Best remedy for making flip-over poles so they slide smoothly

[coffee]

What have you found to be the best remedy to make flip-over poles so they slide freely and smoothly. I've tried some emery cloth and a file right on the ends of the poles. Smaller conduit ones seem worse - the size used in the single fish traps.

[tazimna]

I've had good luck using pledge spray wax. Spray into a rag and wipe down. I use mine often, so a couple times/year does it for me. Taz

[JoeMX1825]

I give each bar a treatment of PAM cooking spray wiped down, lasts all season...

[aanderud]

I've heard that graphite dry lubricant can work wonders.

[CaptainMusky]

Pledge will work but also bow string wax works too.

[gonehunting]

Do any of these leave a stain on the tent fabric when folding up and down? Just don't want cooking oil and graphite on my tent.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

I was thinking about taking the inside bottom slide bars off and using a wire wheel to clean them up then plan on using graphite spray on poles.

[CAMAN]

Silicone Spray

No mess, no residue, no smell once dry, and makes the poles glide as smooth as a babies rear.

Also works great on the zippers

Graphite and anything oil based are the last things I'd want on my hands when fishing.

[CaptainMusky]

Bowstring or ski Wax won't leave a stain or anything. May get on your fabric but easily wipes off.

[JoeMX1825]

Do any of these leave a stain on the tent fabric when folding up and down? Just don't want cooking oil and graphite on my tent.

They can, I put a piece of cardboard behind the pole when spraying it, I then wipe down any excessive residue..

[Crappyfisherman]

I use a 12 gage shotgun cleaning rod with the brass brush on a cordless drill to clean out the upper tubes. Also round off the sharp edges on the ends of all poles. Newer shacks with plastic inserts don't have the problem of the tube ends binding. Then spray poles with Silacon spray let them dry and put them back together. I've been doing this to my Clam Fish Trap Pro since 1995 and they work better than when new.

[coffee]

A lot of good ideas here. I especially like the 12 ga. brush and silicone.

[harvey lee]

This is one of the reasons I have a Canvas Craft portable. The 2 poles that go together are 2 different sizes and they slide very easy. Plenty of room between the 2 poles for added clearance so the poles do not bind going up and down.

I like the shotgun brush cleaner route, sounds like a great way to clearance some tight poles.

[montyst509]

I used an old uncented candle, rubbed all sides of inside pole liberally 6 years ago, haven't had to redo yet. Ski wax sounds better, but I used what I had at the time.

[outdoors247]

I have to agree with Caman on the silicone spray.

The problem with oil based products is that they have a tendency to stay on your hands and that's not good when fishing. And, they are also magnets for dirt and grime.

I've always used silicone spray and never had a problem.

[Mr.Seaguar]

These are all pretty good remedies. But the BEST remedy is getting a new shack

[arctic_scrap1]

Sanding the poles with a fine sandpaper will help, too.

[CAMAN]

These are all pretty good remedies. But the BEST remedy is getting a new shack

So paying $500 for a new shack (that will eventually do the same thing) is better than paying $5 for a can of silicone spray?

That's like buying a new house because your current one has a squeaky hinge.

[ozzie]

how else do you get away from the squeaky hinge?