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abouttopeel
Feb 7, 2005, 9:02 PM
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I know this has been discussed before but I can't seem to locate the thread. How are people marking the middle of their ropes?
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mmindtrap
Feb 7, 2005, 9:09 PM
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Use a sharpie.
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bludogxxx
Feb 7, 2005, 9:12 PM
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i heard that the chemicals in most markers will eat away at the fibers.... :shock:
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greenmachineman7
Feb 7, 2005, 9:19 PM
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go do a hard lead thats way run out, then at the top, pull down your pants and rub the middle of your rope between your ass cheeks. that'll mark it right up. and hell, after that, you wont need to bring a headlamp, becasue you'll be able to SMELL the middle of your rope in the dark!
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chrisparedes
Feb 7, 2005, 9:22 PM
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Wow, you're pretty sick... Most ropes come pre-marked these days. Maybe you could use some tape just as long as its a thin enough layer so it will still feed through your belay device.
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vegastradguy
Feb 7, 2005, 9:30 PM
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look at all those answers. sorry folks, mac wins. use dental floss.
bluewater does make a marker for this, if you're hell bent on using a marker. of course, black is harder to see than a little bump of white floss in the middle of the line.
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nsintros
Feb 7, 2005, 9:31 PM
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BlueWater makes a pen/marker specifically for ropes, which I believe mountaintools.com sells. Beal makes a roller thing which I have used and is a little messy.
I have also heard that the chemicals in most markers have bad interactions with ropes.
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sspssp
Feb 7, 2005, 9:35 PM
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In reply to: Maybe you could use some tape just as long as its a thin enough layer so it will still feed through your belay device.
Tape has some major downsides (and I would suggest not using it).
It can come off and turn into a sticky ball inside of your belay device (this usually happens when you are rapping in the rain).
It can slip and no longer be marking the middle of the rope. I met a guy in Yosemite last fall who had a serious limp from rapping off the end of his rope because he thought the tape was marking the middle.
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epic_ed
Feb 7, 2005, 9:36 PM
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Cat piss is still my favorite.
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maculated
Feb 7, 2005, 9:39 PM
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In reply to: look at all those answers. sorry folks, mac wins.
What do I win? :)
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vegastradguy
Feb 7, 2005, 9:44 PM
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dessert at the Black Bear next time you're in town! :D
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maculated
Feb 7, 2005, 9:52 PM
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Only if you ever show up when you say you will! :)
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t-nutz
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Feb 7, 2005, 9:57 PM
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Know a guy that sows black string in the sheath of his ropes to mark the middle of his ropes. :D
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vegastradguy
Feb 7, 2005, 10:00 PM
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ouch! :?
i'll try to do better this year--- you coming in for the rendevous?
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tattooed_climber
Feb 7, 2005, 10:14 PM
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In reply to: BlueWater makes a pen/marker specifically for ropes, which I believe mountaintools.com sells. Beal makes a roller thing which I have used and is a little messy. I have also heard that the chemicals in most markers have bad interactions with ropes.
my partner's buddy marks everything with it!...has his name marked on all webbing gear (slings of cams, etc)
WELL WORTH IT..
i've seen it done with a sharpie...but i trust the word of the rope manufactors when they say that its bad (to use a sharpie for exp.)
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napoleon_in_rags
Feb 8, 2005, 4:09 AM
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"sharpie" and "rope" hmmm
Two words that should not be combined in climbing.
Dental Floss whipping is a godd idea - maybe even fishing line.
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nfo
Feb 8, 2005, 4:55 AM
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Should I use waxed or unwaxed dental floss? Mint vs. regular?
But seriously, what keeps the floss in place - is it woven into the sheath? Can it get loose and snag?
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chemicalclimber
Feb 8, 2005, 5:33 AM
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I've read on several gear test sites that sharpies are safe on ropes, which makes sense, becuase the only chemicals that could be harful are the ethers/alcohols in sharpie ink, which have a negligible effect on nylon fibers. For what it's worth, I'm most of the way through a degree in chemistry, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that 'lower aliphatic alcohols' as they are called (the ones in sharpies, for example) will not affect the bonds in the nylon used in kernmantle ropes.
In reply to: Salt, acetone, benzene, chloroform, freon, gasoline, kerosene, mineral oil, paints and pine oil DO NOT appreciably affect nylon.
sources:
http://www.carletonrescue.com/cat/pages/rope.htm
http://www.sharpie.com/sanford/pdfs/Sharpie%20RT.pdf
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eyecannon
Feb 8, 2005, 5:49 AM
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How does the whipping hold up over time? Does it work loose?
In reply to: I've read on several gear test sites that sharpies are safe on ropes, which makes sense, becuase the only chemicals that could be harful are the ethers/alcohols in sharpie ink, which have a negligible effect on nylon fibers. For what it's worth, I'm most of the way through a degree in chemistry, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that 'lower aliphatic alcohols' as they are called (the ones in sharpies, for example) will not affect the bonds in the nylon used in kernmantle ropes. In reply to: Salt, acetone, benzene, chloroform, freon, gasoline, kerosene, mineral oil, paints and pine oil DO NOT appreciably affect nylon. sources: http://www.carletonrescue.com/cat/pages/rope.htm http://www.sharpie.com/sanford/pdfs/Sharpie%20RT.pdf
I've heard 30-50% strength reduction in testing. Purely anecdotal though.
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fortfun
Feb 8, 2005, 5:52 AM
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Sharpie and MarksALot amongst others have been shown not to affect climbing rope. I have used them for years with no ill effects. I am also most of the way through a degree in chemistry (PHD) and you will be fine to use sharpie.
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slacklinejoe
Feb 8, 2005, 4:40 PM
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If you want a more of less permanent solution:
Get a needle for hand sewing, a bobin of ulpholstery thread of a contrasting color....
Spend 20 minutes carefully weaving the thread into the sheath without going too deep. More or less I found it easier to wrap it around a few times, weave it in a bit, then repeat. If you use good quality thread it shouldn't fuzz up very much over time. You can feel it in your hand while feeding out rope, and the contrasting color can be whatever you want.
So far mines been marked that way for over a year of abuse and it still isn't fraying (and it's my TR rope that sees a lot of friction).
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maculated
Feb 8, 2005, 4:46 PM
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After a while, yes, the floss gets all furry and you need to rewhip it. Just like how the sharpie fades and you have to reink it.
Mint adds a colorful splash.
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tradmanclimbs
Feb 8, 2005, 5:13 PM
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I bought a few sterling ropes that were marked with dental floss. it lasted about a week :roll: Sharpi has been working for me. been doing it that way for about15 years without haveing a rope break?? also have never heard of a rope failing from the sharpi mark?? With the tens of thousands of people useing the sharpi over the years and all the climbing sites/ information shareing going on you would think that if a rope had failed due to sharpi use that news of it would have trickled in here??
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wlderdude
Feb 8, 2005, 5:31 PM
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In reply to: I bought a few sterling ropes that were marked with dental floss. it lasted about a week :roll: Sharpi has been working for me. been doing it that way for about15 years without haveing a rope break?? also have never heard of a rope failing from the sharpi mark?? With the tens of thousands of people useing the sharpi over the years and all the climbing sites/ information shareing going on you would think that if a rope had failed due to sharpi use that news of it would have trickled in here??
From what I remember, the light solvents in the markers don't degrade the nylon itself, but stip away the plasticizers that give the nylon fibers their ductilty. In other words, it isn't less strong, just less dynamic. I can't remember the source, so don't take it for a certain decleration of unquestionable truth, but ropes marked with permamnent marker withstood fewer falls when the marked section was over a sharp edge.
So, as long as you aren't falling with the marked section over an edge, I have heard nothing bad about using a sharpie to mark your rope.
I have used thread for marking my last 2 ropes. You can tie knots in it so it stays in your rope. My biggest problem is that there are no colors that contrast my rope very well, so it is hard to see.
I just got a new rope that comes with a black middle marker.
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