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Marking the middle of a rope

Original Post
ChrisSwicord · · Carrollton, GA · Joined Sep 2016 · Points: 15

Any one have a good way to middle mark a new rope with out damaging? TIA

Russ B · · Salt Lake City, UT · Joined Jun 2011 · Points: 42

every time someone tests a rope that's been remarked with sharpie over and over, it still breaks at the knot. 

Jay Eggleston · · Denver · Joined Feb 2003 · Points: 21,682
Use a Sharpie Laundry marker
Bought this at Neptune Mountaineering in Boulder
Greg D · · Here · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 883

Rope marker available at most climbing shops
Or

Stitch some fine thread into it
Or

Buy one already marked
Or

Buy a bi-pattern rope

Or spend a bunch of time researching markers that are safe, were safe, not anymore, and then safe again to save a couple bucks.  

ChrisSwicord · · Carrollton, GA · Joined Sep 2016 · Points: 15
Greg D wrote: Rope marker available at most climbing shops
Or

Stitch some fine thread into it
Or

Buy one already marked
Or

Buy a bi-pattern rope

Or spend a bunch of time researching markers that are safe, were safe, not anymore, and then safe again to save a couple bucks.  

Should have done more research before I bought my rope and bought one that was marked.... but here I am

Derek Hubbard · · Layton, UT · Joined Jun 2018 · Points: 25

I just use a Sharpie Rub-a-Dub marker (laundry marker). I've done it a couple times and I haven't died yet.

CD Transporter · · Boise, ID · Joined Jun 2018 · Points: 47

In the past, I have used a Sharpie T.E.C. marker. It doesn't penetrate to the core of the rope and supposedly Sharpie does not weaken nylon anyway. I don't lose any sleep.

Nick Goldsmith · · NEK · Joined Aug 2009 · Points: 460

I just use a sharpie. the mark the rope comes with fades and needs a revamp  but still darn nice to have it pre done. .  been using a sharpie for 30+ years every rope I have broken broke at the knott or over a sharp edge. never at the sharpie mark.

Tom Drewes · · Raleigh, NC · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 32

I got a bottle of Beal Rope Marker a while back:
https://smile.amazon.com/Beal-LIB491751-Rope-Marker/dp/B001FQV52A

Pros:
- Very dark, long lasting marks
- Formulated by a rope manufacturer
- Remains usable in the bottle for years

Cons:
- It takes some (slightly messy) cleaning to get a previously opened bottle ready for use (the applicator is a roller wheel tip on an applicator neck which needs to be cleaned with warm water to get it moving again. Pro-tip: the neck of the applicator unscrews from the bottle for rinsing and is, at least on the bottle I have, _reverse-threaded_.)
- It transfers very easily until it dries, onto fingers, clothes, etc. so some care is required in application
- When it dries it actually stiffens the surface of the rope, so don't make wide marks or you'll notice it going through a belay device. I've had good results with 4-5 narrow stripes at the middle mark.

I haven't used a Sharpie T.E.C. marker, but if the above sounds like too much trouble, that's probably the route to go. I'll continue using the Beal product since it continues to work for me and it hasn't yet run out.

Josh W · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 0

I used sharpie Rub a Dub per Blue water.

https://www.bluewaterropes.com/faq/

Eli 0 · · northeast · Joined May 2016 · Points: 5

Some good ideas here for highly-visible and tangible markings: https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/116554631/middle-rope-mark

including:

1. Retroreflective tape

2. Passing yarn through the rope (yarn can be plain high-vis or retroreflective)

5.Seven Kevin · · Las Vegas, NV · Joined Mar 2016 · Points: 0
Nick Goldsmith wrote: been using a sharpie for 30+ years every rope I have broken broke at the knott or over a sharp edge. never at the sharpie mark.

Wtf i gotta ask, how many ropes have you cut dude? 

F Loyd · · Kennewick, WA · Joined Mar 2018 · Points: 808

Cat piss is a great marker. 

Robert Hall · · North Conway, NH · Joined Aug 2013 · Points: 28,893

I use both a "sharpie" type marker (from Blue Water or Sterling, I forget which) for single-color ropes.  In addition to the black, which fades quickly, I ALSO put on 2 or 3 pieces of white tape. This is the white "electrical type" tape; but I cut the strip lengthwise so it's only about 1/4 inch wide.  Cut it long enough to overlap about 1/3 to 1/2 the way around, then put one small dab of super glue on the "joint".  By cutting so its only 1/4 inch "thick" it seems to go through ATC's when rapping and/or lowering a bit longer.  If doing full length raps (dbl rope), or a lot of "sport lowering" you need to replace quite often, but if you have a 70m and do a lot of raps where the middle mark is at the anchor, the tape lasts a while; plus it's really easy to replace.

I started the mantra "White is Right" after those accidents a few years ago where climber(s)  [ using those ropes with a mark 10meters from the end(s)] rapped off the end due to mistaking the 10m mark for the middle. If the tape wears off during a climb, I still have the darker mark, and/or the old "feed the rope through the anchor, then match the ends and feed the ends down the rap-line together until you hit the middle".

PS The new Black Diamond ropes have this unbelievable, dark, black, large middle mark, unfortunately it wears off very rapidly, VERY rapidly ! Other than that, great rope.  

Vaughn · · Colorado · Joined Mar 2011 · Points: 55

I use a regular old sharpie and have been for years. There are many threads on this if you search.

Malcolm Daly · · Hailey, ID · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 380

The best rope marker, as noted above, is the Beal Rope Marking Ink. And, yes, it will stain anything it touches. Do it outside. Don’t goop it on or you’ll create a stiff spot in your rope. Better to mark it lightly every 6 months than to goop it on leave a stiffie. 

Here’s an idea: buy a bottle of it and invite them over for a rope marking party. Since you bought the ink, make them buy the pizza and beer. That’s way you won’t have an old dried up bottle of rope ink.

Climb safe,
Mal

Nick Goldsmith · · NEK · Joined Aug 2009 · Points: 460

Broken  about a  dozen  or so ropes
 Not  a ton  but  enough  for  me  to  be  100% confident that the  sharpie  is  not going to kill me.  That  being said  I won't  put the  middle  mark  directly in a knot or  over an edge .
 

fvclimb · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2013 · Points: 85

Use a sharpie rub a dub its water based and wont harm your rope.  a regular sharpie contains solvents that can possibly weaken your rope slightly so dont use it.

Ari Menitove · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 140

I've had the same issues with fading as the other posters,.  Never tried the Beal stuff, though.  I've tried tape and have watched it slip when it passed through belay devices.  Now I just grab a small handful of chalk and rub it along the rope near the mid-point.  It usually lasts about 1 rappel, so you've got to apply it every rap.  Good thing chalk is cheap and pretty much always on-hand.  If you keep doing it, it's pretty easy to see the white section of rope coming down.  Much easier than spotting the strip of faded black.  Someone might chime in and say that the chalk will migrate into the core and weaken the rope, but I'm not dead yet and I've been doing it for 5 years now.   

Vaughn · · Colorado · Joined Mar 2011 · Points: 55

Alright nerds, here is some relevant testing if you are worried:

Black Diamond Test

Geir Test

Note that in Geir's test, the ink from the sharpie doesn't even reach the core of the rope.

MDimitri . · · Colorado · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 0
Nick Goldsmith wrote: Broken  about a  dozen  or so ropes
 Not  a ton  but  enough  for  me  to  be  100% confident that the  sharpie  is  not going to kill me.  That  being said  I won't  put the  middle  mark  directly in a knot or  over an edge .
 

Do I understand you correctly... you’ve broken a dozen or so ropes climbing?  Really?

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

General Climbing
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