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Chockstone Forum - Gear Lust / Lost & Found

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Author

Should I replace gear??

shortman

11-Jun-2014
3:34:41 PM

I recently went climbing along the coast and borrowed an extra set of cams from a mate to supplement what I had. I did the right thing and washed them thoroughly with fresh water when I got home, but noticed that a little surface rust had formed on a few points when the slings had dried out and ran onto the cams...anyway when I finally got them back to my mate and was ready to clean the little rust off with a suitable product we came to realise that the majority had seized up and required a surprising amount of work to get working again. Some had acquired a new squeak and to be honest I was most unimpressed with myself for not having paid closer attention to his gear. I offered to replace them, but he shrugged it off.

If they were your cams what would you do?

JohnK

11-Jun-2014
3:50:38 PM

WD-40 and a file would have them back working like new Dan!

"Terms and conditions apply and all advice offered is at the risk of the person reading this advice and the author will not accept any liability for the consequences suffered to those using this advice"

martym

11-Jun-2014
3:56:12 PM

On 11/06/2014 shortman wrote:
>If they were your cams what would you do?

Shouldn't the subject be "Should my mate make me pay to replace his gear?"

A bit of Cam-Lube should do it..
As long as the spring works and the camming action isn't hindered - I think it's ok. Without seeing photos etc. it's hard to speculate.

Would you borrow them again?

Eduardo Slabofvic

11-Jun-2014
4:15:16 PM

You send them to Eduardo's Cam Retirement Village, C/- Natimuk Colonic Irrigation Dojo. They are clearly unusable ever again, so best gotten rid of.

Buy your mate a set of sliders as replacements.

shortman

12-Jun-2014
8:37:05 AM

On 11/06/2014 JohnK wrote:
>WD-40 and a file would have them back working like new Dan!
>
>"Terms and conditions apply and all advice offered is at the risk of the
>person reading this advice and the author will not accept any liability
>for the consequences suffered to those using this advice"

Cam lube got them back in action....a file?

The point is that I returned gear back to the owner in a pretty shitty fashion.

shortman

12-Jun-2014
8:41:30 AM

On 11/06/2014 martym wrote:

>Would you borrow them again?

No.

:)

JohnK

12-Jun-2014
10:59:07 AM

a file or some sand paper to get rid of any rusty bits

Howsie

12-Jun-2014
11:52:27 AM

Dan, out of interest, what was the brand of cam and what component rusted (spring, cable etcetera)?

shortman

12-Jun-2014
11:55:04 AM

The master cams were by far the wackest and it was the springs.

The c4's all came back to life a bit easier...albeit a bit squeakier.

I think the main problem was the length of time before I applied lube....lesson learnt.

Wendy

12-Jun-2014
12:13:07 PM

Did they actually ever get salt water on them? I have never washed my metal gear after sea cliff climbing. I wash the ropes at the end of the trip, but I don't think I've ever purposefully wet metal gear ever. A dry scrub, once or twice I've used metho on really filthy springs in cam heads, and graphite powder/wd40/silicon spray.

shortman

12-Jun-2014
1:21:16 PM

On 12/06/2014 Wendy wrote:
>Did they actually ever get salt water on them? I have never washed my metal
>gear after sea cliff climbing. I wash the ropes at the end of the trip,
>but I don't think I've ever purposefully wet metal gear ever. A dry scrub,
>once or twice I've used metho on really filthy springs in cam heads, and
>graphite powder/wd40/silicon spray.

They weren't soaked, but copped a little spray for sure.

IdratherbeclimbingM9

12-Jun-2014
1:34:24 PM

On 11/06/2014 shortman wrote:
>I recently went climbing along the coast and borrowed an extra set of cams
>from a mate to supplement what I had. I did the right thing and washed
>them thoroughly with fresh water when I got home, but noticed that a little
>surface rust had formed on a few points when the slings had dried out and
>ran onto the cams...anyway when I finally got them back to my mate and
>was ready to clean the little rust off with a suitable product we came
>to realise that the majority had seized up and required a surprising amount
>of work to get working again. Some had acquired a new squeak and to be
>honest I was most unimpressed with myself for not having paid closer attention
>to his gear. I offered to replace them, but he shrugged it off.
>
>If they were your cams what would you do?

I have climbed extensively in sea-cliff environments, and salt spray is an integral component of that environment.

For the most part, unless the gear is wetted-out by salt water spray, it is ok, as long as it is packed away dry.

If it becomes wet by sea water, I wash it in fresh water.
~> After washing it, I have found that it is necessary to dry it thoroughly in sunshine on a hot day, or with an electric hair-drier if an overcast/cold day.

This drying out process is more critical to the ongoing function of the gear, than the original wetting of it. More so, if ongoing corrosion is likely to become an issue.

99% of the gear involved's functionality is restored with a bit of graphite combined with manipulation of moving parts.

For the recalcitrant 1%, I have used WD40 (interestingly a fish-oil product), but have maintained scrupulous integrity in NOT allowing WD40 to contact any software (slings) involved. Use sparingly as it also attracts dirt!

This process works, but can take a little time depending on prevailing weather conditions while it is being done.

shortman

12-Jun-2014
1:44:34 PM

On 12/06/2014 IdratherbeclimbingM9 wrote:

>>If they were your cams what would you do?
>
>I have climbed extensively in sea-cliff environments, and salt spray is
>an integral component of that environment.
>
>For the most part, unless the gear is wetted-out by salt water spray,
>it is ok, as long as it is packed away dry.
>
>If it becomes wet by sea water, I wash it in fresh water.
>~> After washing it, I have found that it is necessary to dry it thoroughly
>in sunshine on a hot day, or with an electric hair-drier if an overcast/cold
>day.
>
>This drying out process is more critical to the ongoing function of
>the gear, than the original wetting of it. More so, if ongoing corrosion
>is likely to become an issue.
>
>99% of the gear involved's functionality is restored with a bit of graphite
>combined with manipulation of moving parts.
>
>For the recalcitrant 1%, I have used WD40 (interestingly a fish-oil product),
>but have maintained scrupulous integrity in NOT allowing WD40 to contact
>any software (slings) involved. Use sparingly as it also attracts dirt!
>
>This process works, but can take a little time depending on prevailing
>weather conditions while it is being done.

Thanks M9. All useful stuff, and understood. And Sol was certainly diligent with the one cam that required WD40. Sensibly not letting me near it, :)

Would you lend me gear again?

IdratherbeclimbingM9

12-Jun-2014
1:58:37 PM

On 12/06/2014 shortman wrote:
>Would you lend me gear again?

Nah, ... ~> given that you are a poster that loves funambulism (the art of ropewalking tight/slack/high), and has a mutt; and also takes same to the cliffs from time to time; ... how could I endorse such behaviour?
;-P

... ~> but; when it comes to looking after gear, I reckon you are alright, and have learnt from your experience.
Heh, heh, heh.
☺
☺

(Pps; So if there is internet confusion, I consider shortman as one of my mates, and winding him up as fair game; ... ok.)

shortman

12-Jun-2014
3:41:13 PM

On 12/06/2014 IdratherbeclimbingM9 wrote:

>(Pps; So if there is internet confusion, I consider shortman as one of
>my mates, and winding him up as fair game; ... ok.)

Ha.

To anyone out there this guy is an old weirdo....don't be fooled, :)

sliamese

12-Jun-2014
6:23:00 PM

dont use WD-40. Petzl specifically say dont use that product on their biners as it will dry out the springs. there's other better products (CRC 5.56) that do the same job. those cams will be totally fine. just keep an eye on further corrosion and she'll be apples...

There are 16 messages in this topic.