noglider 

Scotchguard spray seems to be like a lacquer for fabric. It prevents some kinds of dirt from sticking, and it allows some other kinds to be washed off easily or at least more easily than without it. Has anyone tried it on handlebar tape?

fender1

No. What kind of bar tape are you thinking about?

unworthy1

Scotchgard is not kind of a "lacquer" for fabric, and frankly I'd avoid this stuff as much as possible (although it looks like 3M has just announced that they will be reformulating it now, after decades of negotiating with the EPA and other Agencies). I spray plenty of lacquer and even that is not what I'd call "kind" to the environment but I'd rather put my hands on that than Scotchgard...tho I'd never use lacquer on handlebar tape anyway, if anything I'd brush on some good old (non-toxic when dried) shellac...just like Mom used to make
Read this:
The Inside Story: 3M and Scotchgard

nlerner

Go for it, Tom, and report back. While you're at it, spray your clothes, too, and give it a good trail run in the rain.

FBOATSB

+1 on the shellac. Makes my tape bullet proof.

big chainring 

I bought a Super Course recently whose white handlebar tape was dark gray. Disgusting. A couple light sprays of Challenger cleaner and voila, bright white tape. Love that stuff.

drlogik 

I love Scotchguard! I spray it on new athletic shoes and hats. Great stuff indeed. Repels water for a good while and stains don't stain and can be washed off. Handlebar tape? Hmmm, why not but why would you need to?

RobbieTunes

We used to Scotchguard our new jeans and go skiing at the night spots on small hills in Wisconsin. Leaves blue streaks in the snow. Never used it for anything else, though we always used to have some around.

I don't put anything on handlebar tape; not sure why I would. Smarter folk than I designed it to be used as is. If it gets dirty, I clean it, and if it stays dirty, well, OK.

noglider 

OK, I'll try shellac. I've been reading about it for a while now. I guess I should learn to end tape with twine, too. I bought twine at the hardware store, but unfortunately it is much thicker than I wanted.

I'm glad I asked. Now I know not to use Scotchguard. And I never heard of Challenger. Is there a reasonable substitute such as Fantastik? I'm skeptical one can really clean up cloth tape.

rootboy 

You can always buy a small can of Bullseye at the store.
But that's no fun.

Go here for all your shellac info and needs, Tom. And learn more than you ever wanted to know.
Shellac is neat stuff.
https://www.shellac.net

And this page for colors, and 4 ounce samples, which is about perfect for a set of bars.
I'd start with Super blonde, unless you want a tint to it. Which can also be cool, over certain colors.
https://www.shellac.net/Shellac_ordering_list.html

• DSB4 - Dewaxed SUPER BLONDE (VERY Light Pale) - 4 Oz

ollo_ollo

I've used shellac over bar tape for years. Greatly extends the life and makes for easier cleanup. Almost always use amber for a vintage look, but for my son's Zeus, clear shellac preserved the Cinelli yellow tape color very well. Don

rustystrings61 

This is Bullseye shellac over double-wrapped orange Tressostar that I originally prepared in the fall of 2002. I took this photo in 2014, and the stuff still looks pretty much like this. It wears like iron. Note that I touched it up and refreshed it every year or so, AND that this is after a dozen years and 11,000 miles. The drive side tape has been unwrapped and re-wrapped once, the left side twice, once to replace the stem and a second time when I had to replace the bars. So, yeah, the same bar tape with two handlebars and two different stems.

[IMG][/IMG]

It's not a clean look over white bar tape - when I did ancient white Schwinn bar tape with this stuff, it made it a lovely cream color.

Salamandrine 

IMHO it is pointless to use twine with shellacked tape, unless you simply like the look for fashion or whatever. I prefer to simply start from the top - like in olden days. Cotton tape will not come apart or lift once it is soaked in shellac.

If prefer a paler straw or cream color, use higher grade shellac mixed from flakes. Flake shellac is available from fine woodworking and luthier supply places in many shades. Then again, regular bullseye works fine if it is reasonably fresh.

Bad Lag

I thought ScotchGard was a silicone oil in LOTS of solvent.

Salamandrine 

Yeah scotchgard is silicone, AFAIK. Extremely bad news for anyone that does any kind of woodworking. I stay clear of it for that reason. However, it might make the cotton tape slightly more long lasting without changing the looks much, but frankly I wouldn't bother. So what if it lasts 6 months instead of 4 months (for example)? Cotton tape is cheap and easily replaced.

drlogik 

I don't understand the bashing of Scotchguard. The stuff is NOT Agent Orange. It's a fabric treatment and it works great for the purpose for which it was designed.

rootboy 

I agree, Sal'.
I always thought "twine" looked cheesy on a nice bike. I use something finer, which gives a nicer, finished look, IMO.

Mixing your own shellac from flakes is a pleasant activity, I think. It is my absolute favorite for my woodworking projects that don't require something more durable. Plus, it's natural, denatured alcohol is a relatively tame solvent, and using it keeps those poor Indian guys who laboriously collect the bug secretions in business.
You can mix the "cut" you need. A bit thicker cut is good for handlebar tape. I like just a couple of light coats. And though flakes are available from numerous woodworking supply sources, it can be tough to find it offered in less than one pound cans. Thus the Shellac.net recommendation above. Unless you need a pound of the flakes.

rootboy 

Read the report mentioned above, if you haven't yet. About how the stuff is being found in the environment, in just about everything, including our blood streams.
Better living through chemistry.

big chainring 

I consume mass quantities of Scotch...guard, I also stick my hands in fans for fun.

noglider 

Did you just contradict yourself?

unworthy1

shellac.net is a great resource and happily near enough that I can occasionally drive there (but often there's some wine tasting involved, gets complicated!). If you really are into the artisanal ritual of shellac (opps, I used the "A" word ) you can mix with pure wood alcohol, no "denaturing" additives (which often is/was MEK, methyl ethyl ketone) nor any water which gives the purest cut of shellac...it's what the art conservators do.
I do a lot of furniture finish and restoration work as a sideline and have come to really appreciate the "classic and vintage" finishes, including shellac, and will happily bash away at plastic resins, silicone and highly toxic solvents...it's my business , you can (and will) do and use whatever you like to your private environment and body.

rootboy 

Maybe. Perhaps I should have used a semi colon.
And yet, alcohol is made from plain water.
A "relatively" tame solvent itself.

rootboy 

Great points, Unworthy.
And yet, finding pure methyl alcohol can be a bit of a challenge for the average Joe.
Especially for something like doing a handlebar wrap coating, or two.

But, now that you mention it, I'm going to order some methyl for my next project.
A custom headboard made of Padauk and rosewood.

Salamandrine 

Getting kind of OT but the preferred solvent for shellac is pure ethyl alcohol, aka ethanol, aka grain spirit, aka Everclear. Methyl (methanol) is wood alcohol, and is much more toxic. I know some people use Methyl for french polishing, especially in europe, but I don't see the point. It's not that bad compared to many solvents, but it's still poisonous.

Denatured alcohol from the hardware store is typically ethanol denatured (poisoned) with methanol, though other solvents can be used such as MEK and acetone. Frankly it's more than good enough for dissolving shellac. Just use reasonable caution and don't drink it!

rootboy 

I just use D-alcohol for my shellac....seems to work just fine.

I have a gallon of MEK here, for other things...but man, I would never use that to dissolve shellac flakes.
Ugh. Stuff just smells scary.

BTW, I wonder if methyl is more poisonous/toxic when absorbed through the skin, than ethyl?
Neither are good, to be sure, but I sure feel safer working with denatured alcohol over the other solvents I have on hand here.