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| Messages 1 - 8 of total 8 in this topic |
Dirty Cam Guy
Novice climber
HEY, YOU GOTTA NICE RACK!!!
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Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 4, 2002 - 04:01pm PT
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What do most people do to clean their cams?
Soapy water, full air dry, then gear specific lube?
Soap or no soap?
Degreaser, like when I clean my bike?
Bad to use WD40?
Do mfgs have cleaning instructions?
(Save the spray for another day)
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white lightning
Novice climber
white lightning
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 4, 2002 - 04:39pm PT
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WHITE LIGHTNING
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Karl
Advanced climber
SF
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 4, 2002 - 04:50pm PT
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You can use a citrus based degreaser and follow that with hot water. Just be sure to dry them well after. Another option is to use White Gas. That's right the same stuff that goes into your MSR. With both options, just take care to keep the solvent off of the slings. A tooth-brush and a bowl work best.
As for a lubricant you can use graphite powder (best in keeping cams free of dirt, worst in lubrication). Another option is Metolius' CAM LUBE (manufactured by WHITE LIGHTENING CO -- probably the same stuff). It is wax based and works really awesome. It is even self cleaning, so keep some clothes around for the first day of use.
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Copperhead
Novice climber
The Library
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 4, 2002 - 05:22pm PT
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I agree with Karl. I soak cams in a solvent such as kerosene and slosh them around while activating the trigger bar. Do not let plastics or webbing come in contact with the solvent. Then, let completely dry and lubricate. I sometimes use WD-40 but just about anything will work. Wipe off any extra; extra grease/oil will pick up more dirt particles, inhibiting proper action more quickly. Graphite avoids this problem.
Bend trigger wires (back to normal) as necessary to prevent them from snagging on the actual cams. File off any burrs on the sides of the cams too. In other words, tweak it 'till it works right. I have been able to revive talus bait back to working order... onto the rack it goes.
I think there was another thread about cams not too far back...
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Max
Intermediate climber
al qaeda hideout
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I think the best lube is anything with teflon coating magic. This stuff lubes well and forms a protective cover that doesn't pick up dirt... White lightning/metolius stuff might fill this catergory, but I don't know. If only Bernie were here, he's the bone a fide master of cam maintenence....
Max
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Nut man
Novice climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 4, 2002 - 07:42pm PT
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Don't use cams and then your problem goes away!
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Ryan
Novice climber
Dallas
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 5, 2002 - 06:49pm PT
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I slosh my cams around in boiling water. It works wonders and requires no chemicals. Then i lube them with graphite spray powder...The stuff made for locks...You can buy it at the hardware store in the lock section. Dont get the hot water on the slings or anything though.
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Dirty Cam Guy
Novice climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 5, 2002 - 07:49pm PT
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Ok thanks everyone.
By tomorrow I will be shiny, clean, and works just like a new cam guy.
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| Messages 1 - 8 of total 8 in this topic |
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