P.I. Nicked - OK?

[pantheraba]

NIck,

What's your take on this small "plucking" (Silky did it)? It is about 12 feet from the spliced eye. I have been watching it since it was done..about 3 climbs now...does not seem to be getting any worse.

What should be done?

Thanks.

 

[Monkeywithasaw]

i have a hank of velocity that i had that happen to and i still climb on it with no problems it happened 6 month ago

 

[MasterBlaster]

I wouldn't worry about it at all. Use sharp scissors to cut as much off as possible, then burn the rest smooth.

 

[Blinky]

I've had those on my PI... they aren't a death knell but you do have to keep in mind that since it's a double braid, about half the strength is in the jacket. Try bending it at the cut... if it hinges instead of bows, cut it.

I ended up cutting the eye off my PI at about 20'... cut it at Andersonville. It makes a really nice lanyard.

 

[lumberjack]

I just realized I've met Blinky, in Andersonville, with Gary.


Gary, nothing wrong with your rope, mine had 3 stretched out over the first 100 feet when I was at Andersonville.

 

[RIVERRAT]

Be carefull burning it with a lighter. I know many do as Butch describes. If your not carefull you can make it worse.
Which can cause more fuzzies to pop up with use.

Some one liberated my PI from me. I really like that rope.Had great durability also worked better through my Pantin than any thing else I have used.

 

[gf beranek]

Those little nicks aren't nothing to worry about. But I've known some people that would treat it as life threatening.

 

[MasterBlaster]

LOL!

 

[Stumper]

Gary, It looks like you got most of one strand and a part of another. On a 24 strand that really is not significant. Being that it is a Double braid construction had you cleanly severed even 3 cover strands you could do a mending splice(essentially a darning of the cover) and suffer little actual strength loss.

Gerry, I noticed a few puffs in your ropes in your videos. Looked like rec climbing with working ropes from a practicing arborist or some other inconceivible such thing!

 

[pantheraba]

Thanks for the feedback, guys...my gut instinct was "no problem", but experienced feedback is great.

I remember Nick getting pretty excited about using fire near ropes to repair nicks or fuzz before (I think it was Nick)...he was against it.

 

[NickfromWI]

Yeah, I don't think you need to melt it. After you run over that thing a few times with a hitch, it'll kindof expand and lessen the chance of doing more damage. I think if you snip the hairs short, then melt it you just make more of a mess than you have now.

But it does look climbable.

But it's also an excuse to get a new rope!

love
nick

 

[SkwerI]

I know Nick is accepted as the local rope expert, but I'm going to disagree with him here. I've nicked more than my fair share of ropes over the last 20 years (since Nick was in diapers) and I've almost always melted down small knicks like the one shown. The purpose being to prevent the rope from unravelling further. Using a lighter, hit the frayed end with the flame. As it melts down flush with the rope, use the bottom of the lighter to wipe the melted end down into the rope. Gotta do it fairly quickly, before the melted end cools off. This bonds the frayed end to the other strands beside it and prevents it from snagging and pulling out further.
It also makes the fray 'disappear' so nobody but me has to know how clumsy I am with my rope.

 

[Stumper]

Brian, I have done the same thing many times...but Nick is correct(according to the manufacturers and a little logic) that the loose fibers protect the undamaged ones around them from external chafing.

And what is this 20 years stuff?-Nick is STILL in diapers.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Don't blame Nick, he's still a young 'un.

 

[Frans]

Here are a few rope facts:

The idea of melting a rope is to make the fuzzies disappear. When you melt the rope you create a lumpy spot at the end of the fibers.

In splicing, we 'milk' such fibers into the body of the rope to make them go away.

Rope's strength comes from a collection of individual very strong yarns. They are made even stronger by accepting the load in unison when bundled together.

The strength of a standard 16 strand splice comes from what we all call the 'chinese handcuff' effect.

With creating a lump, that paticular fiber is now locked and prevented from moving with the other fibers.

This may create an imbalance in the overall unison of the yarns working together.
So that very lump may cause individual fibers to not work in unison.

Maybe this is why Nick says to just milk the fibers into the body of the rope?
I don't know personally.

Keep in mind skwerl, that Nick's knowledge and skills are based on a knowledge of how ropes work and the materials which they are made of.

Also, I had for years melted those pesky ends into the rope, but on the strength of what Stanly Longstaff taught me, and what Nick is saying now, I simply milk them into the rope, or just ignore them.

 

[No_Bivy]

one strand....no biggie

 

[Old Monkey]

I go by feel. If after a bit of use that spot feels noticeably skinnier, I would cut it. Just keep checking it every time you put it away.

 

[NickfromWI]

Hey- the diapers are very convenient. I don't have to bother wasting time sitting on the toilet!

If you melt it or don't melt it, it sorta doesn't matter. One or two of those strands is strong enough to hold you.

I don't like melting because you now made a hard ball (I know fibers can be melted "softly") that will be abrading the fibers around the melted bits.

Years of experience are worthless if you continue to do what you've always done.

Now if you'll excuse me, it's time for my breast-feeding!

love
nick

 

[MasterBlaster]

I don't like melting because you now made a hard ball (I know fibers can be melted "softly") that will be abrading the fibers around the melted bits.

That's why I trim as much off as possible before burning.

 

[Blinky]

I just realized I've met Blinky, in Andersonville, with Gary.
[...]

I remember you! I had you and Gary mixed up in another thread. Where did you get that probe you were carrying when we did the walk around? I want one.

 

[Old Monkey]

Its just something he woke up with in the morning. A memento.

 

[lumberjack]

The probe I had I got from Guy.

I seem to remember Gary having brought a probe of his own.

To clarify, I was the young guy... Gary was the other dude.

 

[Old Monkey]

Here is a sketch of Carl to jog your memory Blinky.

 

[pantheraba]

The probe I had I got from Guy.

I seem to remember Gary having brought a probe of his own.

To clarify, I was the young guy... Gary was the other dude.

Man, this is getting worse and worse. Blinky, I am the "other dude"...Carl is avoiding saying the old dude.

It was my probe that Guy was using...when Carl wasn't carrying it around.

Oh, boy....

 

[Blinky]

Here is a sketch of Carl to jog your memory Blinky.

Oh yeah, I remember him. It was great fun getting him to try and kick a football... He fell for it every time.