UKC

Matching a new rope to an old(ish) half rope?

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 BobHoliday 22 Jun 2016
I have a nice 60m UIAA half-rope I bought for a trip to the Dolomites about 10 years ago. It's been used for perhaps 20 outings total and has not had any serious falls on it.

I measured its diameter with calipers.

If I buy a new 'similar' diameter half rope to go with it, will I be likely to encounter problems on abseils (or in any other way) if I don't match it up exactly with the new rope?

I'm thinking problems like the ropes moving through the abseil device at different speeds?

TY!
 CurlyStevo 22 Jun 2016
In reply to BobHoliday:

I've never had a problem abseiling on mixed age ropes of similar diameters.
 neilwiltshire 22 Jun 2016
In reply to BobHoliday:

You'll be fine.
 john arran 22 Jun 2016
In reply to BobHoliday:

Manufacturers' quoted rope diameters are rarely consistent and unless the two ropes are visibly markedly different in thickness you should have no concerns over mixing ropes of different quoted diameters or ages. Mixing a fat (e.g. 10.5) rope with a thin (e.g. 8.5) is actually still very possible as long as you take care to make sure they play together nicely in your belay device and take care when abseiling since the knot may have a tendency to creep down the wall.
 Hat Dude 22 Jun 2016
In reply to BobHoliday:

I suspect people get unnecessarily hung up about this.

If you have one nominal 8.5mm rope and one nominal 8.3mm that's a difference of only 0.2mm (or 8 thousandths of an inch in old money); that is the thickness of 2 average hairs.

I don't know what manufacturing tolerances rope makers use but can't see it being in the region of +/- 0.01mm.

I would think softness & type/condition of weave of the sheath would have a greater effect than a small nominal difference in thickness.
 Tobes 22 Jun 2016
In reply to BobHoliday:

if different diameters then for abbing probably best to use a double fisherman's rather than the overhand (euro death knot or what ever you want to call it)

If diameters are almost exact, does it make a difference? I don't know but for the extra few seconds to tie a dble fisherman's is it an issue?

OP BobHoliday 22 Jun 2016
In reply to BobHoliday:

Cool. Thanks everyone.

Was going to use the 'euro death knot' but your name has put me off somewhat!
 neuromancer 22 Jun 2016
In reply to BobHoliday:

What about a more significant difference? Eg a workhorse 8.5 and a light skinny 7ish ice rope?

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