Do i need a new bridge?

[Craig F-J]

I cut mine the same as that or maybe slightly deeper on my skylotec over a year ago and it's still going strong, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

 

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I am here: Google Maps

 

A local outdoor pursuits shop has some nylon webbing slings hanging on the wall, about 4 in total. If I remember rightly there is 1 intact sling and the others have all got seemingly 'minor' problems e.g. a nick, abrasion etc. The point of it is to educate customers on the % strength losses that happen as a result of the damage and the stats are pretty scary. I can't be more specific but I was very surprised by the amount of strength lost by that 'wee nick', needless to say I don't think of them as 'wee nicks' any more!

 

I always ask myself would my gear be able to take a high impact in the event of an unplanned fall if something went tits up.

 

I would suggest that that nick in your bridge would be a weak link in such a situation. Just a thought.

 

Imagine how easy it is to rip a piece of paper by pulling the ends apart once it has a nick in it compared to one that is intact. It could be that the same principle applies to nylon webbing with high loads applied although this is not something I have any evidence for.

[brothergrim]

I've never heard this before. Any literature to back this up?

 

I don't have any literature to hand, put I'm sure as you generally look at a harness most load bearing aspects are a bright or different colour stitching and require thorough checking obviously if you are personally concerned with the tear I would change it, and as stated it has been exposed to heat to seal it, in an inspection situation, I would recommend changing it, because you can't certain how long the heat was on it for and how weakened the bridge is from the tear, if it was my personal harness it wouldn't bother me to much. But you can't be sure from looking at a photo

[wakarb]

I will be replacing the bridge when f r jones opens in the new year. As has already been said its just not worth the risk, damage is damage so I just cant rely on it.

[Steve Bullman]

I don't have any literature to hand, put I'm sure as you generally look at a harness most load bearing aspects are a bright or different colour stitching and require thorough checking obviously if you are personally concerned with the tear I would change it, and as stated it has been exposed to heat to seal it, in an inspection situation, I would recommend changing it, because you can't certain how long the heat was on it for and how weakened the bridge is from the tear, if it was my personal harness it wouldn't bother me to much. But you can't be sure from looking at a photo

 

Well thats quite an assumption to make, and you really shouldnt be stating such things as fact as you did in your previous post.

 

I'm pretty confident to say you are incorrect in this matter for the benefit of anyone reading.

[brothergrim]

Well thats quite an assumption to make, and you really shouldnt be stating such things as fact as you did in your previous post.

 

I'm pretty confident to say you are incorrect in this matter for the benefit of anyone reading.

 

Stitches: Next, go through all the load-bearing stitching. All load-bearing stitching must be a different color than the fabric it’s sewn into. Industrial rope access guidelines state that a single picked thread is grounds for retiring a harness. This may be a bit harsh, but it should give you a good idea of how little it takes to compromise your harness’s strength. Hse guidelines

 

Apologies accepted on a postcard

 

Ben

[Steve Bullman]

Stitches: Next, go through all the load-bearing stitching. All load-bearing stitching must be a different color than the fabric it’s sewn into. Industrial rope access guidelines state that a single picked thread is grounds for retiring a harness. This may be a bit harsh, but it should give you a good idea of how little it takes to compromise your harness’s strength. Hse guidelines

 

Apologies accepted on a postcard

 

Ben

 

Oh, im not too proud to apoligize Ben!!

 

It is my responsibility however to ensure theres no mis-information on the forum wherever I can

[Billy]

A local outdoor pursuits shop has some nylon webbing slings hanging on the wall, about 4 in total. If I remember rightly there is 1 intact sling and the others have all got seemingly 'minor' problems e.g. a nick, abrasion etc. The point of it is to educate customers on the % strength losses that happen as a result of the damage and the stats are pretty scary. I can't be more specific but I was very surprised by the amount of strength lost by that 'wee nick', needless to say I don't think of them as 'wee nicks' any more!

 

I always ask myself would my gear be able to take a high impact in the event of an unplanned fall if something went tits up.

 

I would suggest that that nick in your bridge would be a weak link in such a situation. Just a thought.

 

Imagine how easy it is to rip a piece of paper by pulling the ends apart once it has a nick in it compared to one that is intact. It could be that the same principle applies to nylon webbing with high loads applied although this is not something I have any evidence for.

 

Interesting, I am aware that seeminly minor damage to ropes & slings can compromise their strength to a far greater extent than one would imagine. But my thnibking on myharness was the cut was probbaly less than 5% in the depth of the bridge and the sectionw here i cut it had several lines of reinforcing stictiching going through it, which would stop the tear progressing any further if it tried to along similar lines to drilling a crack and so on.

 

Of course officially i know nothing about these matters but i'm still here so that says something:lol:

[wakarb]

Stitches: Next, go through all the load-bearing stitching. All load-bearing stitching must be a different color than the fabric it’s sewn into. Industrial rope access guidelines state that a single picked thread is grounds for retiring a harness. This may be a bit harsh, but it should give you a good idea of how little it takes to compromise your harness’s strength. Hse guidelines

 

Apologies accepted on a postcard

 

Ben

 

I think the stitches you are referring to are the ones that join the individual parts together (see white stitching in the photo) the green line in the bridge is the same material as the whole of the bridge so it may as well be black for the purpose of this discussion, the green line is nothing more than styling.

[Steve Bullman]

i'm still not entirely convinced. I'm waiting for someone in the know on these matters to pipe up

[Simon Stewart]

Stitching on load bearing parts of the harness need to be identifiable from the general stitching that makes up the padding etc. and this is usually done by using a different colour thread for these parts.

 

HOWEVER the comment about the lines of different colour on the bridge being wear indicators is DANGEROUSLY INCORRECT.

Replace it Pal - ASAP!