How do you clean sticking carabiners?

Howie65 · Aug 29, 2015

I have also some Ball Lock Am'D and William and trust them too. These biners just came in my mind as the thread came to boiling and plastic. Whereas I suppose Greg meant another manufacturer.

I have made a photo from a open gate of a 2014 William (Am'D 2013 looks the same). It is difficult to say how much plastic is really inside but it seems to be more than the tip.

Bernd

TimBr · Aug 29, 2015

That is a great macro photograph, Bernd! Thanks for posting it!

Tim

P.S. Since it seems to me that it is the plastic button being pushed out that keeps the gate from being rolled open, it would seem prudent to me to avoid any methods of cleaning the ball lock Petzl biners that might cause a weakening of that plastic. In other words, no high heat or caustic chemicals, in my humble opinion.

Howie65 · Aug 29, 2015

I agree 100%

And the macro photograph I did with one of these USB Microscopes. Easy to do nowadays

TimBr · Aug 29, 2015

I'd never heard of those usb microscopes before your post. Thanks for mentioning it and for posting the image of it.

Tim

MikePowers321 · Aug 29, 2015

I use the Dupont Teflon multi purpose for carabiners. I believe Tom Dunlap recommended it in a previous thread. Works great.

oldoakman · Aug 29, 2015

I hate ball lock biners. Sometimes I'm all thumbs and I still can't get the damned things open!

Pelorus · Aug 30, 2015

Even more fun in the winter....the ball action freezes up, and of course you have to take off your (winter) gloves anyway to try to depress that (frozen) ball. Total PITA.
I've retired a couple of those stupid Petzl ball locks that appear normal, but the locking action is kaput. The gate opens without depressing the ball / rotating the sleeve.

oldoakman · Aug 30, 2015

Pelorus said:
Even more fun in the winter....the ball action freezes up, and of course you have to take off your (winter) gloves anyway to try to depress that (frozen) ball. Total PITA.
I've retired a couple of those stupid Petzl ball locks that appear normal, but the locking action is kaput. The gate opens without depressing the ball / rotating the sleeve.

We don't have winter down here. We only have three seasons here, spring, fall,and hot. We're coming to the end of hot... finally!

TimBr · Aug 30, 2015

Pelorus said:
Even more fun in the winter....the ball action freezes up, and of course you have to take off your (winter) gloves anyway to try to depress that (frozen) ball. Total PITA.
I've retired a couple of those stupid Petzl ball locks that appear normal, but the locking action is kaput. The gate opens without depressing the ball / rotating the sleeve.

This is something I will have to keep on the lookout for. Kind of scary anytime something that is supposed to take multiple distinct actions to open, opens by itself with only one accidental action. Thanks for the "heads up".

Tim

Dave Rohach · Aug 30, 2015

I use SeaFoam Deep Creep after a long soaking in hot soapy water, preferably Dawn. After applying Deep Creep make sure to wipe down with a cotton shop towel. Best of Luck

Dave6390 in WI

frashdog · Aug 30, 2015

GregManning said:
Some of the Ball Lock sleeves used to be made of plastic.
They were susceptible to cracking, and need to be inspected. The cracks are easily visible.
I think the design was changed to all metal sleeves.

I though the recalled ones were metal sleeve...now they are plastic?
http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2007/Petzl-America-Recalls-Climbing-Equipment-Due-to-Fall-Hazard/

jmaher · Aug 30, 2015

I have had the same issue. Also with ALL the ball lockers I've encountered.. There doesn't seem to be much gate meat over the nose. That worries me. The triacts rotate the full way, and I love them.. But the ball lockers just look.. Flimsy to me.

jmaher · Aug 30, 2015

I'll get a picture later on to better explain what I mean.

jmaher · Aug 30, 2015

I know the ball lockers are older.. But even new ones I've seen seem to share the problem? Maybe user error.. But I've cleaned them.. And they still do autolock.

Dave Rohach · Aug 30, 2015

Just like all of the reviews say, they're really cool to have but they are more trouble than the price of them. You're better off with TriAct Locking Biners. They're not worth the expense for a gadget!

Dave6390 in WI

TimBr · Aug 31, 2015

jmaher said:
I know the ball lockers are older.. But even new ones I've seen seem to share the problem? Maybe user error.. But I've cleaned them.. And they still do autolock.
View attachment 33209

Great photograph to demonstrate your point, jmaher. I see what you mean about the lack of "meat" over the nose. All I can say about my own personal experience with both types of biners is that my twist-lock opened up on me once by accident, and so far my button-lock biners never have. I don't have nearly as much time in the saddle as some folks, though.

I will keep a close eye on my button-lock biners now that this issue has been raised.

It would be nice to hear from folks that have some biners that they have never had any issues with in any way. Bombproof Biners. I like the sound of that.

Tim

frashdog · Aug 31, 2015

I always found the ball lockers annoying with gloves and worse with pine pitch. Very common binder where I skipatrol

GregManning · Aug 31, 2015

frashdog said:
I though the recalled ones were metal sleeve...now they are plastic?
http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2007/Petzl-America-Recalls-Climbing-Equipment-Due-to-Fall-Hazard/

This is a portion of a Petzl e-mail reply to me from a Petzl "After Sales & Service Technician":

"There was a recall for both Am'D and William Ball lock carabiners in 2006. To check your carabiners, if the first five numbers of the engraved serial number are between 06076 and 06178, those are under the recall. Any other serial numbers are not recalled, and the recall does not include ball lock carabiners with a plastic sleeve.
We discontinued the use of the plastic sleeve years ago."

However, I would recommend checking any Ball Locks w/ plastic sleeves for cracks !

TimBr · Aug 31, 2015

Thanks for your post, Greg. I'd read someone else's link about that recall, and I think it covered biners produced over about a five month period in 2006.

I only started climbing two or three years ago, and have purchased all of my gear new, so the recall does not affect me.

Also, as I am not a pro arb, I get to pick which trees I climb for the most part. Multiple climbers have posted about problems with pitch pine gunking up the works on the ball-lock biners. So far I have managed to avoid climbing in any conifers as of yet, but I will keep the issue in mind if I ever find myself needing to do so.

Tim

frashdog · Sep 1, 2015

Its

TimBr said:
Thanks for your post, Greg. I'd read someone else's link about that recall, and I think it covered biners produced over about a five month period in 2006.

I only started climbing two or three years ago, and have purchased all of my gear new, so the recall does not affect me.

Also, as I am not a pro arb, I get to pick which trees I climb for the most part. Multiple climbers have posted about problems with pitch pine gunking up the works on the ball-lock biners. So far I have managed to avoid climbing in any conifers as of yet, but I will keep the issue in mind if I ever find myself needing to do so.

Tim

The issue with pitch producing trees, is not just climbing in them. It's delimbing then one day...letting them bleed all night...then climbing then the next day to log them down. The beads of sap running down, the monuments to heaven, glistenning in the morning sun are the culprit. Soon you can barely open your hands, let alone let go of a rope. I've seen grown men cry over the situation. One got so distraught upon his first encounter with "sticky" he ripped off his shirt and proclaimed it was worth no more them a rag. Soon he was asking me to buy him more shirts and a climbing rope, cause his was ruined. Gums everything gumable right the f up to the max. Adapt and move on.