RefStripes.com

Football Officiating => General Discussion => Topic started by: gsrc on October 19, 2010, 06:39:52 AM

Title: Honig's Long Toss Flag
Post by: gsrc on October 19, 2010, 06:39:52 AM
Hey guys-

Just a heads up if you own a Honig's long toss flag. Once the "ball" starts to get slightly discolored, do not continue using it. They use sand for the weight of the flag and as the ball gets damp, the coloring of the sand bleeds onto your knickers and shirt. I've had my flag for a few years, maybe three, and over time the ball of the flag started to discolor. In the last two weeks or so I realized it was staining my knickers. I also noticed that is has stained my shirt as well. It kind of HACKS me off that a $7 flag can ruin a $40 pair of knickers and $30 dollar shirt.  ^flag
Title: Re: Honig's Long Toss Flag
Post by: Etref on October 19, 2010, 07:41:03 AM
Thanks for the heads up..........................

I had noticed mine getting slightly tinted and more each time.
Title: Re: Honig's Long Toss Flag
Post by: LarryW60 on October 19, 2010, 10:34:51 AM
Been draping the flag over your shirt lately?  ;D
Title: Re: Honig's Long Toss Flag
Post by: Etref on October 19, 2010, 10:45:24 AM
Being tucked in front between the pants and the shirt, the sweat causes it to fade onto both the pants and the shirt. Thankfully some good stain remover has worked on the shirt but the inside of the pants are very yellowed.


Title: Re: Honig's Long Toss Flag
Post by: Osric Pureheart on October 19, 2010, 02:02:25 PM
I wrap the ball of my flags in yellow electrical tape.  When it starts to go brown from being thrown into too many puddles you just pull the tape off and put another round on.
Title: Re: Honig's Long Toss Flag
Post by: lawdog on October 19, 2010, 02:21:15 PM
We all tape our balls with white athletic tape.  Not only does it protect from this, but it hides the yellow which looks much better.  The only time anybody needs to see a flag is when its thrown!!!
Title: Re: Honig's Long Toss Flag
Post by: Etref on October 19, 2010, 02:28:35 PM
We all tape our balls with white athletic tape.  

Darn I bet that hurts when you pull the tape off!!    :!#
Title: Re: Honig's Long Toss Flag
Post by: Welpe on October 19, 2010, 02:33:49 PM
I've never personally seen the need to "hide" the ball.  Everyone knows we carry them.

Thanks for the tip, Grant.  My flag is about the same age, I will need to keep an eye on it.
Title: Re: Honig's Long Toss Flag
Post by: fencewire on October 19, 2010, 02:42:20 PM
(http://www.honigs.com/images/detail_lg/F71BL.jpg)

Best of both worlds, the material is actually black.  No need for tape.
Title: Re: Honig's Long Toss Flag
Post by: Etref on October 19, 2010, 02:44:14 PM
That is the flag I use but it too fades. It is the sand inside of the black cloth that leaches out and stains
Title: Re: Honig's Long Toss Flag
Post by: RMR on October 19, 2010, 02:46:26 PM
Yet another reason to tape it up.
Title: Re: Honig's Long Toss Flag
Post by: fencewire on October 19, 2010, 02:50:30 PM
That is the flag I use but it too fades. It is the sand inside of the black cloth that leaches out and stains


great.....  :(     ^flag
Title: Re: Honig's Long Toss Flag
Post by: Etref on October 19, 2010, 02:53:12 PM
I am tempted to slit it open, remove the sand and pour in a pack of BB's, and then tape it back up.

Title: Re: Honig's Long Toss Flag
Post by: LarryW60 on October 19, 2010, 03:03:16 PM
Ours have ground coral in a sealed plastic bag.  (ground coral supposedly won't stain) Then the flag is wrapped over that and I use a yellow one of those women's hair thingies (like a rubber band but more indestructable) to secure the flag around the ball of ground coral.  When I need to wash it, pop the yellow hair thingie off and throw the flag in the wash.
Title: Re: Honig's Long Toss Flag
Post by: 110 on October 19, 2010, 04:41:57 PM
Aquarium gravel is your friend.
Title: Re: Honig's Long Toss Flag
Post by: new kid on the block on October 19, 2010, 07:59:08 PM
I heard years ago that the lawyers asked a lot of questions concerning altering or possibly altering the original state of the flag that hit Mr. Brown in the eye during an NFL game.  This alteration includes tape or any foreign material that changes the natural state of the device.  I would just spend $7 instead of risking litigation. 
Title: Re: Honig's Long Toss Flag
Post by: Luke on October 19, 2010, 09:34:19 PM
Hey guys-

Just a heads up if you own a Honig's long toss flag. Once the "ball" starts to get slightly discolored, do not continue using it. They use sand for the weight of the flag and as the ball gets damp, the coloring of the sand bleeds onto your knickers and shirt. I've had my flag for a few years, maybe three, and over time the ball of the flag started to discolor. In the last two weeks or so I realized it was staining my knickers. I also noticed that is has stained my shirt as well. It kind of HACKS me off that a $7 flag can ruin a $40 pair of knickers and $30 dollar shirt.  ^flag

I have had that problem for a couple years.  I have always been able to get the clothes clean.  Sometimes it will take 2 washes but I it always comes out.
Title: Re: Honig's Long Toss Flag
Post by: jrfath on October 22, 2010, 01:53:03 PM
Thanks for this 4-1-1.  My flag ball was getting discolored this season too.  I took my flag apart last night, and discovered the little bag that holds the sand inside the flag had split.  The flag was reddish brown on the inside of the ball.  I took teh sand out and double wrapped it in plastic baggies, which I then wrapped in tape.  I dropped the flag in an oxiclean soak for 90 minutes...stains came out 95%.  Put the flag back together this morning, and it is ready to go for tomorrow's game!
Title: Re: Honig's Long Toss Flag
Post by: Getting Fat on October 22, 2010, 03:07:00 PM
Thanks for this 4-1-1.  My flag ball was getting discolored this season too.  I took my flag apart last night, and discovered the little bag that holds the sand inside the flag had split.  The flag was reddish brown on the inside of the ball.  I took teh sand out and double wrapped it in plastic baggies, which I then wrapped in tape.  I dropped the flag in an oxiclean soak for 90 minutes...stains came out 95%.  Put the flag back together this morning, and it is ready to go for tomorrow's game!

Jeez jr, I would have just bought another one, but I'm impressed with your ingenuity.