John Thompson wrote :
<They do seem to get more brittle as they age. I had one explode while <using it last summer. :-(Personal safety is all the more reason to get the Bruce Gordon Titanium version !http://www.bgcycles.com/pump.htmlHow much is YOUR safety worth ?!At the very least it might be a good idea to wear safety glasses and body armor whilst using a vintage Silca for fixing a flat on the road.Good health is PRICELESS,Mike FabianSan Francisco, CA