Stupid question

[Kishkumen]

I have always been a little weary of marking my ropes at the half way point with a permanent black marker. So the question is: Can marking a rope with a permanent marker damage the rope in anyway and make it unsafe for use?

[ratagonia]

I have always been a little weary of marking my ropes at the half way point with a permanent black marker. So the question is: Can marking a rope with a permanent marker damage the rope in anyway and make it unsafe for use?

Using a Sharpie, it is (in theory) possible that the solvents in the marker could damage the fibers. It just seems rather unlikely. So I am not so concerned with damaging the ropes, it is just that Sharpie marks tend to fade quickly, even if using a new Sharpie. And ropes get dirty which hides the marks. If you only do a couple canyons a year, the Sharpie will probably work for you.

I sell the Beal Rope Marker which is made to be free from damaging chemicals, but the thing I like about it most is that the marks are durable. It is like an ink well, puts down a lot of ink. I wear exam gloves and use masking tape when I do ropes, to minimize the mess.

http://www.store.canyoneeringusa.com/index.php?option=com_rokecwid&Itemid=108#ecwid:category=2490784&mode=product&product=10914075

Tom

[Iceaxe]

I mark the center of my ropes with a big Sharpie and it's never been in issue. And a failure from a Sharpie is not something I lose any sleep over.... YMMV...

To avoid fade I normally color a 6" to 12" section of rope and you can always see it easily, even after a couple of years of hard use. The ropes will be retired before the center section fades to where it's difficult to see.

:cool2:

[Byron]

That was not a stupid question...

[peakbaggers]

A long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.... when I used to do some limited rock climbing, the standard opinion was never touch your climbing rope with a "magic marker." I think this was because back then, the markers were petroleum based and might damage/dissolve some of the rope fibers. It makes me nervous to use a "permanent" marker on a rope for that reason, however, some markers seem to be more of a water based composition now? But I would think they would wear off fast if they are. What I think is really nice is some climbing ropes now have an outer sheath that changes pattern or color at the mid point. This permanently solves the problem of locating the mid-point. Would like to see that in canyoneering ropes too. (Hint, hint) Until then, Tom's solution is probably the best.

[canyoncaver]

What I think is really nice is some climbing ropes now have an outer sheath that changes pattern or color at the mid point. This permanently solves the problem of locating the mid-point.

Au Contraire, this only solves the problem until the rope is cut. Then, you have a mark that is not at the center of the rope. If you use rope bags and SRT, then finding the center of the rope is not nearly as important.

[Iceaxe]

FWIW: one of the main reasons I mark my ropes is it makes figuring height of rappels much easier and more accurate when writing beta.

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[Kishkumen]

I can guess pretty well at centering a rope but it sure is nice to have the middle marked. I have also marked some ropes but they have faded fast. We did Behunin last year and didn't center our rope. The first guy down was about 10 feet off the ground (good thing we had put a knot at the end of the rope). I had to use webbing to make a prussic and clip the long end to the carabiner. He had to untie the knot on the short rope, pull it through his belay device and finish the rap on one rope. It would have been a whole lot easier if the rope had been marked.

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[ratagonia]

I can guess pretty well at centering a rope but it sure is nice to have the middle marked. I have also marked some ropes but they have faded fast. We did Behunin last year and didn't center our rope. The first guy down was about 10 feet off the ground (good thing we had put a knot at the end of the rope). I had to use webbing to make a prussic and clip the long end to the carabiner. He had to untie the knot on the short rope, pull it through his belay device and finish the rap on one rope. It would have been a whole lot easier if the rope had been marked.

.

It is generally a whole lot easier if you use techniques that do not require knowing where the center of the rope is. This is why I rarely mark the center of my ropes - but there are cases where it is helpful.

If you Stone Knot your rope at the anchor, then rappel double strand, you can transition to single strand, albeit with a distinct change in friction effectiveness.

So, what techniques? you may ask? In general, single-rope techniques do not care where the center of the rope is. If most in your party want to rappel double-strand, perhaps a single-strander can rappel first, and then the rope can be adjusted so two strands reach the ground.

Tom

[Scott P]

What I think is really nice is some climbing ropes now have an outer sheath that changes pattern or color at the mid point.

It is nice, but most of those ropes seem to cost much more than the non-changing pattern ropes.

[Bluff-Canyoneer]

Here are some test results from Black Diamond:
https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/journal/climb/qclab/qc-lab-can-i-use-a-sharpie-to-mark-the-middle-of-my-rope

[Kishkumen]

Great article and I will post a portion of it for others to view:

Tests done by the UIAA Safety Commission and some rope manufacturers have shown that marking ropes with liquids such as those provided by felt-tipped pens can damage them; even with those markers, sold specifically for marking ropes. The test results have shown a decrease of up to 50% of the rope strength, more correctly: of the energy absorption capacity of the rope (expressed by the number of falls in the standard test method in accordance with the UIAA Standard101).

Therefore the UIAA Safety Commission warns against marking a rope with any substance that has not been specifically approved by the rope manufacturer of that rope.

With this in mind it sounds like purchasing a product specifically made for marking ropes may be the best option.

[Iceaxe]

You obviously took something different away from the article then I did....

Your rope is going to break at the knot, so marking the center with a sharpie is not an issue.... at least for me.

Also... in canyoneering we don't shock load our ropes like climbing.

YMMV

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[oldno7]

You obviously took something different away from the article then I did....

Your rope is going to break at the knot, so marking the center with a sharpie is not an issue.... at least for me.

Also... in canyoneering we don't shock load our ropes like climbing.

YMMV

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^^^:nod: