The Old Grey Mare

[treemandan]

About good for glue by now. Bought in the winter of 98/99 as 200 foot climbing line. She was wittled down to 152 due to a few misplaced gaffs and cuttin the ends off when they got beat. I always kept her ends whipped up real tight and we have been on a few over seas caving/climbing adventures. She has tasted the salt of the seas, been dyed red with RIT dye and pretty much, as expected, never let me down.
I took her off climbing duty about 2 seasons ago and put her to work as a smaller block/zip line rope where she really got a work out and then this year she went to doing natural crotch and felling only. That is what hurt her the most and she told me so.
Even though she shows no real sign of dammage ( if you cut her open she is still clean in the middle) I decided enough was enough and just keep her around for a light duty tag line.

Her replacement:

 

[tree MDS]

Who taught you how to roll up a rope? what is that? it looks like you got the old girl in a straight jacket, lol.

 

[treemandan]

Who taught you how to roll up a rope? what is that? it looks like you got the old girl in a straight jacket, lol.

A guy named Dan. No loose ends, very tight, she likes it.

 

[tree MDS]

A guy named Dan. No loose ends, very tight, she likes it.

Gotcha.

I was thinking about it and it makes sense actually, keeps the whole thing tight like that... huh.

 

[treemandan]

Yes, its worth the time to stow it like that so it don't get all screwed up. Some people complain about how long it takes to unravel but it really doesn't.

 

[tree MDS]

The way you talk about that rope you should understand why it was so hard for me to get rid of old brown....sometimes I still think about taking that old saddle out of my desk drawer and putting all the stuff back on the ole boy....sooo many trees, so much history - heck that saddle got me first a tractor, then a bucket and then a bigger chipper - oh and the tacoma. How do you argue with that?

 

[Blakesmaster]

How nice, dano. Sentimental shots and all. Wish I had my first climb line still but that went through a chipper a year or so back.

 

[treemandan]

The way you talk about that rope you should understand why it was so hard for me to get rid of old brown....sometimes I still think about taking that old saddle out of my desk drawer and putting all the stuff back on the ole boy....sooo many trees, so much history - heck that saddle got me first a tractor, then a bucket and then a bigger chipper - oh and the tacoma. How do you argue with that?

Its not setinment really, more like bragging how well I keep a ropeand how much I got out of it. Does anybody else have a rope in service that long? does anybody think it should have been retired sooner? I tell ya it seemed like a good time to stop using it.
I usually tell the groundies what rope to get so there is very little chance of using this old rope for anything besides for BS. I chop up my old saddles and toss em.

 

[treemandan]

How nice, dano. Sentimental shots and all. Wish I had my first climb line still but that went through a chipper a year or so back.

not nice, I kicked the beech to the curb. This was more a thing about the stratagey I used to coerce as much as I could. Also, since there is no real way to tell when to retire a seemingly servicable but old and used rope I listed her history as a kind of demostration.
I would like to cut it open and take some pics to post. Try to see just how much grit, wear, etc there is. Most likely she could still support me in the tree but its to late now, the tie has been cut, I'm off her good.

 

[Rickytree]

About good for glue by now. Bought in the winter of 98/99 as 200 foot climbing line. She was wittled down to 152 due to a few misplaced gaffs and cuttin the ends off when they got beat. I always kept her ends whipped up real tight and we have been on a few over seas caving/climbing adventures. She has tasted the salt of the seas, been dyed red with RIT dye and pretty much, as expected, never let me down.
I took her off climbing duty about 2 seasons ago and put her to work as a smaller block/zip line rope where she really got a work out and then this year she went to doing natural crotch and felling only. That is what hurt her the most and she told me so.
Even though she shows no real sign of dammage ( if you cut her open she is still clean in the middle) I decided enough was enough and just keep her around for a light duty tag line.

Her replacement:

What is that rope behind the arbormaster?

 

[treemandan]

The red, black and white stuff? I think that is more arbormaster. Its a piece I had to cut off my 150 line cause I put a spike through that too. Dam it.

 

[Ax-man]

What is in the bucket???? Tru blue???

 

[ropensaddle]

The red, black and white stuff? I think that is more arbormaster. Its a piece I had to cut off my 150 line cause I put a spike through that too. Dam it.

I have had ropes for lengthy stints but every since having other climbers they all seem to get replaced premature by :newbie: gaffing them :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[treemandan]

What is in the bucket???? Tru blue???

Yee - up!!!! For light/ medium block and natural crotch.

 

[treemandan]

I have had ropes for lengthy stints but every since having other climbers they all seem to get replaced premature by :newbie: gaffing them :hmm3grin2orange:

Oh gimme a break.

 

[Nailsbeats]

I have two 120 footers that are older and quite uglier than that Dan. I couldn't tell you how old exactly but they should get tossed. Instead I just keep pounding them for pulling spars, light rigging, and taglines.

 

[ropensaddle]

Oh gimme a break.

But seriously is it you or the Dan? I throw my tail over my shoulder keep my rope out the way.

 

[treemandan]

But seriously is it you or the Dan? I throw my tail over my shoulder keep my rope out the way.

Hard for me to say, maybe get a second opinion and yes, good idea.:greenchainsaw:

 

[treemandan]

I have two 120 footers that are older and quite uglier than that Dan. I couldn't tell you how old exactly but they should get tossed. Instead I just keep pounding them for pulling spars, light rigging, and taglines.

sounds ugly. Pics?

 

[Rickytree]

The red, black and white stuff? I think that is more arbormaster. Its a piece I had to cut off my 150 line cause I put a spike through that too. Dam it.

Behind that! It looks very different. Maybe a bullrope?