ATC sharp edges where the rope exits during rappel

Do people replace their belay devices when the top edges (middle of the photo) get kind of sharp ?

Seems many don't notice it (I didn't for a long time).

I'm inclined to think it's not a safety issue, but I do think it abrades and reduces the life time of rope sheath (especially if loaded upside down).

I noticed that mine wore like that pretty quickly on the last one i purchased (5-10 years ago) and i barely rope up let alone use my ATC.

Some people might replace them. Other people just get out their needle files and crocus cloth.

They round out a bit more. Mine has anyway. Happens when you use the Petzl reverso upside down. I believe that Petzl doesn’t recommend this, contrary to what is recommend with the Bd atc guide.

You're showing the underside? Not sure how that would cause a problem.

I belay with mine the right way up and flip it upside down when rappelling (same braking function but a bit less friction without the grooves on the brake side of a DMM pivot / BD ATC guide) and that helps with the wear. I'll lightly sand mine so it isn't sharp if I notice it, and replace as necessary.

Paul Morrison wrote: Some people might replace them. Other people just get out their needle files and crocus cloth.

Same here, until it gets too thin.

With the exception of the Omega Pacific SBG II, the Beal Air Force 1, Beal Air Force 2, and Beal Air Force 3, ALL aluminum tube style belay devices take the most wear at those points.  The result, as you can see, is that those points get worn away and what remains gets increasingly sharper.

You will eventually retire that belay device and get a new one, and thus the cycle will begin anew - assuming you get another aluminium tube style belay device other than one of the exceptions I named above.

RTFM, https://www.petzl.com/sfc/servlet.shepherd/version/download/0681r00000BAlQEAA1

Roll a tube from a small sheet of sanding paper and file those sharp edges out.

P.S. Reading manuals before posting to the Internet is a good habit to acquire. Way better habit to acquire is to read and understand TFM before the first use of any safety equipment.

Rope dirty? This can exacerbate this problem. 

Pavel Burov wrote: RTFM, https://www.petzl.com/sfc/servlet.shepherd/version/download/0681r00000BAlQEAA1

Roll a tube from a small sheet of sanding paper and file those sharp edges out.

P.S. Reading manuals before posting to the Internet is a good habit to acquire. Way better habit to acquire is to read and understand TFM before the first use of any safety equipment.

I’d like to see you sand those edges out! Thats some next level reading miscomprhension right there.

Much more wear and you are gonna blow them walls. It’ll still work, but as soon as you wear into the big hole you have a chance of pinching the rope which is no bueno. I’d still use it, but not for a lot longer.

Sawyer W wrote:

Much more wear and you are gonna blow them walls. It’ll still work, but as soon as you wear into the big hole you have a chance of pinching the rope which is no bueno. I’d still use it, but not for a lot longer.

There is yet another TFM covering the topic. https://www.petzl.com/sfc/servlet.shepherd/version/download/0681r00000BAreTAAT

Page 6. All sanding can be done under 1mm limit. If it has been worn for more than 1mm discard it.

Well that scenario results in aluminum gunk on the rope and your hands and it can also result in damage to a rope that's worth ten times the cost of aluminum devices.  Sharp belay device edges won't cut the rope or sheath but they will inflict a lot of unnecessary wear on the sheath.

I'd vote with my wallet and buy a device that is either fully or partially made of steel, Edelrid and Mammut make those.

Pair that with a steel belay biner or the Edelrid Bulletproof HMS and rope wear and replacement costs are a thing of the past.   For most applications the minimal extra weight should vastly outweigh the wear issue.

Gear manufacturers make $$ on disposable belay devices and carabiners.

For how little an ATC Guide or Reverso cost in relation to how many years of service you get out of it, no brainer to me, replace. 

coldfinger wrote: Gear manufacturers make $$ on disposable belay devices and carabiners.

Everything comes for its price. Want an ultra light belay device? Discard it after several miles of climbing. Want an extra sturdy belay device? Get a stainless steel one and use it like forever for a price of an extra 2oz of weight.

BTW, if those 2oz are so important to you there are chances you'd better prefer a gym weight lifting session to the next weekend outing.

That’s a Reverso. Not an atc.

Regardless,

A properly installed rope cannot engage that edge in any harmful way.

Briggs Lazalde wrote:

My opinion: if you're getting "years" out of your ATC then it's a "no brainer to me" that you dont climb enough to have credible input on this topic of gear wear n tear. With all due respect of course... I couldn't word it in a way that doesn't make me sound like a dick sorry

LOLOLOLOL ok ok ok we all believe that you have a huge cock, chill out. 

Yes. That’s where the name came from. But, I don’t know of any other companies that called it atc. Pretzel Reverso, trango pyramid, and many other similar devices with different names.  But not atc.  

Virtually all tube-style belay devices get referred to as ATC's, even though they are not, for the same reason that:

- virtually all ultra high molecular weight polyethylene products get referred to as "Dyneema" products
- virtually all shock absorbing slings get referred to as "screamers"
- in some parts of Europe virtually all spring loaded camming devices get referred to as "Friends"
- virtually all photocopiers get referred to as "Xeroxes"
- virtually all bandages get referred to as "Band-Aids"
- virtually all facial tissues get referred to as "Kleenex"
etc.

I noticed this recently on my ATC that it has sharp edges which scrape the sheath of my rope. I'm probably buying Beal Air Force 3 as my next device as this seems the only device that has addressed this issue. Kind of surprising that this isn't the industry standard.

I just replaced my Pivot when it looked like that. It held up a year before retirement. I replaced it with the Mammut Nordwand belay device and hope it will last longer.