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Chockstone Forum - Gear Lust / Lost & Found

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Topic Date User

Etiquette on dropped gear 9-Nov-2011 At 10:11:38 AM jahmz

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someone mentioned? I'm not going to put my life in the hands of something someone remembered someone mentioning. do you have a link to the research? I have been looking around, petzel and BD seem to say that dropped gear is retired gear but they are probably just covering their own arse. I understand the science behind micro-fractures, and they are far from a myth, what is debatable is weather they can lead to yielding in 6000/7000 series aluminium that most carabiners are made of. Because this alloy is so soft compared to brittle steel, its likely that high stress points don't occur at the tip of a micro-fracture.

Likely, but not guaranteed.

it could all depend on the design or the carabiner and the location of the start of a fracture.

this is what I was taught in engineering anyway. if its a steel biner, the risk is multiplied significantly. high strength steel is very prone to brittle fracture.

In total I agree with Phil, especially with new climbers, It teaches new climbers to respect gear more.

the piece was dropped about 15m onto rock. if it was dirt I would brush it off and rack it.