Ugly Hardware Only

GB's advice is spot on IMO.
My 2 pennies on the Hacksaw. Doesnt take too long with some good uggas duggas. More speed, less pressure is my only real tip....ah, and wear gloves for knuckle protection for real.

Ive had satisfactory results with some botched bolts by using a pry bar with a notch cut into it like a tuning fork and just sheering it off through leverage(cheater stick and a 3ft bar for 5+ ft of effective leverage and not crazy weight to bring in). Only tried on 3/8 Ø wedges though and they all sheered off at the cone....YMMV

Tal M wrote:

Have some clean up to do in an area there’s been some bolt wars - any recommendations for removing bashed bolts?

You might be able to just hammer that one back and forth and get it to snap off clean. Even with just a little movement back and forth, you can sometimes get stainless to snap pretty easily. Hit it back and forth quickly so some heat builds up from the friction. Usually takes less than a minute or so. 

Of course if that bolt needs to be replaced, but there is not enough threads to spin it, core drilling will do the job!

Salamanizer Ski wrote:

You might be able to just hammer that one back and forth and get it to snap off clean. Even with just a little movement back and forth, you can sometimes get stainless to snap pretty easily. Hit it back and forth quickly so some heat builds up from the friction. Usually takes less than a minute or so. 

Would you just hammer back and forth on the hanger? I feel like I may snap the hanger before the bolt in that case.

Good tip Greg on the sparks, maybe I’ll wait for the next snow to give that a go. It’s only a 3-5 minute walk from the car so no worries on carrying necessary equipment end.

If it makes any difference, these bolts are on a 4th class ramp with natural protection opportunities (don’t get me started…) so replacement isn’t a factor, just removal and the ability to patch afterwards

The Salvador Dalí bolt on Mescalito 

Tone Loc wrote:

I don’t know if this applies to this particular area at all, but I think sometimes bolts like that are placed by SAR/local FD/rangers/whatever to belay litters in areas that see frequent rescues.

They’re not - this was an almost entirely undeveloped area with no history of climbing or recreation beyond hunters

James Lee wrote:

Unknown age, likely 90s? But climbing has been on this crag sporadically since the 70s

Which crag is this? Could always give Bryce a bell, he'd probably be the best to call especially if it's North Island.

Conner wrote:

Which crag is this? Could always give Bryce a bell, he'd probably be the best to call especially if it's North Island.

Nah they're bomber, I've had a yarn to Bryce about them before haha - They're out at Waipapa. I've happily whipped on them

Tal M wrote:

Would you just hammer back and forth on the hanger? I feel like I may snap the hanger before the bolt in that case.

No, hit the nut back and forth. I know it’s only sticking out a little, but it will still bend. Even a little bending will cause it to snap. I know it’s close to the rock, so you gotta be accurate and all. Just get in a good position and smack it back and forth, hit hard and repeatedly. I bet it snaps clean to the rock in about 30 to 40 blows. A lot of times it feels like it isn’t doing much, then it just pops off. I’ve never not been able to snap a bolt like this. Even ones that are tight to the hanger. Unless the rock is super soft, then it causes too much damage around it. Popping bolts off like this is the fastest method if you’re just going to patch and move on. 

If you don't have a grinder I suppose.  Probably under a minute with a cut of wheel, and maybe another 90 seconds to shave the remainder of the stud down before you hammer it in to patch.

Did you already try a bolt extractor socket? https://www.harborfreight.com/38-in-drive-metric-bolt-extractor-socket-set-9-piece-59855.html 

It'll either loosen, in which case you can funk it out or whatever method you prefer, or it'll snap off on the breaker bar and you can just patch it. 

Shallow 3/8" threaded compression bolt and 1/4" buttonhead with Leeper hanger in the background. Probably used only once as a rappel anchor, but the tat is long gone.

lolololol

This is why we don’t use wedge bolts in soft sandstone.

This bolt appeared to be have been drilled too shallow on lead and had been like this for 25+ years. New bolt installed and this hole patched.

The hardware isn’t new to me, but the combination certainly is

Two horizontal logo chromoly SMC hangers oxidizing at different rates. Anyone know what could cause this? Poor QC, difference in the plating process?

Carson

I would be more concerned with the American death triangle. You bypassed this anchor?

The death triangle would be the least of my worries with that one. 

The hangers look like two different coatings. The SMC hangers had Yellow Chromate finishes as well as just plain chromoly steel I believe. 

Carson Sloan wrote:

Two horizontal logo chromoly SMC hangers oxidizing at different rates. Anyone know what could cause this? Poor QC, difference in the plating process?

Is it possible the right nut is stainless? Interesting it has no rust, while the left nut is rusting 

cieneguita wrote:

Carson

I would be more concerned with the American death triangle. You bypassed this anchor?

Clipped, whipped and died 😮‍💨✌️

This anchor was accessed from above for replacement. The next higher rappel station looked like this, so I don't think anyone had been on the line for 30 years. The tree was girdled by the tat and died maybe 10 years later, and the trunk of the new tree is likely now about the same diameter as it was during the FA.

It seems unlikely that 1/4" screwtop compression bolts were available in stainless in the mid/late 80s, but maybe the right nut was bought separately