and I obviously would need to use some slightly thicker aluminum, but you get the idea. Rather than crimp them on, it might work better to bend them to shape and slide on from the end. Will it work? Potential problems? Remember it is intended to be only a temporary solution.



    I can't say if it will hold, but it looks like the best that can be done given what you're working with without permanently altering the blade. I think a zip tie is more secure but there's the matter of the hole.


    One other thing you can do is try to remove the whole rail and see if it will come off without falling apart. You can then reglue it the opposite way so the ridges that haven't been altered are where you need them at the back of the blade instead of in the front. Gluing is done with a crazy glue type adhesive. Maybe you know of a solvent that will loosen it up or you can try wedging a razor blade in between the rail and the blade. I really dislike that rail system and think the one on my blades is superior so if you damage it and it needs to be changed completely no great loss.

    I thought of that too, Dan, but the rails seem to be held in place quite well. I'm afraid that I would end up destroying them before I could get them off. If I were confident that acetone would not attack the rails or the blade, I could possibly use that to loosen the adhesive. Maybe i will carefully test that out near the end of the rail.

    I would try it at the end of the blade too. Just grip it hard and see if you can shake it off. It depends how old the rubber is. Acetone will do nothing to the blade nor the rubber rail. That fiberglass is very tough.


    See where the rail ends and the tendons begin? I thought it would be easy just to do it that way, less stress concentration than drilling a hole.


    Jim

    Jim, I never had the Riffe fins in my hands but I'll wager since they're plastic that under the tendons the blades have a built in ridge or lip around which the tendon snaps. It's easy to take apart and put back together so if you have them you can confirm what I said.

    Nothing yet. I was hoping that you would have more rail kits available soon. I have also heard that Josh at Neptonics may have some, although they aren't listed on his website. I need to drop him an email and find out.

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