Folding a rope to test wear/life left?

It is not an ideal test in my opinion. But if petzl can explain it in one picture it has something going for it for its simplicity.

Optimistic wrote:he thinks that the sheath is shot and the rope should be retired.

That test is more about the core rather than the sheath.

The core undergoes plastic deformation. AKA damage on most decent sized falls. With a careful touch you can normally find them. As a trad climber I fall rarely, particularly when I first started climbing. I remember being able to count and locate individual falls on my first rope.

In a typical fall this plastic deformation of the rope core occurs at the carabiner radius. This is the point of highest stress on the rope and some fibres take significantly more load than other fibres. Usually it is just at one very localised point when the rope stops moving through the carbiner and force reach their maximum.

You can pretty much assume every fall beyond a couple feet is going to be doing permanent damage to the core of the rope. Sure your rope isn't going to fail, but it is going to get stiffer and less elastic at numerous points along the core. In theory you may eventually get rope failure but in practice this doesn't occur as ropes are typically discarded WELL before this point. If I find an extremely soft spot in a rope then I will cut/discard it. But slightly soft spots are normal for a rope that receives lead falls.

I'd be curious to see a rope tested to failure by lower fall factors such as a 0.5FF. How many falls in the same spot will cause failure? 100? 1000? 10,000? Maybe the section will stop being plastically deformed after a number of falls and no failure will occur. But base on soft spots I've felt I would not be surprised if eventual failure occurs.

Arlo F Niederer wrote:SAR and Fire departments keep rope logs and document every use of the rope. Perhaps climbers should do the same thing...

I've often seen that suggested. Guide often do it. Some climbing clubs with common gear have considered it. But realistically it tells you very little of value unless you can record where on the rope each fall occurs and the approximate load/FF. Better to just have appropriate inspection techniques.

Logging a rope usage is like logging the number of cars passing over a bridge in 50 years to determine the bridge's structural integrity. Inspection is the most important method of finding damage.

Optimistic wrote: The test is pictured here... petzl.com/US/en/Sport/When-… Thanks James

Interesting - I learned something! I'd take back my "laughing compilation" post, but I like the laughing.

It's not a test I'll do with my rope, but it is a legitimate test. One of several indications of rope condition.

I did this test two years ago to my rope and it didn't pass it. but it still stretches when someone falls. maybe is only an indication for petzl ropes?

Sanllan wrote:I did this test two years ago to my rope and it didn't pass it. but it still stretches when someone falls. maybe is only an indication for petzl ropes?

you're rope is probably fucked.

no it's not, i'm still here.

climbing friend,

the pretzl they do not explain in their manual how hard are you pinchen the rope? Is this a light pinch to see if easily folding in half like tortilla? Or do you pinch on it with all your might, flexing and trembling with your effortz? what if it almost foldz in half but there is slight "eye" still remaining?