Metolius Date Stamps

Does anyone know whether Metolius date stamps month/year or year/month?

No stamp on my (old...like 15 yr old) Metolius cams.

Gunkiemike wrote:No stamp on my (old...like 15 yr old) Metolius cams.

I know they stamp "newer" ones, but I'm wondering what the format is. I just received a used #8 power cam that is 09/01 -- I'm not sure if this is September 2001 or January 2009.

I would put money on the year being the last number

I agree. Year last.

why does it matter? serious question. it's either in good working condition or not, right?

Crag Dweller wrote:why does it matter? serious question. it's either in good working condition or not, right?

It matters because if it is a 2001 cam, I will be definitely be re-slinging it.

You should send an email to Metolius...

I just purchased a new Metolius 00 4 Cam.

The date stamp is 11/05 so I am assuming the year is 2011 and the month is May.

Burt Lindquist wrote:I just purchased a new Metolius 00 4 Cam. The date stamp is 11/05 so I am assuming the year is 2011 and the month is May.

Interesting. I have an email in to Metolius so I'll update when I hear back.

alexdavis wrote: It matters because if it is a 2001 cam, I will be definitely be re-slinging it.

ah, yes, glad to see there are others who do actually resling based on age and don't wait until they're so tattered that it's obvious they've lost their strength.

Just checked all mine (from 1998 and '99): month/year

The one Mastercam I have has a "Q 8" on the swage.

if you don't know the age, and it is used, cut the soft goods off and send it in for a resling. Metolius only charges $3 a piece to resling and clean them up to look shinny new. Plus they put the newer style slings on them like the mastercams have, which is slimmer than the older nylon slings. $3 plus shipping is totally worth the piece of mind, not to mention the cleaning job they do IMO.

Burt Lindquist wrote:I just purchased a new Metolius 00 4 Cam. The date stamp is 11/05 so I am assuming the year is 2011 and the month is May.

I received an email response from Metolius and they confirmed that it is MONTH/YEAR. So it looks like that brand new cam you bought was actually made in November of 2005, not 2011.

Time to cut the sling off my 11 year old cam.

Alex:

Yes. When I got home today I checked a Metolius 0 cam I bought about 4 years ago and it says 12/04 so through the process of deduction and cipher'n I came to the conclusion I was wrong.... So the new cam I just bought is nearly as old as the one I bought 4 years ago... Go figure! You have really gone back in time yourself on your purchase. Your "New" cam is older then every pair of climbing shoes I own minus the old pairs of EB's and Fires I keep around for nostalgia....

Just a thought - but it is possible that Metolius date stamps lobes etc.. when they're made - in a big batch, and assembles the cams as needed? So the lobe might have been made in 2004 for example, but actually assembled in 2012?

In case you haven't dealt with them before, the good news is that Metolius provides (relatively) quick turn around when reslinging cams. Plus, they inspect and clean them up for you.

I sent a bunch back not too long ago. The total round trip process took two weeks and the cams came back looking a lot better than they did when I sent them.

Graham Johnson wrote:Just a thought - but it is possible that Metolius date stamps lobes etc.. when they're made - in a big batch, and assembles the cams as needed? So the lobe might have been made in 2004 for example, but actually assembled in 2012?

Possible, but doubtful. That would be bad business sense...general rule of thumb is you don't want to store inventory -- especially for 8 years.

I would be willing to bet that the cam was assembled -- sling and all -- within a few months of the stamped date.

Burt: Where did you purchase that 2004 cam?

Hmmm. Can't remember exactly what year but it was from the Mountain Gear outfit. I bought a complete set of PowerCams from them. The dates on the cams varied and I never gave them much of a thought but have been lately as I have been contemplating having a re-sling and conditioning done on that entire set of Power Cams in the near future.

By the way, +1 for Metolius re-slinging service. New skinny slings much more compact than older nylon -- and only $3 (although return shipping is $10 -- so send a batch).