Hard spots in rope

macswan · Oct 8, 2016

my vortex has two spots that feel like the buried area on a splice. I got a big wad of pitch on my line that stuck (punny) around for a while. I can't be sure, but I think it is what started these hard spots. They don't bend when you roll a bite, and if you bend them, there is crunching.

Anybody ever had that? I realize that the rope is probably compromised, or becoming so. Just curious for others experience. Cuz all the times I've ruined a rope on a pine tree, it has never stayed ruined in such a serious way.

Stihlmadd · Oct 8, 2016

Yah Macswan - has happened to me once on my Bluemoon - ended up with two hard spots that wouldn't clean out and decided to cut the rope down to a useable length as the prussic wouldn't pass those two sections cleanly so red flag went up and the knife came down.
same ingredient as your problem - pine pitch.

SomethingWitty · Oct 8, 2016

macswan said:
my vortex has two spots that feel like the buried area on a splice. I got a big wad of pitch on my line that stuck (punny) around for a while. I can't be sure, but I think it is what started these hard spots. They don't bend when you roll a bite, and if you bend them, there is crunching.

Anybody ever had that? I realize that the rope is probably compromised, or becoming so. Just curious for others experience. Cuz all the times I've ruined a rope on a pine tree, it has never stayed ruined in such a serious way.

If pine pitch is actually the problem, it should soften up under gentle heat. Hair dryer? I think most other things like a heat gun could be too hot and potentially damage your rope. At the very least, a warm (80-90 degree) rope with pine sap in it should not crunch or crackle at all.
Just a thought. I haven't had that issue before, but I have used traditional pine pitch glue a few times in the past.

macswan · Oct 8, 2016

I think the pitch got kinda crystallized and the fibers are brittle and breaking. Just a theory

RajElectric · Oct 8, 2016

In my mind I can't see that happening. But I wouldn't climb it either. Is a break test in it's near future, would be interesting to see the results.....

SomethingWitty · Oct 8, 2016

macswan said:
I think the pitch got kinda crystallized and the fibers are brittle and breaking. Just a theory

If you're going to break test it and there is some space between the lumpy spots, slice the cover open in one spot and check out that core.

Treezybreez · Oct 8, 2016

I would say throw it in the washing machine first and see if it goes away.

macswan · Oct 9, 2016

I washed it after the pitch slapping it received. Most of the spots came out. I think I am just gonna get another length of vortex.

Probably won't break it. Will definitely cut them out and cut them up. Have two short ropes.

Treezybreez · Oct 9, 2016

I had a rope lanyard that got so pitchy I pitched (hee hee) it in the back of my cabinet. A year later all the pitch had turned to powder and the lanyard was fine.

treefreak20 · Oct 9, 2016

macswan said:
I washed it after the pitch slapping it received. Most of the spots came out. I think I am just gonna get another length of vortex.

Probably won't break it. Will definitely cut them out and cut them up. Have two short ropes.

Pitch slapping
Ha!

jmaher · Oct 10, 2016

RyanCafferky · Oct 12, 2016

Treezybreez said:
I had a rope lanyard that got so pitchy I pitched (hee hee) it in the back of my cabinet. A year later all the pitch had turned to powder and the lanyard was fine.

That is my favorite technique for dealing with pitch. The "do nothing technique".

moss · Oct 12, 2016

Yep, I have a 200' length of 10mm HTP with a foot long section of embedded pitch right in the middle, still waiting for it to go away ;-)

jmaher · Oct 12, 2016

RyanCafferky said:
That is my favorite technique for dealing with pitch. The "do nothing technique".

Ah, the ol' DNT. Very not bad ™ approach.

Treezybreez · Oct 13, 2016

RyanCafferky said:
That is my favorite technique for dealing with pitch. The "do nothing technique".

Only problem is, you have to have multiple lanyards in reserve.

Rope grabs seem to work the best on pitch coated rope. It becomes quite the work out with a pitchy hitch adjuster.

RyanCafferky · Oct 14, 2016

I splice my own lanyards so having a few extras isn't a big deal. I find that just a few weeks on the shelf and then a good back and forth pull on a rough bark tree usually takes care of most of it.

macswan · Oct 14, 2016

The DNT is my general(successful) approach. But these spots are not going anywhere. Not sure what's different.

SomethingWitty · Oct 14, 2016

macswan said:
The DNT is my general(successful) approach. But these spots are not going anywhere. Not sure what's different.

Chop on it!

RyanCafferky · Oct 15, 2016

Soak it in olive or another vegetable oil for a while and then work it back and forth over something. Then wash it with mild soap and water to get the oil out.

macswan · Oct 16, 2016

RyanCafferky said:
Soak it in olive or another vegetable oil for a while and then work it back and forth over something. Then wash it with mild soap and water to get the oil out.

Nah, I am lazy. And I didn't like the noises those spots made, which should have been no noises at all. I cut it this evening. Got a new one on the way. I would always be thinking about it otherwise. Now I have a couple shorties