Slightly rusted booty. Salvageable or NOPE?

I found a a BD ultralight #3 with alpine draw resting about halfway up one of the last pitches of a multi-pitch route. Not placed, just sitting there waiting to be collected.

The lobes look OK and it fell at most 20 ft. Action is smooth. However, it's got some rust on the rivets and axles. Probably been up there a few months. OK to clean it up and put it into action or should it be retired?

Ur gonna die

Was waiting for that, Jaren. Sorry, got at least 1 friend ahead of you

I've never had a cam in my hands, but from your picture, that minor bit of rust wouldn't concern me one bit. However, you don't know what the rest of the mechanical integrity is. Send it to BD for their evaluation?

I’d try brushing/scrubbing off the rust, then lubing it with White Lightning wax lube. I’ve seen people suggest boiling water and swirling the cam in that before the other steps, but I haven’t tried that. I’d be a bit concerned about not getting the water dried off of it afterward and causing more rust

Search the forums for rusty cam solutions. I remember seeing a thread a while ago from people who routinely climb in marine environments with some solutions to light rust. I'd rack it as is honestly, it doesn't look to be in half bad shape. Although knowing it was dropped/weathered I would definitely leave it as a last resort cam.

Easy call! Send it in to BD. 

Just how fragile do y'all think climbing gear is? Send it  to BD for evaluation for a little spot of rust on the end of the axle? Well, I suppose if you want to give BD customer service a good laugh....

I'd whip

Obviously, this is the internet, and I am not holding, smelling, feeling, or otherwise fondling this piece of garbage. Send it to me so I can properly perform the above mentioned functions and get a real life answer to you.

Just kidding, this cam looks truck. Unless you seriously want me to examine it...

I’d whip on it

Probably don’t want to put it in boiling water. The melt temp of the dyneema sling running through the cam isn’t far from the boiling point of water

A) you can melt dyneema in boiling water?

2) if it fell 20' its bound to have any number of these tiny little death-causers called microfractures, Chris

Offering shipping + $25. Willing to go a bit higher too.

Jake wander wrote: Probably don’t want to put it in boiling water. The melt temp of the dyneema sling running through the cam isn’t far from the boiling point of water

IF this is a serious comment.......

Only if you put it in a pressure cooker. You cannot heat water above boiling point under atmospheric pressure. Dyneema melting point is 293F.

You don't have to submerge the thumb loop in the boiling water braj. Insert the cam into the boiling water upside down, so just the lobes are submerged. Did I miss anything? 

Marc801 C wrote: Just how fragile do y'all think climbing gear is? Send it  to BD for evaluation for a little spot of rust on the end of the axle? Well, I suppose if you want to give BD customer service a good laugh....

I hope you never work for a company that engineers equipment that supports human life. 

Paul Hutton wrote:

I hope you never work for a company that engineers equipment that supports human life. 

As I've written before, the level of gear paranoia on MP is nothing short of epic.

It’d be pretty tough to submerge the lobs and not the dyneema...

Gunkiemike wrote: Offering shipping + $25. Willing to go a bit higher too.

Are we auctioning now??

Chris I promise I still like, appreciate and understand you....but i still may be laughing about that whipper video...