Will Steel Belay Biners for indoor top-roping result in less grimy ropes?

I work at a small indoor climbing area that is a small part of a larger gym. The wall is only open for ~10 hours of open climb per week, but we get the dirtiest ropes you've ever seen. After belaying for a few hours, the palm of your belay hand, and the parts of your fingers wrapped around the brake rope are blackened. I've always told our users that this is a good "clean" dirty. That it is just aluminum from the gear, transferred to the rope. Looking at our inspection report, it says we have Steel top anchors.

Is it possible that I have it all wrong, and that it is the steel parts of our system leaving the black grime? Believing what I have always spouted about the aluminum, I was ready to puurchase a bunch of steel belay biners to cut down on the filth, but before I go and do something that might make our setup even dirtier, I thought I'd ask others with some experience.

adamD wrote:I work at a small indoor climbing area that is a small part of a larger gym. The wall is only open for ~10 hours of open climb per week, but we get the dirtiest ropes you've ever seen. After belaying for a few hours, the palm of your belay hand, and the parts of your fingers wrapped around the brake rope are blackened. I've always told our users that this is a good "clean" dirty. That it is just aluminum from the gear, transferred to the rope. Looking at our inspection report, it says we have Steel top anchors. Is it possible that I have it all wrong, and that it is the steel parts of our system leaving the black grime? Believing what I have always spouted about the aluminum, I was ready to puurchase a bunch of steel belay biners to cut down on the filth, but before I go and do something that might make our setup even dirtier, I thought I'd ask others with some experience.

is the belay device aluminum? probably the culprit.

Thanks, Frank and John,
yes, all the belay devices are aluminum. It would seem that we could at least keep the ropes somewhat cleaner between washings by switching to steel belay biners, then, though I don't think a GriGri per rope is in the budget. Does anyone know of any steel ATC-type belay devices? (I'm not interested in making people learn figure eight devices or other non-standard technique)

Secondly, does anyone know (or know where to look for info) whether the various platings available for steel HMS biners would help or hinder the grime problem? there are nickel plated, zinc plated, yellow zinc plated and non-plated steel biners available. The cheapest in the Liberty Mountain catalog is nickel plated, and I like cheap, but not if nickel plating is going to defeat the intent of reducing Grime. the non-plated version is $7 more.

Thanks in advance for the thoughtful replies.

Hi AdamD, the Jul belay device from Edelrid is made from Stainless Steel. edelrid.de/en/sports/jul-ni…

I used to have a steel ATC, I believe it was this one outdoorgearlab.com/Belay-De…

Absolutely, it helps. Toprope with a Gri Gri or Cinch and you'll only have steel touching the rope. All Gri Gris have steel cam parts.

Great thoughts - I like the Jul. one website said it wouldn't work with ropes over 10.5mm, but the Edelrid site said it's fine up to 12mm, so my 10.8mm rope will be fine. Sure wish the V-Twin wasn't discontinued, because it looks so much like the ATC that our first-timers wouldn't be confused when they get out in the real world.

Any thoughts on the plating finish for the HMS belay biners?

The plating will wear off after a single use and you'll be left with unplated steel, so it doesn't matter at all. The problem with aluminum is that every time you wear off the outer layer of aluminum oxide you just expose fresh aluminun which quickly oxidizes creating fresh aluminum oxide to rub all over your rope. Ant steel biner will alleviate this problem regardless of plating.

Wear gloves, apparently all the aluminum oxide is also bad for the long term health of your brain. Fyi