Testing of used and abused kit

[Marc]

A recent thread and a chat with a guy a climbed with a few weeks ago about testing old kit that been subjected to use and abuse.

 

Now I have a art link pulley that I have regularly bombed out of the tree for 3 years I have recently straightened it in the vice and inspected it, but have now retired it.

I also have a ring which has impacted Tarmac time and time again.

A dmm oval biner that has notches worn in it from use with a hitch climber.

 

I,d be happy for anyone to test these items to see what they fail at now, all 3 items are rated.

[josharb87]

On the same topic, i was speaking to a guy a few months ago, a dynema sling which had been unused but clipped to a climbers harness for 1 year, rated to 25kn, failed at 600KG . . .

[David Goss]

On the same topic, i was speaking to a guy a few months ago, a dynema sling which had been unused but clipped to a climbers harness for 1 year, rated to 25kn, failed at 600KG . . .

 

Wow really? That's kinda scary! Was it in bad condition? Maybe left wet and rotting a bit or something? I can't imagine something unused would fail so easily after just 1 year being clipped to a harness. Maybe the guy should get his harness checked out as well, he may be storing it in an acid bath or something!

[Rich Rule]

UV light may have been the cause of it.

[Marc]

UV light may have been the cause of it.

 

Pricesely we all know uv degrades plastics just by how much. I think I,m right in saying current petzl lids have a 5 year life span due to the effects of uv light, is that constant daytime exposure over 5 years?

 

This guy I was talking has left rope outside and will do for the next year just to see how much the exposure has weakend an unused rope.

 

And as for the dyneema slings a guy I meet called Roland from the German alpine team? Had seen a mammut sling fail from what he described a light fall 4kn or less it was girth hitched to a karabiner failing at this point, they all now refuse to use mammut slings in these situations. To be noted this was in extreme cold the sling was probably frozen still scary though.

 

The notches in my dmm or best described as slight indentations from where it sat on the hitchclimber are these possible fail points? How much do they effect strength?

 

I,m not to worried about the kit I use I,m very happy to climb with it, you got to remember how everything interacts together, I,m fairly sure the dmm oval will now fail at less than the stated rating in a straight pull test, yet a fall in my system with the absorption of my line, the tree itself, the fact it's part of a drt set-up etc.... In this scenario how much energy would the karabiner actually take and what would I have to be doing to generate these forces!

So like I said I,m not to worried just curious.

[Adam Bourne]

who wants my old lock jack for testing???????

 

 

just to see how they do under load ???? think drewb might be interested?

[Dan Curtis]

who wants my old lock jack for testing???????

 

 

just to see how they do under load ???? think drewb might be interested?

 

Looooong way to post it!!

[Marc]

who wants my old lock jack for testing???????

 

 

just to see how they do under load ???? think drewb might be interested?

 

Well I,ll probably give my stuff to Gollum, just trying to get a few other bits together.

[Adam Bourne]

Looooong way to post it!!

 

yes very long way but if its out the country its no longer under LOLER, there for if someone does climb on it and something happens its down to the user........don't get me wrong its still ok checked daily and LOLER'd apart from the bolt/cam/side-plate/its still the original lock jack i bought 9 years ago!!!!!!!!!

 

thats why i aint used it in a while, just ordered a new one.....

 

besides drew, its still open for testing for anyone wanting to test. on one condition its sent back to me, it has a bit of sentimental value, but willing to see what it could still take under strain...even if destroyed..