Fixing carbon blades

This particular experiment is pretty important to me, I really think that, if the repair holds, we had found a way to fix a possible snap in a carbon blade, giving hope to even plastic snapped fins. Lets see the outcome though ...

Today, I went to the sea to give the carbon blade repair a thorough testing. Here are my comments:

The repair holds on perfect. After gluing both foot pockets I slided effortlessly with the fins, i made frequent surface swimming springs. I noticed the repaired blade a bit stiffer though, but that was it. Originally the fins were 40. That means stiff, but compared with my Nemos (SwimFinWorld) No 4. I guess they could be rated as a #3. After the repair the fin felt as a fiberglass #4, but still more responsive. I am very pleased with the results. I am going to use that blade on the right foot. So far problem solved. I am sure it will never snap again. Let´s see.

I may safely say after this first test that Carbon fiber blades are repairable. Give away the word with the good News!!

By the way, I will ask Gon to film next time the performance of the repaired blade for record purposes.

P.S. Pucho, you don´t need to sell your C4 blade after all !!

yup, i am thinking seriously to do so. I´ll keep you up dated .

Quote from Pucho

I folow your steps and went to a friends surfboard shop and gave him the broken blade, he put carbon fiber patches on eack side of the blade and cover them, they look great have to put them now on the pockets.

Thanks

Pucho

I am happy for you buddy, i hope those repairs could save some brothers good money:)

Blade still Kicking after exactly twelve hours of continous diving stress, and no signs of wear ... More updates to come

After almost 5 months of continous stress on the blades, (I have made the other blade sandwiched for balance purposes) I may say that I am satisfied with the performance of both. Those are powerful and responsive, the trade off is they are stiffer and heavier, wich translate in fewer hours diving. Those are well suited to deep diving from a boat tho. I will post some pics of the general condition of the blades. Carbon fiber blades are fixable.. so far

Quote from Dan

Thanks for posting back.

5 months of diving and not one report :rolleye2:

Damn, I am so lazy, I have a camera but no housing :crazy: And none of my friends with the exception of Gonzalo are interested on pics, nor cameras . But I am getting a housing cause the diving around here is frigging awesome..

(I have a couple of new guns tho jijijijijiji :))