"Pinky" wrote:

>Handling the 23+ litre glass carboys is always a risky business though and I
>have been lucky a few times when cleaning them out and they have slipped. It
>is bound to happen one day although I am always careful when handling them.
>Very dangerous objects! I do believe that the most dangerous time is when
>they are being washed and sanitised and tend to be much more slippy. When
>they are full they are difficult to move anyway and one is perforce much
>more circumspect in their handling

The slippery when wet, and heavy when full, bits have made me switch to
a new method. Also, I damaged my wrist when twisting a full carboy
around to empty it once (SWMBO won't let me forget it).

I now siphon most of the cleaner / sanitiser out before I pick it up.
Being only 1/5 full makes a big difference in the weight, and makes it
much easier to handle. Also, I rinse the outside off well, so that it's
just wet - not slippery with cleaner; I also rinse hands well as I use
chlorine as sanitiser and it makes your hands slippery (that being your
skin turning into soap

Since much of the time the siphon hose needs sanitising at the same
time, it might as well get it inside the carboy (leaving a bit sticking
out!). I then hold a thumb over the end and pull it half out, which
starts a siphon.

Nick Ruchalski wrote:

>...Tipping a
>full carboy is where I almost lost it. Maybe in the future, I'll just
>fill up half way and spend a little time with a brush.

See above!

>Also, I suppose it's time to spring a few dollars and get the carboy
>handle.

YMMV, but I got a couple of those and they just seemed to get in the
way. See if you can borrow one from another brewer first, you might find
the same thing. And I've got small hands for a bloke, but still find it
easier to grab the neck of the carboy myself than use that damned
handle.
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