Wore out ORCA biner

[Chris Schultz]

I’ll preface this by: THESE HAVE BEEN DE COMMISSIONED. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION ABOUT GEAR INSPECTION. THIS IS NOT A “I’D CLIMB ON THOSE DISCUSSION.”

Not sure if you can tell by the photos but these biners all have nearly identical wear in the same spots. The three of these oval ORCA locks have been in circulation strictly for my primary life support, mostly MRS. (I think having multiples that get randomly rotated in makes em last longer, kinda like rotating the tires on your car…..)What’s peculiar to me is that the wear is on the exterior circumference, I cannot picture how/why/what would cause this? The contact point on my hitchclimber pulley would be the interior of the biner.., and that appears un-worn, the anodization is still immaculate. My OCD requires that my rope/biner/hitchcord/pulley interfaces is the same day in day out. The only other interface/s would be with textiles. What do you think caused this? Do your biners look the same after awhile?

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Did you have them stored and packed in a duffel then travel? Think of a rock tumbler or sawing action

 

[39Buick]

I’ll preface this by: THESE HAVE BEEN DE COMMISSIONED. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION ABOUT GEAR INSPECTION. THIS IS NOT A “I’D CLIMB ON THOSE DISCUSSION.”

Not sure if you can tell by the photos but these biners all have nearly identical wear in the same spots. The three of these oval ORCA locks have been in circulation strictly for my primary life support, mostly MRS. (I think having multiples that get randomly rotated in makes em last longer, kinda like rotating the tires on your car…..)What’s peculiar to me is that the wear is on the exterior circumference, I cannot picture how/why/what would cause this? The contact point on my hitchclimber pulley would be the interior of the biner.., and that appears un-worn, the anodization is still immaculate. My OCD requires that my rope/biner/hitchcord/pulley interfaces is the same day in day out. The only other interface/s would be with textiles. What do you think caused this? Do your biners look the same after awhile?

I have no clue, may try a call or email to RE and see if they can offer some insight. I would have asked the same question Mr. Dunlop posed. I'm following hoping to learn something.

 

[Chris Schultz]

Did you have them stored and packed in a duffel then travel? Think of a rock tumbler or sawing action

No. When not in use they individually get clipped to a loop on top of my buckingham bag, it holds them away from other hardware/s.

 

[Dan Cobb]

Are you using a pulley with a gap between the sideplates (ISC, Pinto, etc.) with nothing between the sideplates to block the rope from dragging across the top of the biner? Looks like the same type of wear as rope on aluminum brake bars.

 

[Chris Schultz]

They have been used strictly on a spliced eye climb line, coupled with sewn eye hitchcords, and old style/new style hitchclimber pulleys. The only other interface is with my bridge ring, but that’s interior contact…. Here’s a photo of how they travel by truck. Haven’t removed the tags on the replacements yet…. I don’t fault R E at all for this either, considering the cost, the amount of climbs, and the value they carry (literally) I’ve gotten my money’s worth.

 

[Birdyman88]

The contact point on my hitchclimber pulley would be the interior of the biner..,

If you have a ring on your bridge, Is it possible this is where the bridge cord is contacting outside surface of biner?

 

[islandarb]

Chris I would climb on them for another six years. Look like not a prob. That has to be caused when you descend. Your style might be such that the rope constantly passes that point. Only thing that makes sense here. The biners are still plenty strong. I own 10 year old rock Os and they are still in good shape.

 

[flushcut]

Is it possible those are manufactureing marks?

 

[Chris Schultz]

Is it possible those are manufactureing marks?

Negative. The new ones do not have that dimple/flat spot.

 

[Chris Schultz]

If you have a ring on your bridge, Is it possible this is where the bridge cord is contacting outside surface of biner?

Hmmmm. I’m doubtful, based on the dimension of the ring, and that I haven’t noticed….. but I will have to check, so far this is the realist possibility.

 

[Chris Schultz]

Chris I would climb on them for another six years. Look like not a prob. That has to be caused when you descend. Your style might be such that the rope constantly passes that point. Only thing that makes sense here. The biners are still plenty strong. I own 10 year old rock Os and they are still in good shape.

I agree. However I’m given a equipment stipend at work, so figured I’d replace them. “Best Practices” ya know……

 

[Birdyman88]

Hmmmm. I’m doubtful, based on the dimension of the ring, and that I haven’t noticed….. but I will have to check, so far this is the realist possibility

Is your bridge eye-eye. If so, when the ring hits the extreme ends the double cord thickness of the eye inside the ring almost guarantees contact with the biner. Maybe?

 

[Chris Schultz]

No, stopper knots outside of rig plates.

 

[evo]

What way do you face the gate? Open up? Open down?
The wear appears to be from a running rope. The orientation of be carabiner should open up clues

 

[Chris Schultz]

95% of the time I rotate the biner/eye splice to bottom of gate open, same goes for hitchcord/hitchclimber. These surfaces would be buried away from potential moving rope interface. I’m going to setup my gear in the backyard today, and see if I can come up with anything brilliant…… real head scratcher here.

 

[Christrees]

Chris I would climb on them for another six years. Look like not a prob. That has to be caused when you descend. Your style might be such that the rope constantly passes that point. Only thing that makes sense here. The biners are still plenty strong. I own 10 year old rock Os and they are still in good shape.

Yeah I wouldn't decommission them either.
That doesn't look like much wear at all. But if it makes you feel better. Do you. Your the 1 using them

 

[JeffGu]

Some forging processes require some post-forging milling to remove tabs or excess material (the automated machinery needs a way to handle/manipulate the product prior to final finishing and assembly. The point where a tab is milled off gets anodized when the carabiner does, but when the anodizing starts to wear off, that spot gets revealed because the grain structure of the metal there is slightly different. I have several brands of 'biners that do that exact same thing. Several will have what looks like wear, all in the same spot, regardless of what they were used for.

Of course, it could also just be that when you put the 'biners in/out of something, the outside curve is just rubbing there. Mine do that when I put them in and out of a tight eye on a rope... get wear pattern on the outside "corners" of the 'biners.

 

[Chris Schultz]

Some forging processes require some post-forging milling to remove tabs or excess material (the automated machinery needs a way to handle/manipulate the product prior to final finishing and assembly. The point where a tab is milled off gets anodized when the carabiner does, but when the anodizing starts to wear off, that spot gets revealed because the grain structure of the metal there is slightly different. I have several brands of 'biners that do that exact same thing. Several will have what looks like wear, all in the same spot, regardless of what they were used for.

Of course, it could also just be that when you put the 'biners in/out of something, the outside curve is just rubbing there. Mine do that when I put them in and out of a tight eye on a rope... get wear pattern on the outside "corners" of the 'biners.

You brought up anodizing. What is interesting, and what makes me lean towards your theory/ies: the “flat spots” I pictured have no wearing on the anodization, whereas the interior wear points the anodizing is worn off distinctly. Back porch test the only metal on metal interface would be inside circumference of the hole on the hitch climber cheek plates, only when Un weighted could it contact in that exact spot……