Bicycle Tire Patch Repairs

Help me out here, Folks who remember vulcanizing of flat bicycle tires. Rex Cross, my cousin, and I were talking about fixing our bikes when we were little.

The tube was removed from the tire, a metal hasp was rubbed back and forth at the site of the puncture, a glue was brushed around the site of the puncture, a diamond shaped vulcanizing patch was clamped into place about 1/8 inch thick and bigger than a 50 cent piece, clamped down, the orange surface was punctured by a sharp object, a match was lit at the punctured site, a blast of smoke poured out as the patch burned and vulcanized the rubber patch to the intertube surface. Alas, the puncture site was repaired!

Is that a pretty acurate description??

Then testing the tube with a small amount of air pressure into the tube and dunking it under water in the test tank for leaks.

I later learned that I could take a worn out bicycle tire and double up, two tires on the same rim, to escape so many punctures from those sticker burrs that always caused the flat tires. That did work pretty good for me. Then came the tube of No Leak that was put inside the tube to prevent flat tires.

I remember several businesses in Haigler that did the vulcanizing patch repair, even to car tire intertubes and even bigger tire intertubes. Even tires could have a boot put into place which is now outlawed.

What does anyone else remember about tire repairs??

-- Submitted by Dallas Adams