How do you clean sticking carabiners?

[TimBr]

Wow, frashdog, I had no idea it could get that bad. Thanks for telling me about what happens the day after delimbing a pine tree, and the great detail with which you told it.

So, having gone through all of that, have you figured out a way to deal with all of that effectively? Like maybe either only doing the takedown the same day as the delimbing, or coming back a week later or something in order to let all of the sap drain out?

And if you are forced by circumstance to work the tree the day after delimbing it, is there anything at all that can be done to allow you to keep functioning? I had no idea pitch pine could be so bad as to prevent you from opening your hands, or removing them from a rope.

Thanks for telling the tale, and thanks for any further answers you may choose to provide.

Tim

 

[frashdog]

Right on. Best bet is to get it down same day.

I'm not a gloves guy, but when we do several big pines I will wear gloves. Not just for the pitch, but the back of the hands rubbing against the bark while moving the flip line up while spike/climbing.

Pitch will dry up and get brittle, wear and/or break off over time. I don't even think about it really. No big deal.

If it gets real bad, use the other end of the rope.

 

[Jeff]

I keep a pair of gloves and a long sleeve t-shirt in my gear bag just for sappy conifers. I also keep an older climb line and an older friction saver for conifers, and I'm contemplating buying a new flip line and downgrading my current one to "conifer use." Everything just gets soooo schlathered in sap. Often I question whether I actually need spikes and a flip line, or if I could just stick myself to the trunk like Spider Man.

 

[frashdog]

X2 on the friction saver.