Ingraving D rings

[inztrees]

My boss received 2 new Buckingham saddled (Glide lite). Before he issued them he engraved the Co. initials and the guy that was getting it on the hip D rings. Does that sound like a safe thing to do? Sorry I spelled engrave wrong....

 

[Burnham]

Not to me. No way to know to what degree the D is compromised without destructive testing, though. Maybe negligible, but who want's to wonder every day?

 

[SkwerI]

As long as it isn't the one you have to climb in. Engraving on a life support aluminum ring will weaken it and create an easy place for a crack to start. I wouldn't accept it, and if he pushes the matter just ask him what he thinks OSHA might think about it.

 

[MasterBlaster]

OSHA?

HA! We KNOW what those cot soccers are gonna say.

 

[atw]

I wouldn't do it to my own saddle. There are other ways to mark and ID equip. It probably wouldn't affect it, but why risk it.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I'd opt for a hidden, stealth marking somewhere else. I don't readily see the necessity for engraving all that much.

 

[Old Monkey]

Buy your boss a Sharpie.

 

[sotc]

If you can't trust an employee with a saddle, how can you trust them with keys to your trucks/gear boxes/shop etc

 

[Jed]

I'm with all you guys in that it's just a weird thing to do, but, it's my opinion that most climbing stuff us enormously over-engineered. I don't even want to survive a fall that would even come close to stressing an average D ring. The bottom of your boots might be stuck on the back of your head for the rest of your life.

 

[Treepreacher51]

I think it's a bad idea and could lead to rusting. I doubt it will havs a significant strength loss but will open up the metal to corrosion/long term problems.

Was he thinking about theft. lesser-perminant markings could be removed. Then again the engraving could be grounded off as well.

 

[NeTree]

Engraving opens up the possibility of stress cracks than can cause failure well before the engineered strength.

 

[pantheraba]

Check with the manufacturer and see what they say.

 

[bill22]

I've never had a company do that.I worked for asplunduh, valley crest, brick man. None of them did that, all they did was go hog wild with a sharpie and writ my name all over the webbing on the saddle, I say its unsafe.

 

[NickfromWI]

Am I the only one that thinks it's not a big deal? Most engraving I've seen is merely an organized scratch. You could lean up on a rock and get a similarly deep scratch.

Of course, I can't see how deep he dug into it...but I bet it'd break plenty high if we broke tested it.

The question is, couldn't he have tried marking it in some other way?

 

[MasterBlaster]

I'm with Nick - it's no biggie.

 

[Thor's Hammer]

All carabiners in the UK used to get engraved with individual marks, until the manufacturers started numbering them from the factory. Its no biggie at all.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Right. Just don't go digging deep...

 

[treesmith]

When I worked for Asplundh, we marked each set of gear with a flat file. Each climber was #1, #2, #3, or #4, with the appropriate number of grooves filed into both of his hook shanks, his rope snap and a D on his saddle. I still use a rope snap from those days. We didn't do any more than file a legible groove, maybe 1/8" deep, nothing to compromise the integrity of the item.

 

[brendonv]

I have this vibrating engraver I use on all my saws in conspicuous places in case they get stolen. I can't see it doing much damage in steel, I just think I'd be skeered on say an aluminum biner.

 

[Burnham]

Y'all can go for it...not me.

 

[Bounce]

How could this NOT reduce the strength of the rings? An engraver makes a scratch deep enough to leave a pile of metal shavings when you are done. They sure as hell aren't going to be stronger for this. Since it's obvious they will be weaker, the real question is will they be weak enough to break in the event of a fall? Unfortunately there is no way to find this out except to use the saddle and see if you survive.

 

[inztrees]

our safety guy said its not a big deal. But I would think it would void any responsibility from the Buckingham if there was failure.

 

[NickfromWI]

our safety guy said its not a big deal. But I would think it would void any responsibility from the Buckingham if there was failure.

That makes sense. But the rational seems to say to me, "if you drop a carabiner 3' to the sidewalk, you should retire it. It will leave a mark and that won't make it STRONGER, so why keep climbing on it."

I think we have to acknowledge the fact that our gear is way stronger than it needs to be.

love
nick

 

[tophopper]

When I worked for Asplundh, we marked each set of gear with a flat file. Each climber was #1, #2, #3, or #4, with the appropriate number of grooves filed into both of his hook shanks, his rope snap and a D on his saddle. I still use a rope snap from those days. We didn't do any more than file a legible groove, maybe 1/8" deep, nothing to compromise the integrity of the item.

I would say 1/8" deep is ALOT deeper than a legible groove.
I dont think engraving is THAT big of a deal myself, as long as your just scratching the surface. I have many engraved pieces of hardware. But I also engraved them all myself with a light hand. I wouldnt accept a new saddle that someone took the liberty to "mark" for me.

 

[inztrees]

Now he thinks hes going to engrave carabiners and other life support.