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What's Bad About Wire Hangers?


SergeantMajorGray
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SergeantMajorGray

I try to limit their use as much as possible but with over 80 uniforms buying all wood hangers isn't cheap. I used a mix of wood and very thick plastic hangers. But for some of my modern BDU/DCU/ACU uniforms I use wire only because I don't have enough of wood and plastic. Back to my question what do wire hangers do wrong and can they hurt modern uniforms?

Thanks, Will

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hbtcoveralls

The things that Wire hangers do is first, in humid climates they rust and the rust bleeds into uniforms and can be impossible to get out. It sometimes doesn't happen quickly but, items in your collection might be there decades. The other thing that wire hangers are known for is that they crease the shoulders of uniform items and then the area that's creased can easily become discolored. These effects are both well know by antique uniform collectors, and only time will tell if modern uniforms will wind up the same way, but I've seen plenty of Vietnam and Desert Storm uniforms damaged by wire hangers.

Tom Bowers

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You don't have to replace your hangers all at once...do a couple at a time...you might also try checking with local thrift stores...they usually have bunches of extra hangers...OR, check at estate sales...you see a lot there too....you have to balance what they cost, with the cost of the damage that the wire hangers WILL cause over time.....

 

 

Mark sends

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SergeantMajorGray

Here's a Craigslisting in your town....Ninety-Five (95) wooden hangers for only $50.00...that's roughly 50 cents apiece!

 

 

http://wilmington.craigslist.org/clo/4510104727.html

 

 

This one is in Myrtle Beach...they're asking a buck a piece...

 

http://myrtlebeach.craigslist.org/hsh/4508895340.html

 

 

 

Mark sends

 

Wow I don't think I'd need hangers ever again I'll look into that thanks.

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Rust never sleeps.

 

I have picked up more than one uniform grouping that had permanent rust stains from being on wire hangers in damp environments. I just sent in a pair of uniforms trouses and the dry cleapers ran them through three times, but there was still stains.

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As Mark stated often wood or padded hangers are easily found at estate or garage sales.I have even gotten them free.Good Will, Salvation Army and other thrift stores will also be sources.Just a matter of getting out and looking.

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I buy my wooden hangers from Home Depot. I use them not only for my uniforms but all of my clothes as well. I CAN'T STAND WIRE COAT HANGERS. They rust, leave silly lines in shoulders, bend, and look completely uneven in the closet. I do keep a couple cut up ones in the garage though as they do work great for running wire, hooks for painting, and other odd household chores.... :)

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You can make your own padded hangers. wrap an inert padding around them, and then cover with a neutral muslin cloth. Much cheaper than buying them.

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Have you considered plastic as an alternative to wood?

 

Fortunately, I have less than 10 uniforms in my collection, so wooden hangers weren't a problem

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SergeantMajorGray

Have you considered plastic as an alternative to wood?

 

Fortunately, I have less than 10 uniforms in my collection, so wooden hangers weren't a problem

 

Yes majority of mine are plastic with wood being used on the real nice ones. Only 7 uniforms are on wire.

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The things that Wire hangers do is first, in humid climates they rust and the rust bleeds into uniforms and can be impossible to get out. It sometimes doesn't happen quickly but, items in your collection might be there decades. The other thing that wire hangers are known for is that they crease the shoulders of uniform items and then the area that's creased can easily become discolored. These effects are both well know by antique uniform collectors, and only time will tell if modern uniforms will wind up the same way, but I've seen plenty of Vietnam and Desert Storm uniforms damaged by wire hangers.

Tom Bowers

I'll second what Tom has said. My dad hung his 60s era Triumph racing jacket on a wire hanger and left it in his closet for years. When I was helping my parents move out of their old house that was full of black mold, I found his jacket and it had rust stains on the shoulders. Very sad day.

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Collector .45

I have found thrift stores and estates sales to be the best. When I go hunting for militaria, I always check the closet at estate sales and typically there is a small stack. Most of the time, they inexpensive.

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I'll second Joan Crawford's opinion about wire hangars. In the museum field we use (almost exclusively) plastic suit hangars. They have wide shoulder supports so you don't get creases in the shoulder area of uniforms. Wood hangars can be problematic too and we stay away from them if at all possible. They use manufacturing processes that can eventually start to emit gasses from the wood, and in a long term storage can be damaging to textiles.

The plastic hangars are not terribly expensive (we use suit hangars from Rapid Plastics Inc. from Brooklyn NY) and if you buy in bulk they are very cost effective.

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gunbunnyB/3/75FA

personally, i generally try not to hang my uniforms at all, i usually put them in alternating layers of acid free paper and cloth bags in acid free boxes.but thats just me.

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What about the plain, unvarnished wood variety?

That would probably work just fine for your needs. But then I'd take Mr. Gawne's advice from earlier in this thread and wrap them with an inert material for extra padding and then a muslin cloth over that.

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SergeantMajorGray

Do you have any photographic evidence coated wood causes harm because it sounds like the debate about foam heads people say they are bad but have no proof.

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