On 5/31/2023 8:45 AM, Ted Heise wrote:
> On Tue, 30 May 2023 22:23:11 -0400,
> Frank Krygowski <frkrygow@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>> On 5/30/2023 8:47 PM, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
>>> One thing that a lot of people forget to do before putting in
>>> a patched or new tube is inspect the inside of the tire for
>>> anything that caused the puncture. A cotton ball in a patch
>>> kit is a great item to have handy for doing that check.
>>
>> I don't remember hearing the cotton ball tip before. Makes
>> sense.
>
> I used to use a fingertip, that is until I cut it. Now I usually
> just use a bit of rag.
>

The quotable Yogi Berra, "You can see a lot by just looking."

Spread the casing in good light and look. Against the clean
fabric matrix any deviation, object, injury is glaringly
obvious. If not found, run fingers inside casing and then
move on to observe tread (where it's harder to spot problems).

I've changed tires in some volume daily for over 50 years. I
have shed blood in bike service but never cut a finger on an
object in a tire casing. Possible? Probably, just not probable.

--
Andrew Muzi
<www.yellowjersey.org/>
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On 5/31/2023 10:52 AM, AMuzi wrote:
> On 5/31/2023 8:45 AM, Ted Heise wrote:
>> On Tue, 30 May 2023 22:23:11 -0400,
>>    Frank Krygowski <frkrygow@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>>>   On 5/30/2023 8:47 PM, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
>>>>   One thing that a lot of people forget to do before putting in
>>>> a patched or new tube is inspect the inside of the tire for
>>>> anything that caused the puncture. A cotton ball in a patch
>>>> kit is a great item to have handy for doing that check.
>>>
>>>   I don't remember hearing the cotton ball tip before. Makes
>>>   sense.
>>
>> I used to use a fingertip, that is until I cut it.  Now I usually
>> just use a bit of rag.
>>
>
> The quotable Yogi Berra, "You can see a lot by just looking."
>
> Spread the casing in good light and look. Against the clean fabric
> matrix any deviation, object, injury is glaringly obvious. If not found,
> run fingers inside casing and then move on to observe tread (where it's
> harder to spot problems).

ISTM that would work fine if I were repairing the flat in my workshop,
or other place with good lighting. But while I do patch tubes there, my
flat repairs happen out on the road somewhere, where I have less control
over the lighting.

> I've changed tires in some volume daily for over 50 years. I have shed
> blood in bike service but never cut a finger on an object in a tire
> casing. Possible? Probably, just not probable.

I once got a slightly nicked finger checking the tire's inside. I still
check by feel, but with care.

--
- Frank Krygowski

On 2023-05-31, Frank Krygowski <frkrygow@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> On 5/30/2023 8:47 PM, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
>>
>> One thing that a lot of people forget to do before putting in a patched or new tube is inspect the inside of the tire for anything that caused the puncture. A cotton ball in a patch kit is a great item to have handy for doing that check.
>
> I don't remember hearing the cotton ball tip before. Makes sense.
>

How is the cotton ball helpful? Does it catch on any little poke-through
like those insidious radial tire wires?

I've always used my fingertips.

pH

On Wed, 31 May 2023 11:02:23 -0400,
Frank Krygowski <frkrygow@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> On 5/31/2023 10:52 AM, AMuzi wrote:
> > On 5/31/2023 8:45 AM, Ted Heise wrote:
> >> On Tue, 30 May 2023 22:23:11 -0400,
> >> ?? Frank Krygowski <frkrygow@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> >>> ? On 5/30/2023 8:47 PM, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
> >>>> ? One thing that a lot of people forget to do before
> >>>> putting in a patched or new tube is inspect the inside of
> >>>> the tire for anything that caused the puncture. A cotton
> >>>> ball in a patch kit is a great item to have handy for doing
> >>>> that check.
> >>>
> >>> ? I don't remember hearing the cotton ball tip before. Makes
> >>> ? sense.
> >>
> >> I used to use a fingertip, that is until I cut it.? Now I
> >> usually just use a bit of rag.
> >
> > The quotable Yogi Berra, "You can see a lot by just looking."
> >
> > Spread the casing in good light and look. Against the clean
> > fabric matrix any deviation, object, injury is glaringly
> > obvious. If not found, run fingers inside casing and then move
> > on to observe tread (where it's harder to spot problems).
>
> ISTM that would work fine if I were repairing the flat in my
> workshop, or other place with good lighting. But while I do
> patch tubes there, my flat repairs happen out on the road
> somewhere, where I have less control over the lighting.

Agree with both points. In the shop, I definitely rely a lot on
visual inspection. Doing similar on the outer surface (but
bending the other way) has been helpful in finding very small
debris that has been picked up in a small cut of the tread surface
and then worn through the casing and abraded a spot in the tire
that leaks.

Nearly all of my flats occur out on the road, so I need to find
the culprit in the field before replacing (or patching) the tube.
As Frank notes, the light (and conditions) are sometimes not that
great.

> > I've changed tires in some volume daily for over 50 years. I
> > have shed blood in bike service but never cut a finger on an
> > object in a tire casing. Possible? Probably, just not
> > probable.
>
> I once got a slightly nicked finger checking the tire's inside.
> I still check by feel, but with care.

This last bit by Frank is well put. On further reflection, I
think I do pretty much the same. The rag use I mentioned was a
concept that made sense when I read about it but turned out not to
be that practical. A rag (or cotton ball) isn't always at hand,
and there's a balance between what to carry and risk tolerance.

--
Ted Heise <theise@panix.com> West Lafayette, IN, USA