[mufcglen]

have they changed the slx construction material, ive always had the usual black hand but this new pole seems to be leaving a black stain that i cant get off like usual an really feels prickly like its giving fibres or something??

[Cookie]

I suggest you give Gardiner's a call & ask them.

[P @ F]

You sure its not a CLX painted black ?
That would account for the prickley bit .

[M & C Window Cleaning]

Funny! When I used an SL-X all day for two years any black that got on my hands washed off easily.  However, since switching to an Xtreme pole last Dec the black doesn’t wash off, even with a scrubbing brush.  Come on Alex, what’s the intel?

[Nick Day]

The prickly feel sounds like they have altered the tension on the tape winding machine, this would probably also account for the staining.

[britishwill]

We were just talking about that today. All 3 of us agree.
I went on holiday for two weeks this year and after a week I finally got rid of the black index finger!

[Nick Day]

To get rid of the prickly feeling, get a piece of dry green kitchen scouring pad and give the pole a rub over with it. Carbon fibre responds well to sanding, and this usually solves it. it sounds as though they have eliminated the final sanding process as well.

[Nick Day]

Another tip for you, carbon fibre and polyurethane are a match made in heaven. To totally eliminate the black discharge, coat your pole with it. Try it on and old pole. It will extend the life of a pole by years. You can repeat coating as often as you like.

[p1w1]

Another tip for you, carbon fibre and polyurethane are a match made in heaven. To totally eliminate the black discharge, coat your pole with it. Try it on and old pole. It will extend the life of a pole by years. You can repeat coating as often as you like.

interesting.. any particular product you recommend? i'm presuming spray can is better.

[mufcglen]

Thanks guys, like one of the comments above with my pole I bought last year to this one I’ve just bought a month ago I could wash the black staining off my hand no probs, now it’s really stained I’ve had the wife going over it with nail polish remover then tried my upvc solvent remover as it’s stronger stuff and it aint coming off lol
Doesn’t Alex Gardiner come on here still??

[P @ F]

So you have 2 poles , 1 bought a year ago with no staining or very little .
                                              1 bought a month ago  ......horrid black hands . ?

It must be a freak occurance or others would be affected surely ?

[Alex Gardiner]

Thanks guys, like one of the comments above with my pole I bought last year to this one I’ve just bought a month ago I could wash the black staining off my hand no probs, now it’s really stained I’ve had the wife going over it with nail polish remover then tried my upvc solvent remover as it’s stronger stuff and it aint coming off lol
Doesn’t Alex Gardiner come on here still??

I do 

There has been no change at all to the construction methods or materials in the SLX range. So your issue is puzzling - to really look into this I would need the pole returning to us for inspection in the workshop as we have not had a complaint of this nature previously. Could you ring up Customer Services on 01726 66400 and we can start a Returns process for you.

[dazmond]

i bought a new SLX a few months ago and its exactly like my other ones.smooth ,no splinter bits etc but itll still give me black hands (but it comes off with a scrubbing brush)

[Stoots]

Oddly I've never had black hands from using my slx which I've had over 2 years.

Must be something different with batches? Unless some guys have toxic sweaty hands?

[Jonny 87]

Never have a problem.

I always wear gloves.

 

Even in summer I wear the black disposable "tattoo" style gloves.

Our hose runs through EVERYTHING! I'd never want my hands touching that.

[Alex Gardiner]

Never have a problem.

I always wear gloves.

 

Even in summer I wear the black disposable "tattoo" style gloves.

Our hose runs through EVERYTHING! I'd never want my hands touching that.

Agree 100%

Even before using carbon fibre poles, in the bad old days of fibre glass poles - I used disposable Nitrile gloves.

I found several benefits - stopped my hands drying out, gave a measure of protection, but the main benefit was hygiene - hoses are pretty mucky things and it meant I could peel off the gloves deal with clients paying etc. without worrying about the state of my hands.

Of course with the introduction of carbon fibre poles as everyday poles it also meant I never had to think about black carbon dust.

[M & C Window Cleaning]

Whilst the idea of wearing nitrile gloves is a good one I cannot stand wearing them. I’ve tried but find it an absolute pain. My hands end up looking like prunes. When I take them off I can’t get them back on again till my hands have dried out. They get caught in the sections of the pole as I’m sliding them in and out, caught on the clamps etc. So, though I have a box in the car, I rarely use them. Just wash my hands several times a day. I keep a bottle of antibacterial soap in the car and of course I’ve always got plenty of water.
Every few days I remove the black stains on my fingers with a pumice stone. I’m careful not to overdo it as I don’t want sore hands. So far all’s well.

[mufcglen]

Thanks for replying Alex, I wouldn’t be able to send back as it’s my every day pole, I sell my old poles and renew every year and done fancy using my slx39 while I’m waiting!
Just to be clear though it’s not actually splintering by looks of it but it’s giving something prickly on my skin, the black I’ve always had and just consider it part of owning a carbon pole and usually just washes off but this pole it’s really stubborn and won’t come off my hand😂
Think I might have to look at using gloves maybe but here’s a photo of my hand after scrubbing with fairy and a rough sponge then solvent remover and nothing is touching it, about a month or 2 old this pole

[P @ F]

Personally , i would be splitting down the slx you have to a usable size and sending the other back to Alex , im sure it would be a quick turn around as your hand is not quite right mate , i have seen blackhand many times but yours is bordering on black death !

[P @ F]

Do you maintain the poles with ptfe spray ?
That is a massive help in itself , i have just done 10-2 non stop and aint got a bit of black on me , no gloves worn ever , and i got the pole in March 2016

[mufcglen]

Haha the wife said Black Death too😂😂
Like I say it’s only a month or 2 old at most and I leave clamp quite loose, they’ve always given abit of carbon within a few weeks of use from new, I’m not concerned about that it’s just i can’t get this off my hand like I normally would have and it drys my skin out something rotten😲

[P @ F]

Well just cut yer hand off and forget about it then 

[Alex Gardiner]

Thanks for replying Alex, I wouldn’t be able to send back as it’s my every day pole, I sell my old poles and renew every year and done fancy using my slx39 while I’m waiting!
Just to be clear though it’s not actually splintering by looks of it but it’s giving something prickly on my skin, the black I’ve always had and just consider it part of owning a carbon pole and usually just washes off but this pole it’s really stubborn and won’t come off my hand😂
Think I might have to look at using gloves maybe but here’s a photo of my hand after scrubbing with fairy and a rough sponge then solvent remover and nothing is touching it, about a month or 2 old this pole

It really does not seem correct or normal 

Please get the pole back to us for us to look at the issue and sort it for you.

[mufcglen]

cheers Alex but im gonna live with it or try the gloves or maybe giving the pole a coating of what was mentioned earlier see if that remedies it or covers the problem.
i'd send it but i need it everyday and i dont like using the 39 stripped down it feels too wonky as the sections are longer than a 22!!
bought myself some gloves,not happy about it but i'll see how i get on, i didnt mind getting the dreaded black hand when i could wash it off but this is a permanent blotch lol.

[Alex Gardiner]

cheers Alex but im gonna live with it or try the gloves or maybe giving the pole a coating of what was mentioned earlier see if that remedies it or covers the problem.
i'd send it but i need it everyday and i dont like using the 39 stripped down it feels too wonky as the sections are longer than a 22!!
bought myself some gloves,not happy about it but i'll see how i get on, i didnt mind getting the dreaded black hand when i could wash it off but this is a permanent blotch lol.

Really sounds wrong - sooner we can look at it the better.

Why not just work with 4 sections of the 39 for a few days whilst the other is back with us?

[P @ F]

Now that is customer service for you 
Hey Alex , can i send my SLX 18 back , i've only had it since March 2016 and its not as shiny as it used to be !   

[Plankton]

Now that is customer service for you 
Hey Alex , can i send my SLX 18 back , i've only had it since March 2016 and its not as shiny as it used to be !   

My SLX22 from March 2013 has lost it's shine as well and that's with the upgrade on the clamps.....

[Nick Day]

When carbon poles are made, you lay up the material, wrap them around a mandrel, wrap them in shrink tape then bake them. The pressure of the shrink tape is hugely important. Too loose and you get the prickly effect. This can happen because if the operative has a batch of slightly weaker tape which keeps breaking, he lessens the pressure of the taping machine, They then sand the pole for effect. We use a fabric which gives a shiny finish and does not need sanding and we do not need clamps . I think that for a "professional" finish, and for the clamps to be more effective, the poles are being sanded, which Is giving them a slightly duller finish but also opens the grain and is allowing the black stains to be released.  I said before that if you seal them with a satin polyurethane it will should stop the stain release. We also found that the clamps were just as effective with a polyurethane finish.

[Plankton]

So what's the benefit using a polyurethane spray over Halfords Clear Lacquer Spray?

[Alex Gardiner]

When carbon poles are made, you lay up the material, wrap them around a mandrel, wrap them in shrink tape then bake them. The pressure of the shrink tape is hugely important. Too loose and you get the prickly effect. This can happen because if the operative has a batch of slightly weaker tape which keeps breaking, he lessens the pressure of the taping machine, They then sand the pole for effect. We use a fabric which gives a shiny finish and does not need sanding and we do not need clamps . I think that for a "professional" finish, and for the clamps to be more effective, the poles are being sanded, which Is giving them a slightly duller finish but also opens the grain and is allowing the black stains to be released.  I said before that if you seal them with a satin polyurethane it will should stop the stain release. We also found that the clamps were just as effective with a polyurethane finish.

All interesting stuff Nick & may apply to other brands of pole, but not relevant to the SLX poles and their composition as they do not have a sanded finish. The matt finish on these poles is not achieved by sanding.

Whatever the issue with this pole it is very strange and not something we have had occur in the last 10 years of SLX production.

Ideally I need to see it before much more wear happens.

[P @ F]

When carbon poles are made, you lay up the material, wrap them around a mandrel, wrap them in shrink tape then bake them. The pressure of the shrink tape is hugely important. Too loose and you get the prickly effect. This can happen because if the operative has a batch of slightly weaker tape which keeps breaking, he lessens the pressure of the taping machine, They then sand the pole for effect. We use a fabric which gives a shiny finish and does not need sanding and we do not need clamps . I think that for a "professional" finish, and for the clamps to be more effective, the poles are being sanded, which Is giving them a slightly duller finish but also opens the grain and is allowing the black stains to be released.  I said before that if you seal them with a satin polyurethane it will should stop the stain release. We also found that the clamps were just as effective with a polyurethane finish.

All interesting stuff Nick & may apply to other brands of pole, but not relevant to the SLX poles and their composition as they do not have a sanded finish. The matt finish on these poles is not achieved by sanding.

Whatever the issue with this pole it is very strange and not something we have had occur in the last 10 years of SLX production.

Ideally I need to see it before much more wear happens.

By the sounds of it Alex you may have a long wait !
Which in itself is a shame , i know what i would be doing in Glens shoes , but you did try and  not many others would , all the same it must be frustrating for you to at this point not to know why its happening , dont worry though , i will still buy an SLX every 4 years or so 

[mufcglen]

Leave it with me and I’ll see what I can do about sending it back, I only asked the question about construction as I know there’s something different about this pole than the last 2-3 slx’s I’ve had over the last few years with this permanent staining on my hand, like I said usually black staining I just wash off but this is seriously stained into my hand lol.
It won’t put me off buying Gardiner again it’s still the best pole around😉

[nathankaye]

Leave it with me and I’ll see what I can do about sending it back, I only asked the question about construction as I know there’s something different about this pole than the last 2-3 slx’s I’ve had over the last few years with this permanent staining on my hand, like I said usually black staining I just wash off but this is seriously stained into my hand lol.
It won’t put me off buying Gardiner again it’s still the best pole around😉

Whats the reluctance on sending it back??
Its not often the case where a company has this type of direct interaction with its customers never mind publically asking you to send it back for investigation. Im sure your wife wouldnt want those black fingers anywhere near her........well you know where ........😉   
Is it really too much faff to downsize the other pole for a couple of days?? What wohld happen if your pole snapped or something......im sure you would down size the bigger pole rather than sacrifice a couple of days work with no pole!! Same difference if you stop n think about it

[mufcglen]

Leave it with me and I’ll see what I can do about sending it back, I only asked the question about construction as I know there’s something different about this pole than the last 2-3 slx’s I’ve had over the last few years with this permanent staining on my hand, like I said usually black staining I just wash off but this is seriously stained into my hand lol.
It won’t put me off buying Gardiner again it’s still the best pole around😉

Whats the reluctance on sending it back??
Its not often the case where a company has this type of direct interaction with its customers never mind publically asking you to send it back for investigation. Im sure your wife wouldnt want those black fingers anywhere near her........well you know where ........😉   
Is it really too much faff to downsize the other pole for a couple of days?? What wohld happen if your pole snapped or something......im sure you would down size the bigger pole rather than sacrifice a couple of days work with no pole!! Same difference if you stop n think about it

laziness pal, i cant be arsed faffing about trying to find a box then sending it next day delivery and stripping my own pole down, i'll only use the pole for a year or so before i buy a new one anyway!
ive stripped it down and cleaned and retaped it and ive got a theory that it could just be the initial coating wearing off thats a different colour black to what they look like when theyve worn down abit.
there was a fair bit of cruddy carbon on the bottom of the sections where theyre taped so ive flushed it all out now.
Alex could you confirm whether they are finished with a different coat or something as they look matt black to start with and then become a light grey as they wear down?
wore the gloves today too, caught them in the pole clamps a few times but overall i enjoyed it!

[Alex Gardiner]

Leave it with me and I’ll see what I can do about sending it back, I only asked the question about construction as I know there’s something different about this pole than the last 2-3 slx’s I’ve had over the last few years with this permanent staining on my hand, like I said usually black staining I just wash off but this is seriously stained into my hand lol.
It won’t put me off buying Gardiner again it’s still the best pole around😉

Whats the reluctance on sending it back??
Its not often the case where a company has this type of direct interaction with its customers never mind publically asking you to send it back for investigation. Im sure your wife wouldnt want those black fingers anywhere near her........well you know where ........😉   
Is it really too much faff to downsize the other pole for a couple of days?? What wohld happen if your pole snapped or something......im sure you would down size the bigger pole rather than sacrifice a couple of days work with no pole!! Same difference if you stop n think about it

laziness pal, i cant be arsed faffing about trying to find a box then sending it next day delivery and stripping my own pole down, i'll only use the pole for a year or so before i buy a new one anyway!
ive stripped it down and cleaned and retaped it and ive got a theory that it could just be the initial coating wearing off thats a different colour black to what they look like when theyve worn down abit.
there was a fair bit of cruddy carbon on the bottom of the sections where theyre taped so ive flushed it all out now.
Alex could you confirm whether they are finished with a different coat or something as they look matt black to start with and then become a light grey as they wear down?
wore the gloves today too, caught them in the pole clamps a few times but overall i enjoyed it!

The initial coating is carbon fibre - whilst this outer layer will wear off, it usually takes many months to do so before wearing down to different directional layers of carbon fibre. When worn these inner layers may appear greyer than initially but this is more to do with the direction of the carbon fibres than any change in material.

The initial layer of carbon should really not wear off this fast unless in the presence of some unusual abrasive material - such as trapped sand and grit in unusual amounts.

[Dave66]

Used to get black from my last slx but not with the new one?

Feels like it's got a nice shiny coat on :-)

[Plankton]

So what's the benefit using a polyurethane spray over Halfords Clear Lacquer Spray?

?

[duncan h]

Thanks for replying Alex, I wouldn’t be able to send back as it’s my every day pole, I sell my old poles and renew every year and done fancy using my slx39 while I’m waiting!
Just to be clear though it’s not actually splintering by looks of it but it’s giving something prickly on my skin, the black I’ve always had and just consider it part of owning a carbon pole and usually just washes off but this pole it’s really stubborn and won’t come off my hand😂
Think I might have to look at using gloves maybe but here’s a photo of my hand after scrubbing with fairy and a rough sponge then solvent remover and nothing is touching it, about a month or 2 old this pole

That's a really dark black.
My slx 25 is 3 year sols and always gives me black hands in seconds.
Had 2 slx 18 and they arnt half as bad. Got an old exceed pole that I don't use anymore and get nothing off it.
My new slx 35 comes tomorrow. See how that goes.


Got psoriasis on my hands. Hospital said wear gloves. Hate it. I use them in winter but its a pain taking them on and off all the time

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

i bet you lot are soft southerners  real men just get on with it and dont moan about a few marks on there hands 

[P @ F]

i bet you lot are soft southerners  real men just get on with it and dont moan about a few marks on there hands 

Yeh , I would much rather walk around with black hands safe in the knowledge that i was WELL HARD   

[mufcglen]

just to update guys after giving it a strip down retape and clean it seems much better but im wearing gloves now and really enjoying it to be honest but before i could see the black all over the pole shaft when it was wet now it doesnt look half as bad so i suspect it was the initial coating these have from now that the outer section with writing never seems to lose but the inner sections do wear off, just thought it was mad how it wore so much in a month from new?
hands are finally getting the black off now though  that was some bloody stubborn carbon!!

[Spruce]

So what's the benefit using a polyurethane spray over Halfords Clear Lacquer Spray?

?

Halfords clear Lacquer spray is rubbish as it wears off too quickly.

The best I used was engine lacquer supplied by Gunk but they now longer sell it.

I have found that Symoniz clear lacquer is better than Halfords but has a long way to go to the old Gunk stuff. Again symoniz is a paint lacquer where the Gunk lacquer was and engine lacquer.

My wife suggested I use a water based floor varnish. She bought it. It flaked off and jammed 2 sections together.  I had the cut the top section off to release it and buy another. She refused to pay for it.

Clever Forum Name put up this video on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDbXLzjpIjI

He was refurbishing a pole that still had the old clamps on. Somewhere he has said recently that they have found a better product and use that but I can't remember what it was.

.

[jk999]

Had my six 22 for six years never had the black hand problem, Alex you need to tell the guys that make your poles to use quick drying paint and not slow dry lol 😆😆😆

[Plankton]

I wrote Halfords because I couldn't spell the other one!  (which I've used) Still doesn't answer the question though.