Silicone and neoprene

[Mermaid Marissa]

Hey I recently found out that with scuba gear you should keep silicone and neoprene separate because it leaches the color... wouldn't that be a problem for tailmaking/owning?:confused: I know a lot more people are making/buying these kinds of tails and I was wondering if someone is having a problem with this (I was planing on buying Raven's neoprene/silicone tail for price reasons and I want to make sure there won't be an issue:$)

[Lyna]

i've never heard of that...a lot of silicone tails have been coming out over neoprene. i personally prefer silicone to skin....but hmm...why don't you ask raven? her tails are phenomenal...so i'm guessing the dye that scuba people use is lesser quality than she uses or there's something else going on there.

[Winged Mermaid]

I haven't heard of that either! What kind of silicone are they talking about for diving, and for what use?

Also with neoprene and silicone tails, I don't see how it could matter, really. The neoprene is covered by silicone so it won't be seen, and the silicone is pigmented, not painted, so the color isn't going to come off. With neoprene and tin cure silicone tails the neoprene is painted first, then the silicone is put down and textured over top of it. Or again, the silicone is pigmented. So far no one has had any issues with paint being leached by the silicone or neoprene (Shelly made lots of these types of tails, although she doesn't make them any more for personal reasons), although I'd be more worried about the clear silicone turning brown like platinum silicone does when left unpigmented. Hope that gave you a little insight :)

[Mermaid Marissa]

I haven't heard of that either! What kind of silicone are they talking about for diving, and for what use?

Also with neoprene and silicone tails, I don't see how it could matter, really. The neoprene is covered by silicone so it won't be seen, and the silicone is pigmented, not painted, so the color isn't going to come off. With neoprene and tin cure silicone tails the neoprene is painted first, then the silicone is put down and textured over top of it. Or again, the silicone is pigmented. So far no one has had any issues with paint being leached by the silicone or neoprene (Shelly made lots of these types of tails, although she doesn't make them any more for personal reasons), although I'd be more worried about the clear silicone turning brown like platinum silicone does when left unpigmented. Hope that gave you a little insight :)

thanks I'm not sure what kind of silicone it is but I think they want you to keep clear silicone away from your wet suit because, like you said, it can turn brown.

[Capt Nemo]

Not your wetsuit nylon dye, but from black rubber. The silicone can somehow pick up carbon out of the rubber and then turn a brownish color. I see it happen to a lot of dive masks that get stored with rubber fins. With age, silicone used in masks will turn milky with oxidation after a few years. Skin wetsuits might discolor it, like the skin chest and back panels, but not from the nylon parts.

If that were true, my new Scubapro mask would be colored from the neoprene strap I have on it.

[Spindrift]

Wow. You haven't been on in forever!

[Ashe]

I really do hope silicone doesn't turn brown if not pigmented. It would ruin my plan for a tail i am thinking of making...

[Mermaid Marissa]

Wow. You haven't been on in forever!

I know! I have been busy starting the new school year and my parents decided to make our own version of extreme makeover home edition :p I think I lost half my body weight and traded it for muscle :D

[Mermaid Marissa]

Wow. You haven't been on in forever!

oh you were talkin about Capt. awkward XD yeah you haven't been on in a while!

[Capt Nemo]

Kinda got bored, and turned my attention elsewhere.

[Winged Mermaid]

They all come back... *taps tips of fingers together maniacally*.. eventually.