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trillium
May 7, 2005, 1:53 PM
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I am not asking how often a person SHOULD clean their SLCDs, but rather I am asking how often do you DO it.
Thanks,
Trillium
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stuckinmidwest
May 7, 2005, 2:13 PM
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I usually do it in the middle of winter when i need to climb but it's to cold. Playing with cams helps me through that rough period before spring starts. Other than that do it once again in about Julyish, so it ends up being twice a year. I guess it all depends on use though and if you can visibly see if it's dirty. I use the Metolius stuff.
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kyhangdog
May 7, 2005, 2:24 PM
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Been climbing over ten years... never cleaned 'em.
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vegastradguy
May 7, 2005, 2:38 PM
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i've cleaned them once...about a year ago, i think.
they're probably due again, all that desert sand, you know. maybe after my Yosemite trip...
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euroford
May 7, 2005, 4:09 PM
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when i get back from a trip i'll usually check everything out, straighten trigger wires ect. before it gets put away. but i've never felt the need to clean them, they don't really get that dirty.
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adamd
May 7, 2005, 4:48 PM
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I do it twice a year or so...often that's just my aliens though as they have less tolerance for gunking up and are so much nicer when they're "smooth at the prom queen's thighs"
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grinspoon
May 7, 2005, 5:28 PM
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I rarely clean my own body, why would I clean my cams?
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lucas_timmer
May 7, 2005, 5:54 PM
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After every climb if they are dirty.
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jeep4evr
May 7, 2005, 5:58 PM
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I don't own any cams yet, but if I did I'd be lovin up on them so much that they'd always need a bath.
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cam
May 7, 2005, 8:05 PM
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If the action starts to feel "grindy" or I actually happen to notice that one is really gritty I'll clean 'er up and throw on a few drops of lube. Other than that, I only make a point of cleaning them all at once durring that grey area between rock season and ice season when I take out my ice tools for their late fall "prepping".
cam
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mr8615
May 7, 2005, 8:49 PM
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Whenever they feel gritty. Depends on the cam.
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tattooed_climber
May 7, 2005, 9:20 PM
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cleaning and inspecting both happens at the same time (in fact they go hand-in-hand for me).....before the rock season starts (Jan) and before and after every Road Trip....and i clean and inspect EVERYTHING, cams, biners, nuts, webbing products, etc....
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brutusofwyde
May 9, 2005, 10:50 PM
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When I had fewer cams, I used to clean them once a year.
Now I clean as needed -- usually after every trip to ocean-side climbing areas, and every trip to the Fisher Towers.
It depends.
The cams in my backcountry stashes get cleaned before each use.
The "standby cams" like my set of Camalots rarely get used.
The regular backcountry rack gets inspected and cleaned if needed before every road trip.
Brutus
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caughtinside
May 9, 2005, 10:54 PM
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In reply to: Whenever they feel gritty. Depends on the cam.
Yep.
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shorty
May 9, 2005, 11:05 PM
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It seems I have to clean my smallest 2 or 3 cams (Metolius 00-1 TCUs and similar sized CCH Aliens) about once a year to keep them functional. I probably go two or three years between cleanings of finger to hand size cams. I'm not certain I've ever cleaned the big o.w. cams, but I also don't use them all that often.
It might be a function of the type of gear I place and where I climb, but I suspect the smaller units need more frequent cleaning due to their smaller functional range and (IMO) tighter tolerances. I also tend to clean my cams a little more than many of my partners -- I'm a stickler for smooth cam action.
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tradrenn
May 9, 2005, 11:27 PM
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Ones a year I check/clean all the gear.
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atg200
May 9, 2005, 11:38 PM
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i clean mine when i can't pull the trigger anymore. that is usually a function of how many trips i make to the fisher towers and other desert choss. seems like it is not very often for bigger cams, and pretty frequently for green alien and smaller pieces.
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gunksgoer
May 10, 2005, 12:08 AM
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I break out the metolius cam clearner probably about once or twice a year. I always clean stuff at the end of the season, usually november-ish. also, depending on how much i place gear over the summer i might do a smaller cleaning session to de-grit my aliens and other frequently used gear. ive also been known to lube a few cams for my partners, cuz i just hate those hard to retract cams, im a silky smooth cam guy.
and besides, for 12$ every couple years (still on my first cleaner kit) and just an hour or so a season, why not?
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mandrake
May 10, 2005, 1:07 AM
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Registered: Jan 7, 2004
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In reply to: I am not asking how often a person SHOULD clean their SLCDs, but rather I am asking how often do you DO it.
I don't clean 'em, the follower does [ba da boom! crash]
or
On every pitch, unless one gets fixed!
Thanks, thank you all, you've been great!
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