Remember when we used to fight with those old Kirby Morgan hat seals?

I mean, back in the Gulf around 2010, we'd spend half the morning just trying to get a good seal on the 37 hat. The trick I finally learned from a guy out of Morgan City was to warm the seal in a bucket of hot water for about 5 minutes before you put it on the hat rim. It softens the rubber just enough to seat perfectly on the first try, no more pinching or leaks. Anyone else have a simple fix like that for old gear that saved you a headache?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_ryan1mo ago

Warming seals is just adding extra steps to a simple job. Proper technique and a clean surface always worked fine without the bucket routine. That hot water trick sounds like solving a problem that shouldn't exist.

juliag101mo ago

Honestly, the bucket thing is just the start. I've seen guys bring out heat guns and warming blankets for big o-rings, like they're prepping a fancy meal. It's wild. They'll spend twenty minutes getting a seal warm and soft, then rush the cleaning step and scratch the groove with a dirty rag. Makes no sense. If your technique is solid, room temp seals work fine unless it's literally freezing outside.

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oliver21mo ago

Totally agree with @juliag10, just use clean hands and some lube.