Eye sling

[gab]

Question: How can one trust a rope that one does not know the maker of. Here is the situation. My neighbor comes over and gives me two eye slings he said he bought at a flea market or something. They show no wear, brand new in appearance, checked them lengthwise and no problems with shape. They are double braid about 1/2 inch. But no manufacturer label or ratings.
Gab

 

[NickfromWI]

Gab, maybe we can help you out. You say they are half-inch double braid. Are they eye-eye slings? What color is the cover? Can you peek in and see what color the core is?

Maybe we can figure out who made 'em!

love
nick

 

[gab]

Dark blue outside, white inside. Just one eye. Large one at that. End and where eye was made is sewn through with large thread that is tan in color, and synthetic.

 

[NickfromWI]

Is it a plain dark blue, or is there a tracer strand going through it? Like one tiny white strand that spirals up the rope?

The core is white? would you be willing to pull a TINY bit of it out and burning it? How does it burn? Melt, or does it go straight to black?

love
nick

 

[NeTree]

If you can't find out who made it and get some specific ratings, don't use it.

that is, *I* wouldn't, anyways...

 

[NickfromWI]

I agree with eric on this one. Not worth it, especially if you wouldn't be losing any money by not using them (you got them for free, right?)

If we can figure out who made it, it'd be a little safer, though still sketchy because we do not know the use-history of the slings.

Even if we can't figure out the manufacurer, we could figure out the material and construction, then guesstimate (based on similar products from other manufacturers) the breaking strength, then down grade that a bunch based on the fact that it mighta been made by Whoknows, Inc (specializing in generic rope).

All this, and we are assuming the splice is ok.

So tell us more, Gab!

love
nick

 

[gab]

No tracer strade in it, just all dark blue. The end has been melted, with no black associated with it. Did not do it myself, the end, just after the sewn part, has been melted closed with what looks like something that would pinch and melt at the same time. Thought I would use it for just light, non dynamic rigging since I did not know anything. But I just would like to know how one could tell.

 

[gab]

Oh yeah, the splice. I am not a splice specialist. Behind the spot where it is spliced, about 5 inches I think, it is thicker and much more solid in feel. The sewn part is about an inch wide and at least at two points the thread is pushed right through the rope.

 

[NickfromWI]

How long are they?

 

[NeTree]

Reputable rope manufacturers put tracers and such so you can identify their ropes from others.

Nick might know if that's a requirement because they're meant for human support or whatever.

For example, NE Ropes safety-blue Hi-V actually has a strand with the name of the rope printed on it running thru the rope.

Arbor-Plex has a characteristic tracer thru it too.

 

[gab]

About 15 feet I'd say...

 

[NickfromWI]

Oh! How big are the eye splices?

 

[NeTree]

Originally posted by netree

Nick might know if that's a requirement because they're meant for human support or whatever.

Does that make any sense Nick?

or is it off-base?

 

[gab]

They eye is about 15" long. Not sure what it was made to do. Neighbor said something about large boat supplies, but he is old and could not understand all of it. I can take a digital pic if I knew how to send it?

 

[NickfromWI]

Eric, I'm not quite sure where you were going with that...care to rephrase?

The tracers I was talking about are the differently colored strands on the cover. This often can tell you exactly who made the rope.

It'd be nice if it had that labelled tracer on the inside...then it'd be easy! (Yale and I'm sure Samson also use that on the insides of their 16 strand lines)

Gab, are the eyes just about exactly one foot long?

love
nick

 

[NickfromWI]

From what you've given, my guess is that it's nylon dockline...probably made by Wellington (I think that they are out of Georgia...ask google, she knows). If it's 1/2", the MBS would be 6,500lbs. West Marine sells bunches of their premade docklines. I'd be willing to bet that it was spliced at the Wellington factory and the splice probably isn't too shabby.

But (cya disclaimer) it's tough to know for sure and the thing could fall apart at a few hundred pounds for all know!

love
nick

 

[gab]

Ok, just went down to the shop. Yes, eye is 12", it is more like 5/8ths rope though. 13 feet long. I will try to attach a few photos.

 

[NickfromWI]

5/8th is probably 9000-10000lbs, but it'd best to call wellington to be sure. If you're really dying to know, you could send them to them for verification, then you'd probably have to pay to have them shipped back. That would be cheaper then buying new one (they go for 40-50 dollars a piece). It'd be a hassle, but it might be worth it (though I probably wouldn't do it).

love
nick

do send the pics....if anything, at least you'll have figured out how to put pics online!

 

[NeTree]

Originally posted by NickfromWI
Eric, I'm not quite sure where you were going with that...care to rephrase?

love
nick

What I'm saying is, do the makers of ropes used for human support HAVE to make them uniquely identifiable? (either with very specific tracers or printed threads)

 

[NickfromWI]

Originally posted by netree
What I'm saying is, do the makers of ropes used for human support HAVE to make them uniquely identifiable? (either with very specific tracers or printed threads)

Good question, and the answer is no. There's a HUGE variety of lines that are extremely safe for human support. Some of these line were not designed with human support in mind, but in many circumstances, these lines end up being the best for the job.

It'd be nice if the manufacturers would get together and decide something like, "Let's put a green tracer inside any line that would be good for human support."

I don't think that's necessary, though. The big manufacturers do a good job of having information like the strength, stretch, chemical resistance, resistance to UV degradation, susceptability to chafe available to the public. It seems reasonable to leave it to each industry (arborists, window washers, rock climbers, etc) to develop their own standards.

Things like ANSI do a pretty good job of this in our industry.

love
nick