Retire climbing line- how many years?

[kevintree]

Hello all

Is there a rule of thumb to retire a climbing line?

Backround - True blue over 6 years old no outside signs of damage used about ten times a month

TIA

Kevin

 

[wiley_p]

Somewhere between 12-18 months, My crews do alot of climbing in wet/dirty conditons. The rule is climber starts with a new lifeline, leaves with a new lifeline. Just took a rope from a jr. climber today, don't think he ever washed it and somehow had a nice stiff mold kind of thing going. not to mention several spots with 2strands+ cut. Just shows that maybe I'm not as far off on a rope's b-day as I thought.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I use my ropes with no time constrants on them, only use and upkeep.

But they are MY ropes. I average 12 to 18 months with my climbing rope.

 

[dbeck]

I feel a climb line should be replaced every year if it is used near-daily. For a company w/ three climbers, that is approx. $100 per climber per yr. Not to much to complain about right? That is less than ten dollars a month folks. (I made it through third grade)

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Only I use them, and I rarely dynamicly load them. So I inspect daily and will retire if 2 yarns are cut in 10 ft.

then they are ligh rigging lines for natural crotch, or cut down for crabapple ropes, fliplines or whatever.

I don't think I've ever had one last 3 years. I have had one last less then one day.

 

[TimberMcPherson]

The UIAA states that they should be dumped after 4 years as nylon threads weaken with age. I dont think I have anything I climb on older than 2 years.

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

i think 6 years is a long time, but you really retire by history and condition i think. Free Samson Rope Guide Downloads has a specialty Arborist catalog that has grown over the years. It has nice pix of questionable rope conditions of "TrueBlue" on page 26, and discussion on page 25. The free marine and commercial guides t'aint too bad neither, and the common principals stand out more from the repoeitittion and different view IMLHO; but the specialty arborist very fine and great that they care! Loaded with great info; a must have, and the price is right.

Clicking the Arborist Catalog download lets you read it online only, R.Click and choose Save... ytou can have your own copy downloaded; they used to give them free, guess this way they still do, just don't have to wain for mail!

 

[Lumberjack]

Originally posted by John Paul Sanborn
... will retire if 2 yarns are cut in 10 ft.

By yarns do you mean strands? Like 2 outa 16 and such? I knicked a line with my handsaw, but it didnt cut throught the strand completely. I thought about it for a little bit, and decided that it was still completely safe. I figured that at 8.1k new, less after use, even if i cut 2 strands, it would still be over 5400 more than likely. (meaning I aint gonna test it, but it would make sense.)

I wash my ropes whenever they touch mud or get damp and then hit dirt. Then i wash them weekly, on suday afternoons.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Weekly???

 

[dbeck]

he takes his boots off before he goes through the door also

 

[MasterBlaster]

Please don't ya'll freak out.

I don't worry about nicks in my climbing line at all. Well, they do suck, but their gonna happen. When I can see 10 to 20% of the core exposed, I retire my rope.
Who remembers the manilla days?

 

[dbeck]

exposed core would fraek me out

 

[Lumberjack]

I was the ropes that i use weekly, like my climbin rope. I might skip a week or two if i dont climb much. Now that I am usin DdRT more, i will be washing them more.

Never heard of a rope too clean. Easier to keep it clean than to try to clean it after it needs it.

Haha My father makes me take off my boots outside. Most of the time they are covered in saw dust, so it is for the best.

 

[okietreedude1]

ive been on the same rope now for 2 yrs, never washed it once and have no plan on retiring it anytime soon. sure its got some dirt in it and should be washed, but i also 'bag' it and keep all my gear in a gear bag so it stays out of a lot of the dirt and chips.

as for rope retirement, i saw a guy using a 5/8 dbl brd bull rope that you could see the inner core and out of 32 exterior strands i bet only 1/2 were intact and he was still using it like it was new. his thought was like others ive read here "new = 14,000 so half is still 7,000. as long as i dont shock load it....."

I sure stayed out of that danger zone!

 

[dbeck]

like I said, $100 a year is not that big a deal right?

 

[Lumberjack]

Originally posted by okietreedude1
...sure its got some dirt in it and should be washed, but

But nothing.... 2 years is a long time. "It should be washed" then wash it, it aint hard. After all it is your life line.

Sounds like a huge troll

 

[Koa Man]

I guess I better retire the rope I use exclusively to rappel down from coconut palms. It is going on 6 years, although I feel very safe on this rope. The ropes I use for non palm climbing last me an average of 3 years.