The Oil Shield air hose is one offering from BluBird’s air and water hose line.
Lightweight. Flexible. Durable. Kink-resistant. Professional grade. These are all terms Dan Lennon says he would use to describe the BluBird Oil Shield air hose (part no. KTI72018) from K Tool International, an air hose he has been using in his shop for the past year.
Dan Lennon has been in the industry for 36 years and has owned his shop, Dan’s Penn Auto Care in Richfield, Minn., for seven years. The 4-bay shop does mostly light and medium duty work and employs a staff of three, including Lennon.
Lennon was first introduced to the BluBird hose by Bob Isbell, a customer of his who is also a product manager for BluBird. Lennon had always used air hoses, but had experienced leaks with the ones that he had been using, which caused him to have to frequently repair or replace them. Isbell, who describes the hose as “the best on the market” sold Lennon on it. Dan’s Penn Auto Care currently has four in the shop.
“We use it all of the time,” Lennon says.
BluBird Oil Shield Air Hose Features
While most air hoses on the market are a hybrid of multiple materials, the BluBird is made from 100 percent rubber, the best material possible for an air hose. The oil- resistant core tube and cover of the hose make it impervious to anything it could come in contact with in a shop, including welding spatter, which can burn hoses and cause leaks. This was an issue that Lennon was experiencing.
Another feature that sets it apart from competition is the weight of it.
“The hoses that I had been using were heavy and bulky,” Lennon says. “Now, I’m able to move it around much easier.”
The 3/8-inch by 50-foot rubber air hose with ¼-inch NPT is 40 percent lighter than the average air hose. The hose, which has a ¼-inch NPT, operates at a maximum of 300psi.
Isbell adds that the hose lays flat and has no memory, which means it won’t kink up and can easily be wrapped around items in the shop. The hose will remain flexible in even the most extreme weather conditions, from -30 to 190-degree Fahrenheit. The hose also features a four finger grip bend restrictor, which makes it easier and more efficient to use.