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How To Tape Your Ceiling Hook, Haligan And Tools
Posted On 28 Apr 2014
Why Tape Our Tools?
Because when our gloves are soaking wet and we’re using our hook trying to hook a ceiling or wall our hands slide all over the shaft of the hook or other tool. This is frustrating and inefficient.
Here’s how to fix that: Put a grip on your tools and be a more effective firefighter.
Materials Needed
The materials necessary to obtain a better grip consists of using oxygen tubing and sports grip tape. These can be purchased at your local pharmacy and sporting goods store or online at Amazon.com . The cost is minimal but the reward of having a tool that won’t slip through your hands is great. Note: There can be some substitutes for the oxygen tubing. You can use paracord, twisted up shoe laces, or grip tape that has been twisted up onto itself.
The tape & hose needed for adding grip to your tools.
Here Are The 3 Steps To Add a Grip To Your Tools:
Step 1:
Be sure to clean the entire tool with a simple degreaser to remove any oils, dust, soot, or ash before you begin to wrap your tool.
Step 2:
Secure the oxygen tubing at the top of the shaft with a piece of sports grip tape. Wrap the oxygen tubing around the shaft of the tool spacing it approximately 3î apart. Secure the tubing about every 9î as you wrap it going down the shaft of the tool until you reach where you want to stop.
Step 2 – Secure the tubing to the tool in a spiral fashion with pieces of the tape
Step 3:
Begin the wrap over the oxygen tubing with the grip tape pulling tightly as you wrap the tape down the shaft. Wrap the tape at an angle and overlap about half of the tape from the previous wrap to ensure complete coverage. Once the tape has been completely applied to the shaft area with the tubing; cut the tape and tightly apply the last portion to the tool. Then take your hands and grip the tool tightening the grip tape to the tool.
Step 3 – Wrap the tool and tubing with the athletic tape
Finished
Special Notes
Slightly lubricate the working parts of the tool with a little oil.
If during the course of firefighting operations the tape rips, you can simply re-tape the shaft and it will look and work as if it was new.
When your tool wrapping project is complete, be proud to show it off and pass the knowledge along. (Post A picture below)
Stay Safe!
As an alternate to the O2 hose you can take a piece of tape and do the same. Just pull a long enough length of tape off the roll and before you cut it off hang the roll at the bottom and give it a spin. The tape will twist up into rope/sting that can then replace the O2 line.
Cheers, Greg
Another alternative is using paracord. It takes a little bit longer to put on, but I think it last longer and will take more abuse. If anyone needs pictures let me know. Keep it safe!
Greg, you must be Canadian. This is how any good hockey player tapes his stick. Take the “sports grip tape” aka stick tape, and unroll it a couple of feet. Don’t rip it off yet, instead, give the roll a spin. This will cause the tape to form a nice little string. Now you can make your grip.
Less material, less time spent fighting it.
Indeed!
Do you just wrap the paracord in place of the tubing?
It is a series of half hitches. Email me if you would like pictures. Matt.ebersold@yahoo.com