Ingraving D rings

[Reddog]

Well I have had plenty of fatigue tests fail from stress risers, which engraving creates.

Stress Concentration

The concentration of large stresses on small areas adjacent to points of abrupt changes in the shape of the surface or cross section of a deformed body. The factors leading to stress concentration (”stress concentrators”) may be openings, cavities, cracks, grooves, incisions, corners, protrusions, sharp edges, or engraving, as well as various surface irregularities, such as notches, scratches, markings, and irregularities of welded seams.

 

[gf beranek]

So many things can lead to stress cracks and failure. Engraving can be one but I would not say that it would be a rule in general. All forged tools have sure engraving and trade mark embossing, but seldom if ever I have seen a failure in those places. The laser engraving is another thing and for the most part benign in structural integrity overall.

So many people are so afraid today of so many little things that don't mean a hoot about true safety or well being in the long run. For them, if they can't figure it out for themselves they should buy new gear every day or week or month, or anytime a thread pulls. If that is what makes them feel safe then so be it. But please leave the rest of us alone that know what real safety is all about.

 

[bill22]

So many things can lead to stress cracks and failure. Engraving can be one but I would not say that it would be a rule in general. All forged tools have sure engraving and trade mark embossing, but seldom if ever I have seen a failure in those places. The laser engraving is another thing and for the most part benign in structural integrity overall.

So many people are so afraid today of so many little things that don't mean a hoot about true safety or well being in the long run. For them, if they can't figure it out for themselves they should buy new gear every day or week or month, or anytime a thread pulls. If that is what makes them feel safe then so be it. But please leave the rest of us alone that know what real safety is all about.

Very well put Jerry.

 

[Bounce]

It's not like engraving is the only way to mark a product. Why not just use different colors of tape, or a sharpie, or something like that? If I had to mark my gear and had to choose between somebody writing on it with a sharpie or filing grooves into the d-rings, I think I'd choose the sharpie.

 

[gf beranek]

I read somewhere not that long ago hardware manufactures were going to use manufacturing dates on their hardware to set use limits. Engraved or otherwise. D rings and the likes of forged hardware would be out dated after a certain amount of time. Kind of like saying your old forged Craftman's Tools would be out dated.

That could make a saddle used one time in ten years obsolete and deemed unsafe to use there after.

I believe that aerial lift rigs are considered obsolete and unsafe to use after 20 years,, regardless of time served. While it may protect the ignorant it makes it more costly to run a business for those that know better.

I'm a better judge of the reliability of a used rope or piece of hardware to perform safe service regardless of time served. And don't particularly like the thought of some one telling me when it is unsafe to use. Most those people wouldn't know the truth of the matter otherwise if it was looking them in the face.

Course not many people see things the way I do either. Cept for the good ol' boys that have been around long enough to know the difference.

 

[SkwerI]

Nate used to have a quote in his signature line that said something about not knowing where the line is until you've crossed it.

 

[NickfromWI]

It's not like engraving is the only way to mark a product. Why not just use different colors of tape, or a sharpie, or something like that? If I had to mark my gear and had to choose between somebody writing on it with a sharpie or filing grooves into the d-rings, I think I'd choose the sharpie.

I've tried both and they both don't last. Tape falls off and sharpie wears off too fast.

I've also purchased some of these:

And that didn't last either.

I wish someone would come up with something. I remember metolius had some tape a while back that was supposed to be better, but i cant find it now

 

[Bounce]

It's obvious that every climber should just use his/her own common sense and best judgement about when to replace/retire gear. There is no rule anybody could come up with that wouldn't have a dozen exceptions and conditions. But it sure seems like "don't damage your gear on purpose" is a pretty good rule that everybody would agree with. Everybody would agree that marking your rope by nicking it with a saw is a stupid idea. Yes, it's true that it will probably be safe enough with just a small nick because it had such a high strength to begin with, but that's not the point. The point is, why would you choose a method of marking your gear that causes damage, even if it's a small amount of damage? It's like busting out a tail light just so you can find your car in the Costco parking lot more easily. There must be a better way of marking a saddle than engraving the d-rings.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

WORD!

 

[The Tree Doctor]

I'm with all you guys in that it's just a weird thing to do, but, it's my opinion that most climbing stuff us enormously over-engineered. I don't even want to survive a fall that would even come close to stressing an average D ring. The bottom of your boots might be stuck on the back of your head for the rest of your life.

Funny you should say that, I've heard that the saddle, in a fall over fifteen feet without some kind of deceleration technology, would likely cut a man in half!