from the omega site.
I've owned Omega 'biners for years and some of them are getting pretty old. Is there a life-span for carabiners? Should I retire them after a certain number of falls or years in service? And what's the best way to care for carabiners?
Jesse B.
Flagstaff, Arizona
Dear Jesse,
Good questions. For starters, carabiners aren't like milk ... no matter how long your Jake Jr. sits in a broken refrigerator, it will never taste curdled. So don't worry about expiration dates on anything but dairy products and condoms.
As for when to retire your 'biners: as a rule of thumb, when in doubt, throw it out. If you doubt even a good product, it will mess with your head while you're high up on a route. Better to just buy a new carabiner than to wonder. For a more objective determination, however, consider the following ... Look for deformations in the carabiner; is it out of its original shape due to cross-loading or excessive force applied? If so, throw it out. Check the gate operation. If you've cleaned it, lubed it and it still doesn't open or close as it's supposed to, it's time to retire it. Are there deep and obvious grooves in the barstock (big ones, not just superficial scrapes from bolt hangers or wired nuts)? Relegate it to use as a dog leash. Has the carabiner been subjected to excessive force through misuse (towed a car with it? If so, apply for your Darwin award and toss your carabiner)? Otherwise, it's probably safe to assume that your krab is good to go. Repeated falls on a carabiner really don't contribute to diminished strength.
It's good that you're asking how to care for your carabiners, Jesse. Most climbers treat their carabiners like a lot of guys treat their girfriends: ignore them, take them for granted, blatantly scope out newer and brighter ones and then wonder why they aren’t working out anymore. Hmm go ... figure. Truth is, carabiners need attention and care, just like people. And, while Omega Man can't help with relationship advice, I can tell you how to keep your krabs from biting you.
Start with frequent examination: look for burs, marks or deep scuffs that might catch or abrade your ropes and webbing. Take a very fine-grit sandpaper or abrasive cloth and smooth out any of those features you might find. Then work the gate back and forth to feel for any grime or dirt that might be caught up in the works. If the action isn't smooth and clean, it's time to clean up your carabiners. Soak them in warm, soapy water and scrub the spring, pusher and gate assembly with a retired toothbrush. Dry them completely and allow them to air dry for an hour or so. Then, shoot them with WD-40 or a silicone spray lubricant and shake off any excess. They ought to be good to go.
We've seen a rise in the use of waxy lubricants lately and highly recommend that you DO NOT use them on your carabiners. White Lighting (or any other paraffin-based lube) operates by coating the device with a thin layer of waxy material. In theory, it helps to reduce the amount of dirt and grime it'll pick up. While this may work great for bike chains (these lubes are sold in bike stores, mostly) and even camming units, they're not very effective on carabiners. With bike chains, there is enough power in the mechanism (the pedal stroke of the cyclist) to break through the waxy goo with each turn. However, with carabiners, there simply isn't that kind of spring tension to reliably return the gate to the notch as that waxy buildup occurs. If you’ve already used paraffin lubes on your biners, you may have to boil your krabs in water to completely melt out all that waxy material. After doing so, follow the procedures outlined above. Performed regularly, these steps should keep your carabiners operating well for years and years!
Happy climbing!
--Omega Man
