Edge Blade

Edge Blade

Omg, I Need New Wiper Blades!

It’s raining. Actually it’s pouring. Golf ball-sized rain droplets are pounding on your windshield. You flip on your wipers, which only make matters worse. As you bob your head, struggling to catch a glimpse of clarity through cloudy, streaked glass you will probably curse and think something like, “OMG, what is wrong with me? Why didn’t I replace these stupid things?!”

Guess what? Life doesn’t have to be this hard. Most experts say you should replace your wiper blades every six to twelve months for optimum performance and driving visibility. That’s because the materials don’t last forever– natural rubber deteriorates over time. Halogen-hardened rubber and synthetic rubber provide longer life, but eventually fall victim to environmental factors as well. Think about it. Your wipers are exposed to nature’s elements 100% of the time. Exposure to sunlight and ozone will cause the rubber to age, even if you barely use your wipers.

The irony is you really only think about your wipers when you wished you had replaced them — times when you vision is obscured by water, road splash, sleet or snow on the windshield. But good visibility requires wipers that are in good condition. If the wipers are chattering, streaking or otherwise failing to wipe cleanly and consistently, you need new blades — Pronto!

But what really happens to wiper blades over time? As they age, they lose much of their flip-over flexibility thus losing their ability to wipe cleanly. They can develop a permanent set or curvature, which prevents full contact with the windshield. This is more likely to occur on vehicles that are parked outside in the hot sun all day. The sun bakes and hardens the rubber making them streak and chatter because they’ve taken a set and won’t follow the curvature of the windshield. Not only are they dangerous, but annoying.

Cold weather can also affect your blades’ life. Freezing temperatures make rubber hard and brittle, increasing the tendency to crack and split. For you snowy drivers, your wipers can become clogged with ice and snow, preventing the holder from distributing spring tension evenly over the blade. The blade then “freezes up” and leaves smudges as it skims across the glass. Driving in the snow is hard enough.

Heavy use can take a toll on your wiper blades, too. Dust, abrasives, road grime and even bug juice wear away the edge that allows the blades to wipe cleanly. As blades lose their edge, water gets under the blade and remains on the glass. The result is reduced visibility and poor wiping action.

If your blades are chattering, streaking or doing a lousy job of wiping, it is time for a replacement. Blades are cheap and easy to replace.

You should also check your windshield washer system. Do both squirters work? A nozzle could be clogged with dirt or a hose may be kinked or loose. Do the nozzles need adjusting? Does the washer pump deliver an adequate stream of solvent? The vehicle may have a weak washer pump, or a clogged, kinked or loose hose.

The wiper blade performance depends on the condition of the wiper arms and holders. The amount of spring tension on the wiper arm, the number of pressure points or claws that hold the blade, and the design of the blade itself all affect the blade’s wiping ability. If the springs in the arms are worn out, the wipers may not be pressing firmly enough to wipe your windshield clean. In this case, replacing the blades won’t make any difference because the problem is weak arms not bad blades.

About the Author

One of my favorite brands is PIAA. Consider ordering a set of PIAA wiper blades online and having them handy when your old blades need replacing. –Mike Rosania

Shaking off life’s toughest pitch: Ex-Rocket overcomes traumatic leg injury
By MATT MARKEY BLADE SPORTS WRITER The Arizona sky was endless that day in March, the temperature a comfortable 70, and the modest crowd of about 1,600 had to feel that conditions were nothing less than ideal for a softball game. They had no idea, however, that what they were witnessing was much more than just another game. At some point in the second inning, Whitney Erickson hit a double and …
Journey-Edge of the Blade

Victorinox 40520 Fibrox 8-Inch Chef’s Knife $24.72 Nothing is worse than going to cut with your cutlery, and having the handle slip around in your hand. To combat this potential for injury, Victorinox has created this Fibrox chef’s knife. The Fibrox® handle is textured and provides a firm grip, even when wet, and does not slip or slide around. It is comfortable and fits naturally to the shape of your hand, and provides an attractive and modern st…

Ginsu 04817 International Traditions 14-Piece Knife Set with Block, Natural $28.84 Many associate Ginsu knives with the product’s kitschy infomercial from the ‘70s that begins with a karate kick to a watermelon and proceeds with a demo of these knives cutting through just about anything in the house. Like the original product, Ginsu’s International Traditions is designed for the home cook who is not attuned to the maintenance required of a more high-end knife. H…

OXO Good Grips Multi-Purpose Pastry Scraper/Chopper $8.15 Multi-purpose scraper/chopper. Use to section dough for pie crusts, evenly portion dough for pastries, and scrape dough from your floured board. Stainless steel blade features 1″ markings for precise measuring. Try it for lifting cookies from a cookie sheet, or for chopping firm vegetables like celery. A broad, soft handle cushions your hand. Dishwasher safe….

Fire Make Thunder $7.02 All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed….

Monolith of Inhumanity $9.41 2012 album from the California Progressive Grind Metal masochists. The album was produced by Dave Otero of Denver’s Flatline Audio and sees the band exploring innovative new techniques in songwriting without abandoning their signature formula of confrontational audio wreckage and self-loathing lyrical content. Monolith Of Inhumanity is an achievement that stands out as one of the most volatile, am…

Torture $6.06 All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed….

Arrowheads Blades & Knives The Cutting Edge of History …

Smith’s PP1 Pocket Pal Multifunction Sharpener $7.03 Smith’s pocket pal combination ceramic, carbide and diamond knife sharpener. Coarse carbide, fine ceramic, and fine diamond taper for sharpening straight and serrated blades. Compact and lightweight unit comes with lanyard hole….

Black & Decker LE750 Edge Hog 2-1/4 HP Electric Landscape Edger $79.00 You’ll get great results with this Black & Decker heavy-duty Edge Hog landscape edger, one of the easiest-to-use pieces of equipment we’ve come across. You’ll be thrilled with how quickly you can get to work, as assembly takes only a few minutes. This is an electric model, so you’ll need an extension cord and an electric outlet handy, but you won’t have to deal with gas or oil. And it’s so quiet y…

Gerber 31-000751 Bear Grylls Survival Series Ultimate Knife, Serrated Edge $79.99 From Gerber, the 31-000751 Bear Grylls Survival Series Ultimate Knife is designed to help you endure in the toughest environments. It features an ergonomic grip for comfortable handling and a dependable stainless steel blade with a versatile serrated edge. Additionally, the knife and military-grade nylon sheath are packed with innovative survival tools, including a fire starter, a diamond blade sh…