UKH

What do folk do with their old ropes? I've 2 i use for DIY. When i knew a sailor he said they use them for general protective use.

I've been given a pair of half ropes 50m Mammut Aroya. The've not really been used but they have been stored in a garage for 20 years so not suitable for climbing on. If i give them away i reckon someone will cut them and sell bits on ebay [ i can't be bothered with that].

I appreciate there are a lot old ropes about

In reply to Arty:

I keep meaning to turn mine into doormats... There are some patterns online for weaving them and I think they look quite good.

So far I have turned mine into dog toys using monkey's fist and decorative chain knots.

In reply to Arty:

I also keep meaning to use them as doormats - but I've been meaning to do that for about four years now, and all that's happened is that I've now collected enough retired rope to make about four of them. I've recognised that I probably never will - so my parents are now the proud storekeepers of about 180m of retired dynamic rope.

(Anyone want some rope?)

In reply to Arty:

They're often needed for horrid approaches!

In reply to Arty:

I've given several to the local Scouts on the strict understanding they are not be used for anything off the ground, they cut them up into pieces to use for knots practice or use them for lashing rafts together and other such stuff.

They were always gratefully received.

In reply to Arty:

Why? have they been badly stored or just stored?

My rope is over 20 years old, and I'm still using it. It mostly gets stored in the garage too.

In reply to tehmarks:

Aye, Tehmarks, I'll happily take some of those off your hands. Especially any colourful ones.

Mike

In reply to Arty:

I feed mine slowly down the toilet, flushing occasionally to help things along.

In reply to Cobra_Head:

The manufacturer recommended lifespan of an unused rope is normally 10 years from manufacture (date on the end labels). The more it's used, the lower that goes.

In reply to Arty:

My brother in law used to use mine as the elastic properties were good for training young horses. 

In reply to Arty:

I have used with old fishing net found on the beach to make a hammock.

In reply to Arty:

Used my old ropes for DIY around the house. Including guiding some trees I cut down. It's currently stored in my van.

My next new old rope will be turned in to a door mat... At some point....

In reply to Arty:

Me, I keep them for the memories. Old friends. 

In reply to Arty:

If you can get them to DirtBags, they recycle them into chalk bags, belts, bags etc https://dirtbagsclimbing.co.uk

In reply to Arty:

I've recognised that I probably never will - so my parents are now the proud storekeepers of about 180m of retired dynamic rope.

In reply to YourNameHere:

I know that, I also know there have been no recorded deaths from a rope snapping, that hasn't had some other major factor involved too, like being outside for over a year or being visibly damaged, or been in contact with chemicals. So I know how much wear and tear my rope has had, how many falls and where it's been stored, so I'm happy to carry on using it.

In reply to Cobra_Head:

You asked why someone would think that a 20 year old rope isn't suitable for climbing. That's why.

> I also know there have been no recorded deaths from a rope snapping, that hasn't had some other major factor involved too

Probably because few people that climb hard would risk a 20 year old rope for the sake of a few quid. Also, it isn't just about breakage - old ropes loose elasticity, so after a fall, your dynamic rope isn't. That might just result in a really hard catch, which if it doesn't break the rope, might break the climber.

Your life, your choice - just make sure your climbing partner has the same option.

Here's some testing of old ropes: https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=&sl=de&tl=en&u=https%...

In reply to Arty:

I've taken one of mine to pieces. The core has proved really useful for tying up  plants etc around the garden, and also has been turned into some excellent makrame hanging basket holders

In reply to YourNameHere:

What what's why?

Not sure that's true!

I realise this too, but since no one has ever fallen more than about 2 meters on my rope I'm happy we've not lost much elasticity either, you can still feel plenty when abseiling too.

Yes and yes.

Info on that is from ropes from 1971 49 years ago! Not 20.

Also, 20 years ago we were using the same materials for rope as we are now.

In reply to Arty:

Apparently, you can make good money from them, with very little effort...

In reply to YourNameHere:

https://eu.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_GB/experience-story?cid=qc-lab-old-...

In reply to Cobra_Head:

Again with the anecdata. Just because you only top rope, that doesn't make every 20 year old rope safe to climb on for every climbing situation. You can't generalise your specific experience, and assume that it applies more broadly.

The ropes ranged in aged from 39 to 12 years. If you'd bothered to read it, you'd see that it generally endorses older ropes for your specific use. OP OTOH has a pair of half-ropes of unknown provenance, so like he said, not suitable for climbing on (in the situation in which they are intended to be used). If you disagree, perhaps you might like to buy them to replace your old tat? 😁

In reply to YourNameHere:

Who said anything about only top roping? You seem to read a lot into some simple statements.

I tried but the web links weren't working for me, specifically the graphs. Which is why I posted the BD stuff, which you seem to have ignored / dismissed.

They said in the OP, not really been used and stored in a garage, that sounds like pretty well known provenance to me.

BD link is about a 20 year old unused rope. Did not read anything about OP's being unused. 

But most of all. Why are you arguing about somebody's decision to not use a 20-year-old rope, as it's twice the recommended age off the manufacture?  Is it some kind of brag how awesome you must be for using an ancient rope? Do you feel attacked that others don't want to use a 20-year-old rope? Are you looking for confirmation of your choice? 

Do you like this against people that throw out expired food too? Do you brag about drinking milk that expired for a week and bug people that don't? 

Some people just take things on the safe side. Deal with it. 

In reply to YourNameHere:

I've used the "no ropes have ever snapped" factoid to justify keeping the same pair of half ropes for outcrop cragging for 20ish years.

I've replaced both this year and I feel much happier at the sharp end than I have in a while.

As you say, other factors come into play.

In reply to tjin:

throwing out 'expired'food and drink is unequivocally wrong and wastefull, and people should stop doing it. 

just like food, 'expiry' dates on equipment is largely for manufacturer liability. i still have and occasioanlly use a near 20 year old harness. if the ropes are unused and undamaged and you know how they have been stored, then a 20 year old rope is perfectly fine to use for an average climbers use. sure you wouldnt want to repeatedly take 20m whippers onto them, but how many of us average joe's go out and do that? 

In that regards, why do you even buy food. Why just not dig in the skip? 

Stop telling people how long they should be using the safety equipment. OP made up his mind. Stop annoying people. He's not even throwing it away but looking for alternative uses. In food terms, that banana may look brown, but still suitable for banana bread. Let people make their banana bread. 

In reply to tjin:

I'm presuming you were replying to me.

"The've not really been used but they have been stored in a garage for 20 years"

Bit of a giveaway there.

 

People can do what they like, I don't have to "deal" with anything.

As a comparison I was at the wall last night, the rope wall, which is replaced quite regularly, was  very stiff  compared to my rope, and yet it was still OK for me to climb on.

Your food analogy is very apt, because the sell by / use by dates are only a guide, does you use you senses to look, smell and taste?

I've used milk in my work fridge that was drinkable, which was 21 days past it's use by date. I've also chucked stuff out that had days left on it's use by date, because it had gone off.

Why waste perfectly good food or goods, we live in a world of finite resources, why keep wasting more and more usable items, based on an arbitrary date?

My rope although old, is made from the same materials as a modern rope, is still flexible, it's still springy there's no visible damage, lumps or voids. I know it's history, so why would I throw it away, based on a date, when BD have shown old ropes to no discernable differences?

I'm not trying to convince anyone here to do stuff they don't want to, I'm stating what I would do and my reasoning behind my thoughts.

So deal with it!

I'm not trying to convince anyone here to do stuff they don't want to

You do you, but stop telling others. OP didn't ask if he should climb with it. You forced an unwanted answer for a question that has not been asked and continue about. 

In reply to tjin:

Not sure I understand your post.

But I asked why they thought they weren't suitable for climbing on, that's about it.

Maybe, just maybe, people don't realise that an unused rope that has been stored properly is OK to climb on.

You just seem to be shouting at people telling them they're wrong and that you know best.

I'm not sure you know how these posts work, anyone can ask a question or give advice, no one is obliged to answer OR to take the advice. Thread sometime shoot off in different directions from the OP, and that's part of the joy of UKC.

Anyone's post is as valid as the next person's, that's how it usually works. People post their thoughts and experiences, they usually don't tell people what they should be posting.

In reply to Arty:

I have been creating some pretty mad landscape art using old ropes and I am on the hunt for more! If you want to free up some space in your / your parents house I will take any colours, any size, any length. 

Would really appreciate the help as I am running out pretty quick here. Chop them into a million pieces. I wont be climbing on them

In reply to Cobra_Head:

Artsy just want to offload a pair of ropes for DIY/alternative uses.

Somebody considers a safety item unfit for it's intended use, then giving it away for it's intended use, seems unethical. Regardless of age or condition. Giving it away for alternative use in the scenario seems to be a fine alternative.

Not sure why the 'mine rope is 20year!' crowd always has to show up. 

Hopefully Artsy has a personal message from a person that can respect Artsy decision and can make plenty of rugs, door stringers, dog leaches, etc. It's like giving away rope for free for DIY project is hard these days.

In reply to tjin:

 dog leaches!!!!

Heaven forbid

In reply to Arty:Make into dog chews

In reply to Arty:

Take them to the Wadi Rum for one last outing, and when you've finished your trip, give them to the Bedouin lads to use for lashing stuff onto their camels. It'll be much appreciated, and far more productive than just binning them. Of course, this might be a rather extravagant solution to a minor problem, and almost certainly not helped by the Covid situation... but you asked...

In reply to digby:

Well it would keep Dax busy when it gets wrapped round the pumps at the sewage works.😀

In reply to nikoid:

Surely with them being 20 years old they'll dissolve before they get there.

In reply to Arty:

I've got 45 yo ropes crisscrossing the rafters in the garage I use to hang my bikes on. Also use for mooring warps and anchor snubbers for the boat where the elasticity is handy!