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erikvance
Apr 15, 2012, 5:07 PM
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I recently bought a new rope and for the second time, it stained black on the third use. I am now convinced that at least some of my carabiners are just way too dirty and/or oxidized. Anyone have a good treatment for cleaning aluminum gear? I've heard everything from white gas to WD-40 to soap and water.
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moose_droppings
Apr 15, 2012, 5:47 PM
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erikvance wrote: I recently bought a new rope and for the second time, it stained black on the third use. I am now convinced that at least some of my carabiners are just way too dirty and/or oxidized. Anyone have a good treatment for cleaning aluminum gear? I've heard everything from white gas to WD-40 to soap and water.
Warm soapy water, soak, wipe, rinse and dry. Lube gate, preferably with graphite.
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marc801
Apr 15, 2012, 6:11 PM
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erikvance wrote: I recently bought a new rope and for the second time, it stained black on the third use. I am now convinced that at least some of my carabiners are just way too dirty and/or oxidized. Anyone have a good treatment for cleaning aluminum gear? I've heard everything from white gas to WD-40 to soap and water.
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herites
Apr 15, 2012, 9:49 PM
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Use a glove while belaying if the black goop really bothers you.
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shockabuku
Apr 15, 2012, 10:32 PM
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Trying to clean the biners is a waste of time. Aluminum does that. You could buy all steel bottom biners and fix the problem.
You can clean the rope, though. I usually run an empty load of hot water to rinse out the washing machine then throw my rope in on a warm water load with either no soap or some Sterling rope wash.
I flake mine out to dry over a door or railing. I do know a guy who advocates putting it in the dryer on a warm setting for a little while. Not till dry, but a little while. He says it causes the rope to regain a little of its elasticity. Never tried it but he's been climbing for a long time and isn't dead yet so it's probably not dangerous.
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erikvance
Apr 16, 2012, 1:43 PM
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Well, I have been climbing for 18 years and have never seen this much staining. Some of my gear is kinda old. I wonder if the older stuff is staining more than it should. Anyway, I will try the soapy water. Then I might retire some of the oldest stuff.
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shockabuku
Apr 16, 2012, 8:57 PM
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erikvance wrote: Well, I have been climbing for 18 years and have never seen this much staining. Some of my gear is kinda old. I wonder if the older stuff is staining more than it should. Anyway, I will try the soapy water. Then I might retire some of the oldest stuff.
What's changed about where you climb or what equipment you climb with?
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erikvance
Apr 16, 2012, 9:06 PM
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Wow, looks like I have tapped into some of the angry militant wing of rockclimbing.com. No need to be dickish, roadstead. I have washed my gear for the purposes of oiling the gates, but never just because my rope went form yellow to black in three outings. Shockabuku I recently moved to Mexico, but this was a problem before I moved.
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lofstromc
Apr 17, 2012, 12:37 AM
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Is this the Erik Vance who is from Oakland, CA, but I met in DC and climbed at Seneca with?
If so, what are you doing in Mexico?
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marc801
Apr 17, 2012, 12:52 AM
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erikvance wrote: Wow, looks like I have tapped into some of the angry militant wing of rockclimbing.com. No need to be dickish, roadstead. I have washed my gear for the purposes of oiling the gates, but never just because my rope went form yellow to black in three outings.
As far as your comments about the militant wing and people being dickish.... seriously, if you've been climbing 18 years, this stuff about dirt and gear is really something most would think you had learned a long time ago.
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erikvance
Apr 17, 2012, 1:25 AM
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Chris! How the hell are you? I'm one and the same. I am living here in Mexico City with my wife, who works here. I am also working a fair bit as well and climbing. It's really nice here and the food is amazing. Drop me a line! We'd be happy to host you if you ever came down to do a volcano.
As for the others, yes, I have been climbing for two decades - Yosemite big walls, mountains and rock on 6 continents, etc - and I have never seen this happen to my ropes. It's not the dirt, because it forms black lateral lines on the rope like oxidation would. I've just never seen this kind of staining before. So I thought I'd ask for a little help, sans snide comments about my climbing ability. The wax is an interesting thought. Thanks. I think I'll retire the oldest clips just in case.
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6pacfershur
Apr 17, 2012, 1:48 AM
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welcome to the neighborhood E-Van, hope you stick around; there are a few members of our forum that offer genuine, useful advice; there's a few comedians, a few canadians, a few stalkers, a few haters, a few insecure narcissists that love the sound of their own shit and a bunch of smartasses like me; i will leave it to you to figure out what everyone else is....
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