Marking Gear

Um? Sharpie much? In the groove. Where the hell are you guys from?

Purple spray paint. It's Fast.
Don't spray over any joint or moving part.
Use purple nail polish on the TAG of your soft slings.

My .02

Wes

Now that I do this my rack doesn't grow as fast as it used to. :)

I am really concerned that I hear people are marking their equipment with nail polish and spray paint. These contain acetone, butane and other harmful solvents. These will make nylon brittle and weak. You will never be able to completely control over spray with an aerosol paint and nail polish should never be used on a sling. Even when used in what you may consider a safe spot, the nylon will actually wick the acetone into other critical areas.

Nail polish or colored marker used carefully on NON MOVEABLE METAL PARTS ONLY would be ok. Slings are cheap and should be replaced often. Don't mark them or get a rope marker.

dmb wrote:I just bought some of these: toughtags.co.uk/ Hopefully they'll last longer than electrical tape.

Those are pretty sweet, anyone know of a US vendor that sells something similar?

Nail polish=no litter

Just keep it away from your webbing.

Identitape

I started a post similar to this. And was wondering about TESTORS enamel paint ( like for model cars) any thoughts?

I used something like this a while back (5 or 6 years, at least) and the marks are still there, although starting to fade a bit. They come in lots of colors. As others have said, I wouldn't mark webbing with it, just metal. Although I was able to mark the white lettering on the LABEL of my runners (turning the lettering orange and green), so I marked them that way.
totalindustrialsupply.com/D…

Keithb00ne wrote:I am really concerned that I hear people are marking their equipment with nail polish and spray paint. These contain acetone, butane and other harmful solvents. These will make nylon brittle and weak. You will never be able to completely control over spray with an aerosol paint and nail polish should never be used on a sling. Even when used in what you may consider a safe spot, the nylon will actually wick the acetone into other critical areas. Nail polish or colored marker used carefully on NON MOVEABLE METAL PARTS ONLY would be ok. Slings are cheap and should be replaced often. Don't mark them or get a rope marker.

are you also nervous about people crossing the street?

I just use the blood from my knuckles after a hard finger or hand crack. Cheap and easy. And if it needs touching up I just get on another hard finger/hand crack without tape. If theres ever a dispute over whos gear is whos I just bring it the lab. The HIV+ gear is mine :)

This. (Usually locked up with the rest of the graffiti stuff like spray paints) Sharpie Oil-Based Paint Marker

15 colors, the sun fades them a little but paint in grooves or over stamped markings and it stays on for quite some time!

Greg J wrote: I just bought some of these: toughtags.co.uk/ Hopefully they'll last longer than electrical tape. Those are pretty sweet, anyone know of a US vendor that sells something similar?

https://www.tagyourgear.com/

I use a small letter punch made for stamping metal for my carabiners and nuts. Leaves a light indent in the anodization. It’s permanent and doesn’t hurt the biner.

Im getting tired of seeing little bits of colored tape on belay ledges or at ge base of crags. Don’t use tape at least use nail polish. 

I whittle three notches into the spine of each biner and stem of each cam

Stanley Conway wrote: I have put adhesive reflective tape on virtually every type of plastic surface known to man with no adverse affects whatsoever.  I use a stretchable engineer grade reflective film on my helmets.  It conforms to rounded surfaces much like electrical tape would.  I buy it from Reflective Store.  Last time I checked they had 7or 8 colors.

You joined the site to reply to a 5 year old thread to spam your business? Party foul

Not all nail polish is created equal. I've found that splurging and buying the more expensive kind is worthwhile... I've had some that lasted years, whereas some cheap stuff I got came off in a few weeks. 

Darren Mabe wrote: I whittle three notches into the spine of each biner and stem of each cam

I use bleach and/or battery acid to dye the slings, so I know which ones are mine.

Buck Rio wrote:

I use bleach and/or battery acid to dye the slings, so I know which ones are mine.

Awesome idea for sure hahaha. 

Here’s a pattern I use: 

 

I use electrical tape on the thumb loops and the wire cover on Totems, plus nail polish on the stems and the top of the axle head on the C4’s. Subtle, but unmistakeable. Marking soft goods is not an option, chemically.

I have used a sharpie before, but the ink just rubs off way too quick. Especially after you handle the biners w sharpie ink, and it ends up getting your nylon/dyneema dirty from the rubbed off ink from your hands. Etching/engraving is also an option if you have a good hand. But, I’m not a fan of engraving aluminum. Just personal preference, I’m not sure if engraving compromises the integrity of the alloy, seeing that it is pretty thin to begin with. Microfractures!! ;) 

nail polish dots on sides of finger trigger

I spent a good chunk of last night during the snow event dabbing some orange (my color) fingernail polish on all of my biners, and removing the tape and gunk with acetone. I wore gloves.

None of the the tape on my nuts or cams seems to be coming off, so I will leave for now.

Side note: newer I Beam type biners have a natural groove for the nail polish to sit in along the spine, and should last a while. That and the fact I don't know or climb with anyone who has a bunch of DMM Alpha/Petzl Spirit carabiners, which are all I have except for racking, should keep all of my gear on my rack.