Rope care

[Adam i]

Hello all. Im new to the climbing side of tree work. I recently climbed a big pine tree useing a natural crotch to get up the tree and i had coated my climbing line with a heavy layer of tree sap. I have tryed to hand wash the rope a but still the rope is binding in my hitch. And help would be great. Thanks

 

[TimBr]

@Adam i; Welcome to the TreeBuzz forum. I think you'll like it here. Not taking anything away from this forum, I was involved in a discussion on another forum that covered a lot of the options available. Here's a link to that thread.

http://masterblasterhome.com/showth...re-washing-climbing-rope&highlight=rope+clean

I recommend that you read that thread from start to finish. If you have any further questions, sign up for that forum also, and ask your questions. The folks there are really nice people, too, just like here. Always willing to help.

My name is Tim. I hope you enjoy your time on this forum, and jump right in.

 

[lumberjackson]

I usually just keep using my rope and the sap and pitch comes off after about a day or two. If it is super muddy or dirty and nasty sometimes I will put my rope in a mesh bag and put it in the front load washer with gentle detergent. Works pretty good.

 

[oldoakman]

I'll take my rope to a laundromat and use the big front loading washers, flake the rope info the washer tub and use some pinesol as a detergent. Run it one cycle with the pinesol and then a second one cycle with nothing but the water for a double rinse and hang it to air dry. Usually gets most SAP off. Oh, and as Tim said, welcome aboard.

 

[lumberjackson]

My rope washing ritual today

 

[Treespotter]

Just rub the rope in with canola oil and keep using it. Next time install a friction saver before a long distance climb.

Wolter

 

[CutHighnLetFly]

Washing machine + technu for ropes and hitch cord.
Mineral spirits in your hardware.
Welcome.
Next question.

 

[oldoakman]

Petzl makes a rope washing detergent but I've never seen it available at any of our outlets.

 

[CutHighnLetFly]

I heard it was expensive and has potential to crack under the lid if one uses it with little regard for its limits. But they said the DMM version is sweet

 

[Treespotter]

Canola oil.

Wolter

 

[TimBr]

I heard it was expensive and has potential to crack under the lid if one uses it with little regard for its limits. But they said the DMM version is sweet

Please forgive my lack of reading comprehension, but what are you referring to in this post? Thanks.

Tim

 

[CutHighnLetFly]

Please forgive my lack of reading comprehension, but what are you referring to in this post? Thanks.

Tim

It was a joke. I can almost never be taken serious, its awful. So I've been told...

 

[LimbLoppa]

Crapppppp! Now my rope's all curly!

 

[JeffGu]

Is it frizzy, with split ends?

 

[LimbLoppa]

Yup and it keeps getting hung in crotches!

 

[ARLO]

I slather the pitchy areas with Goop hand cleaner. Let it set for a bit and massage the pitch with your hands or a soft brush until it comes off. Then put the rope in a rope washing bag, take it to the laundromat and wash it with rope soap in a front loader. This is definitely hard on the rope finish, but with heavy pitch you don't have much choice. We climb a lot in young conifers and our lanyards get caked in pitch on a regular basis.