Rope friction killed my saw hand for two weeks

I was using same climbing line for three years thinking friction was just part of the job, until my forearm locked up on a big removal last Tuesday. A older climber from Denver watched me struggle and pointed out my rope was glazed over and needed replacing. Has anyone else ignored gear wear until your body starts screaming at you?

3 comments

3 Comments

kelly_rivera8d ago

That glazed rope is a dead giveaway. Changed mine out after my hand started cramping up on a simple prune job. Felt like an idiot for not swapping it sooner. The old rope looked fine but it was basically just a friction stick pretending to be a rope. Now I check the rope every single week for any glaze or stiffness. Body does not lie, if your hands hurt something is wrong.

thomasb418d ago

Watched a buddy use a glazed rope for way longer than that and pay for it.

the_john8d ago

Wait, you're seriously telling me that glazed rope can mess you up that bad? I always thought a little glaze was just part of the deal with a rope that's been used hard. But hearing about your buddy paying for it and how your hand cramped up just from pruning, man that hits different. I used to be the guy that said "if it still pulls, it's good enough" and I feel dumb about it now. The way you put it about the body not lying really got me, because I've had that weird ache in my wrist and just ignored it like an idiot. This whole thread is making me re-think every rope I've kept around "for work" when it was clearly past its prime. Guess I'm going to be checking my ropes way more often from now on.