Petzl tri-lock

[Babberney]

I got an order in today with the new (AFAIK) Tri-lock biners petzl makes. They have two at Sherrill's, a "D" and an offset "D". I got the William (offset). 25 kN rating, about the same price as other autolockers.

I like it just on first glance. I never liked the ball-lock biners, so I had not tried the old William. This one is a lot like the Kong biners Sherrill's has had for years, but lighter with a narrower profile. The locking sleeve is thinner but seems stout enough to tolerate moderate battering at work. That was always the problem I had with HB Wales biners--the lsleeve would get bent and thwart the locking, and eventually cracks would develop from bending them back and forth.

I'll try to remember to update on this after I use it awhile.

k

 

[treeclimber165]

I just ordered a few also. Should have them tomorrow. I like the ball lock style, but I work with various ground crews and most of them have never seen one before. Therefore I cannot send anything down with a ball lock biner attaching it to the rope.

I recently got a new saddle with the small D rings and I need something with a narrower gate to be able to orient my biner in the D rings. Dang D rings are too small!

 

[Kevin]

Brian, what saddle did you buy?
I hate those little D's on a working saddle.
I wrote Buckingham about the problem I was having punching the pins out of my climbers to replace the gaffs and they didn't bother responding.
I dropped them off at a machine shop today, it will be interesting to see what they do with them.
I have a feeling Buckingham painted the leg irons then drove the pins in through the painted hole.
If that's the case I'll send them the bill from the shop.
I destroyed a couple of drift punches and bent a couple of drill bits using them backwards in an arbor press along with a spare pin that Buckingham says can be used for drifting out the pins.
Maybe that's why they went with screws in the new climbers.

 

[frans]

I have always hated the silly "ball lock" biners. One day (or hour or one minute even)of using these in a sappy/dusty pine or fir or cedar or spruce or any other of millions of trees) and the things are useless. Besides it annoys me to look around for some little "button" to push with my gloves on. Seems like if your REALLY doing production work you would not have time to fiddle with these things.

O.K. lets not get sensitive here these are MY opinions...

I have been using the DMM wales for some time. They really seem to be better built. I know that here in my area PG&E (Gas & Electric utility co.) use them for the fall arrest harness on their buckets.
Recently I heard about a new DMM Wales biner series called "Ova-lock". The sleeve is slightly oval ot make it easier to lift and twist the gate open.
Anyone hear about or use these?
Frans

 

[chad]

i was in a white oak canopy, a forest tree so pretty much straight up. i was set to rope advance and noticed my petzel ball lock had oped it self up. unfortunately i had no extra karab up there with me. when i came down that ball lock went away never to be used by me again. maybe the tri-lock was an evolution to prevent this from happening. a coworker had similar frustrations with the ball lock and within one month of purchse three out of three climbers i work with gave up on that style biner. i have other petzle karabs and think they are great just not that ball lock.

 

[treeclimber165]

Kevin-
I bought a 2001 vintage Pinnacle that my Vermeer guy had left over. It fits great once I loosened the leg straps about 5 different times.
I used the new Am'D Petzl biners today and they were easier to rotate through the D rings than the ball lock style. If the saddle had normal size D rings I think I'd prefer the ball lock though. I do not wear gloves and ice/ snow isn't a problem here in Florida. I've never had a single incident of a ball lock sticking or jamming from sawdust. I do not drop them in the dirt so I cannot comment on that problem. If I had a problem with one sticking, I would consider it lack of proper maintenance and clean it out with WD-40 and compressed air.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Chad,

I would suspect that the biner just needed a little graphite or lube. have you tried that with sticky biners?

IN all the years that I've used the ball locks I've never had a problem even with snow and ice. I follow a couple of climbing/mountaineering forums and have never heard any grumblings about the biners either. Not to say that something couldn't happen though.

If you and your buddies want to sell those ball lock biners, let me know. I might be interested in buying them.

Tom

 

[Burnham_Chamberlain]

Tom, you never had trouble with the ball-locks getting jammed up with conifer pitch??? Maybe I just work with different species (Douglas fir, white pine) or at different jobs (cone harvesting, scion collection) that place me in pitchier portions of the crowns, but ball-lock 'biners are truly frustrating, even hazardous, in those conditions. Sure, you can clean them up, put graphite on them and make them work again, but not in mid-tree, which is when they jam. When it is a constant problem, you quit using them. I have to clean up other types regularly, too, but more like every other week, not every other tree.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Burnham,

I don't spend much of my time in pitchy trees. I can understand how you would be reluctant to use a tool that isn't dependable in your work situation though.

When my biners get even a little gummy, I clean them right away. WD40 is a good solvent for pitch, use a tooth brush to get the corners.

 

[chad]

tom, i couldnt get you those biners at this point, but am glad to hear they work for you. i have always just cleaned my biners with a cloth or rag. wd-40 doesnt make them too slick? you just wipe down the excess i suppose.

 

[treeclimber165]

WD40 dries and eventually evaporates without leaving a residue. I spray inside the locking mechanism, blow out with compressed air and then wipe off the outside with a rag. Clean is good.