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Four pendulums cut rope!

Original Post
MegaGaper2000 James · · Indianola, Wa · Joined Apr 2011 · Points: 20

A video Petzl made showing the effect of rubbing. At the end a rope cuts after only four relatively weeny side-side jumps. Yikes! Thought I'd post it up for the informatizing of all.

Booo! Vimeo won't let me embed. But go to this link (Petzl) and find the video at the bottom.

G McG · · Victoria, BC · Joined Dec 2010 · Points: 60

Shocking, yes, but also a bit extreme. That edge appears to be about 90 degrees, and the wall hes running back and forth on is overhung (so the most weight is on the rope) and hes hoping side to side. I'd hope common sense would stop you from top roping over an edge like that while continuously moving side to side on the same portion of rope....

Tim Stich · · Colorado Springs, Colorado · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 1,520

This is what happened on the Yellow Spur not more than a year or so ago. The leader took a fall on the second pitch and his rope cut on the rocks. The fall was fatal.

MegaGaper2000 James · · Indianola, Wa · Joined Apr 2011 · Points: 20
G McG wrote: I'd hope common sense would stop you from top roping over an edge like that while continuously moving side to side on the same portion of rope....
Well, that video will certainly keep me hanging straight-the-f%%%-down on my next rappel, no more screwing around for me!

In general I just thought it was interesting because I was raised to think of rope cuttage/breakage as possible, but a relatively hard thing to bring about. This video - and reading the yellow spur report, Stich - changed my mind.
G McG · · Victoria, BC · Joined Dec 2010 · Points: 60

Perhaps my comment was a bit harsh. It would be a very unfortunate circumstance, though I think its a bit extreme and only happens very very rarely (we don't hear of ropes breaking regularly).

It does definitely make me feel less comfortable "goofing around" on rappel, etc. Mind you I'm usually not rappelling over a 90 degree edge, or edge even close to that angle. '

I think the big thing to take from this is to pay attention to where your rope runs, not that it could cut after only a few pendulums

Tzilla Rapdrilla · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 955

Dragging boulders around my road taught me just how easy it is to break a rope. The failure appeared to be as much of a burn of the nylon at the knot as it was abrasion or just plain snapping the rope.

Mike Lane · · AnCapistan · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 880
Tzilla Rapdrilla wrote:Dragging boulders around my road
Now thats what I call some motherfukkin training!
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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