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Mark Hudon
Trad climber
Hood River, OR
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 5, 2009 - 10:41pm PT
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Thanks Clint, I'll feel right at home dangling from them on the XXXX later on this year!
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Jumars from the early 70's; these made it up the Salathe Wall solo, the West Face of EC, Quarter Domes and others. Real old.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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First widely available model by the typewriter paint, etc.
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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It's a deal, Johno.
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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This topic provided the motivation I've been seeking for a long time: address the portaledge suspension strap issue.
Here's a prototype micro jug for the suspension cords of my portaledge. I hate those webbing sliders. The idea here is six things like this jumar my ledge into position, on 6mm perlon instead of webbing.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Very cool! Those are original run, Rokjox. That would make sense considering that Chuck would have laid his hands on the first available pair once Royal brought them over.
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gdstorrick
Trad climber
PA
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Jul 12, 2009 - 08:37am PT
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>I was going to link to the Storrick page again, but I see its bandwidth has been exceeded! Lots of people checking it out - it is defnitely worthy, and hopefully will be available again soon.
I apologize, I was doing a lot of major upgrades to my site and I think that is why it was overloaded for a few days in April. I believe that this is only the second time in 10 years that I hit the limit. I'm outgrowing my current ISP allocations, and will be looking for a better deal soon.
Rokjox' jumars with the red and blue cams are as old as any that I've been able to acquire, but I've seen older. In 1982, I visited Walter Marti, the designer and manufacturer of the Jumar ascender. Mr. Marti showed me old Jumars with cams that had the same "Z" shaped teeth found on the early Clog ascenders. I hear that there are some of these floating around the caving community in Alberta, but haven't been able to track any down.
I know that many of us like to hang onto old gear, but if anyone has any old gear that they are willing to contribute to my collection, let me know. At least my web site will let everyone see it. Thanks!
Gary Storrick
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gdstorrick
Trad climber
PA
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Jul 12, 2009 - 08:46am PT
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>My recollection is that the very earliest Jumars had a small number of failures with the aluminum body breaking under high loading, like falling on them. I don't remember if the lower frame broke on one side, or what.
Walter Marti's intent was that climbers would tie into the jumar by runing slings up through the hole in the base. Some didn't, and just tied into the thin front strap - or even clipped a carabiner in there. That is what tended to break. See my web site (Google my name) for more information.
Gary D. Storrick
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martygarrison
Trad climber
The Great North these days......
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Jul 12, 2009 - 09:20am PT
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Mark, just get some new ones please......
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oldcragster
Gym climber
WA
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Jul 12, 2009 - 02:44pm PT
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are you serious?
I mean about climbing a wall route......an old friend wants to know
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Very interesting thread.
My old (not often used) gray Jumars are still in fine condition. They've spent most of their life in a bag in the garage (unfortunately). I "double threaded" them the old fashioned way. I'd say it's DEFINITELY necessary to thread both the top and bottom holes, even on the yellow model. I've always been afraid that slamming in against the wall during an "accidental excursion" could fracture the thin vertical bar that's away from your hand. The double thread relieves that worry.
The sketch in deuce4's earlier post shows the way I learned to tie them. Was taught by an early big wall rat who was also an engineer.
About aging: The aluminum alone will last forever. But, as guido's pics show, there will be significant corrosion where the steel pin and steel axle meet the aluminum. Both metals will corrode electrolytically if left wet. They will corrode VERY fast in a salt air or water environment.
When my wife and I sailed the South Pacific I took cord for prusiks and 'biners. I didn't take any ascenders because of the potential corrosion problem.Swinging at the top of a mast in a rough sea is no place to mistrust your gear. I retired all the 'biners when we returned. They're kept nowhere near the climbing gear I use.
(My engineer's hat)
There are three clues to electrolytic corrosion in painted aluminum:
1: The obvious corrosion (rust) on the steel components WILL be matched by a similar, possibly invisible corrosion in the aluminum. I wouldn't replace the corroded steel pins, I'd retire the jumars.
2: White powder anywhere on the aluminum where it's bare. This is the aluminum salt byproduct of the corrosion.
3: Bubbles under the paint. Where the corrosion is invisible, the aluminum salt will make small bubbles in the paint. Pop one and you'll see the white powdery salt underneath.
ANY sign of corrosion is a sign of existing weakness and increased possibility of failure.
No corrosion? Re-sling if necessary and jugs away.
Fred
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Mark Hudon
Trad climber
Hood River, OR
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 2, 2009 - 08:57pm PT
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Well, at the end of the day, I went out and got new ones. I don't like the Petzls as much and the old Jumars but, yeah, you're right, I don't want to die.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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The Jumar design is simply better than any other for its intended use. No point in shopping around IMO.
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Ropeboy
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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WARNING: A RUDE REALITY CHECK.
Ya know what happens if the bottom of a grey jumar handles breaks? The webbing to the top hole that I and everyone else have routed down the handle keeps you connected to the jumar, for sure. But I simulated this just for fun when I changed my forty year old webbing recently. The weighted webbing tore through the few layers of duck tape I had always used. The weighted webbing straight to the top hole INVERTED the jumar at a scary angle. So I suggest everyone wrap the tape with lots and lots of layers to keep the webbing in place down the handles.
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the kid
Trad climber
fayetteville, wv
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i would invest in a new pair.
too many deaths already this year Mark!
kurt
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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I think the old grey jugs are the best. But the teeth are too sharp, you need to file them down so they don't cut through the sheath. That also makes it easier to slide them up the rope when you need to.
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Dave Johnson
Mountain climber
Sacramento, CA
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Dude spends serious $$$ on camera lenses and agonizes over ascenders?
Great job on the NIAD, Hud!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Aug 22, 2010 - 05:20pm PT
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I recently picked up a pair of first American release Jumars. They have a little typewriter paint missing but otherwise were only used a couple of times.
The white rubber stop is for the photo only.
Amazing how delicate the early castings were. Very hard to avoid or detect any flaws.
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nutstory
climber
Ajaccio, Corsica, France.
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Aug 23, 2010 - 02:38am PT
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Bldrjac
Ice climber
Boulder
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Aug 23, 2010 - 09:54am PT
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Mark, I've got a pair of the old gray Jumars that Charlie Porter gave me and they are still working fine. I recently did a wall and my partner had a pair of the new BD ascenders that are more complicated. I didn't like them and went back to the Jumars. They seem to work just fine.
Since they have never been dropped or appear to have degraded I agree with Deuce. Good job on still getting out there and cranking up the walls and solo at that! Jack
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