Arbortec Maintenance Page

Make your apparel last...

Arbortec maintenance page - THE ULTIMATE GUIDE

To ensure optimal performance and longevity, it is essential to properly maintain your chainsaw trousers, treating them as you would any other piece of equipment.

This guide will provide Arbortec users useful advice on how to properly maintain their protective chainsaw apparel.

chainsaw Trousers

Washing

Repairing

At Arbortec, we understand the demanding conditions faced by zippers in chainsaw pants. That's why we have rigorously tested and trialed numerous zips to ensure optimal performance. Our current zips feature a robust design with a reverse coil or vislon to keep debris out. However, it's important to note that dirt, wood chips, and other materials can still find their way into the coil between the teeth. When this occurs, the slider may start sticking, and the instinctual reaction is to pull harder. Unfortunately, this can lead to damage to the chain or separate the front and back of the slider. Consequently, the slider may appear to move up, but the chain or the zipper's components fail to mesh properly.

To ensure the longevity and smooth operation of your Arbortec Forestwear zippers, here are some additional care and maintenance tips:

Washing Guidelines: Always wash your trousers with the zips closed. This will prevent sawdust from entering the zip teeth and ensures that the slider doesn't come under pressure whilst your trousers are being washed.

Troubleshooting: If you find that the zip is stiff whilst pulling it, do not use excessive force. Instead, see what might be obstructing it. Removing any obstructions is the best approach to restore proper functionality to the zip.

Slider Maintenance: To keep your slider moving freely, take a pencil and run it up and down the teeth of the zip a few times. This simple action helps reduce wear on the teeth and slider, preserving their performance.

If pencil doesn’t work apply a dab of laundry soap for lubrication and this can help the zipper become unstuck.

1. Pour a small amount of detergent into a small dish.
2. Pour a small amount of water into the same dish.
3. Dip a cotton ball or swab into the mixture.
4. Use the saturated cotton ball to coat the teeth in the solution.
5. Place the cotton ball down and gently attempt to unzip the zipper. It may only move a little. If this is the case, return the slider to its original position. Repeat until the zipper is unstuck.

smocks

Washing

Use our Nikwax techwash to wash your smock. To be used on wet weather gear, easy and quick to apply at home in a washing machine. Our Nikwax is able to develop full water-repellency without tumble drying.

Ensure that you do not dry your smock on heat source such as radiator, as this will ruin the taped seams.

Do up all zips on your smock before putting the garment in the washing machine to prevent the zips from becoming damaged.

Re-Proofing

The reason the water beads up and rolls off the outer of the smock is due to the water repellence finish, known as a bounce-out finish.

This finish is temporary and over time will wear off with washing. When you notice the water is no longer beading up and rolling off the smock, you can re-proof your coat with our Nikwax TX.Direct wash in waterproofing for wet weather clothing, this will add water repellence and revives breathability.

footwear

Treat before first use

Leather boots perform two important functions when it comes to being in the outdoors, firstly they keep our feet dry in wet conditions and secondly, they prevent injury by protecting our feet and supporting our ankles. Both of these functions are affected by water repellence.

Wet leather is also much less breathable than dry leather. Our Nikwax Waterproofing wax for smooth leather such as Profell, Fellhunter, Scafell Lite in Brown and Scafell Boots in Black and Brown, is easy to apply and works immediately, allowing you to treat your boots at any time before you go out. Our Arbortec footwear cream can be used on all boots including our suede boots, but for suede specifically, we recommend our Nikwax Nubuck and Suede proof cream.

1. First wash off dirt with water or use a soap based cleaner like Nikwax footwear cleaning gel

2. You don't need to wait for your boots to dry before cleaning the product

3. You can use your fingers to rub Nikwax into your boots as they do not contain any harmful chemicals

4. Once applied, remove any excess product with a damp cloth

If your Arbortec boots happen to get wet:

If the boots are wet, it is essential to dry them thoroughly to prevent any potential damage or discomfort. We recommend removing the insoles and stuffing the boots with crumpled newspaper or using a boot dryer to speed up the drying process.

It's important to avoid direct heat sources like heaters or fire, as they can cause the boots to crack.

Following these maintenance practices will help keep your Arbortec chainsaw boots in excellent condition, ensuring their reliability and durability in the challenging forest environment.

5. Make sure you put your equipment on correctly like in the video demonstration below with one of our own ambassadors, Katie Curwen, to maintain the longevity of your chainsaw boots.

6. After working it is crucial to take time to clean your boots, remove footbed and laces so you can clean the hard to get places we recommend using a specialist boot brush or soft tooth brush. Please note: all cleaning of boots should be done by hand not using a washing machine, and stored in a well-ventilated, dry place.

warranty and lifespan info

The lifespan, or 'working life' of any piece of Arbortec apparel depends on the nature of its use and how it is cared for. If a product is cared for well and only given light use, it will obviously last longer than a product which is used heavily and not cared for at all.

To establish if a product is still safe to use, it should be inspected regularly. This inspection should be carried out at regular intervals - and the product should be removed from service immediately if any defects are found.