UKC

Does anyone know when DMM Prowires ceased production?

I'm trying to work out how old mine might be. Some have no production date marked on them that I can see, and those that do are suffieciently worn off to be illegible.

I've got a few as quickdraws and the dogbones are appear to be from 2008 which would roughly tally with my memory of buying them.

The dogbones (if 17ish years old) could probably do with replacing.
The karabiners themselves look fine to me and I guess I'll keep using them, unless someone suggests otherwise, but I would be interested to know how old they probably are.

https://web.archive.org/web/20080613163022/http://www.dmmclimbing.com/produ...

I should really know this, as I'm pretty sure I was working for DMM at the time, and that was between 2010-13. It was likely near the end of that, as the Prowire was the bread and butter during my first few years. 

I had some prowire draws from around that era. I replaced the dogbones initially, but a few years later I retired them altogether because lots of the krabs started to visibly degrade. I'm not sure what the correct technical term would be, but they looked like they were crumbling or delaminating (not literally delaminating, obviously, but it's the best description I can think of for the appearance). From that experience, I would definitely be inclined to retire yours. But perhaps I just looked after mine terribly. I must admit I've never been particularly good at remembering to clean gear after sea cliff visits.

Cheers Rob/ Luke.

Now I've been through mine a bit more thoroughly, I can see I've got a mix a Prowires clearly from different production runs.

• Old Logo, no serial number
• Old Logo, with serial number, mainly 2008
• New Logo, with serial number, mainly 2012

I've only got one, Luke, which would slightly meet your de-lamination description. Rough wear on the metal which I'd guess in this case is just from rock abrasion. I think worthy of retirement. A few others do look a bit dirty and dinked, but I'd doubt enough to seriously affect their strength.

My rack is having a little refresh, so I'm just working out wear to spend my pennies!

Just retired the last of my 1977 (Clog) krabs, notched on a bolt after a fall.

A clean with cam-lube of the gates every year - and a wash in fresh water after sea cliff climbing.

if they have been well cared for and there is no visibile damage then I would only replace to upgrade for something safer / lighter if required.

DMM don't have an obsolesence date for metal gear any more do they? They reslung some of my DMM cams recently that were more than 10 eyars old but in good nick and gave them a clean bill of health.

Sound like you had salt corrosion this blog post goes into some detail about the process. 

https://rockclimbingcompany.blogspot.com/2009/09/corrosion-in-climbing-cara...

Edit to include a photo of a wire I retired last year with surface salt corrosion, has happened to the odd karabiner over the years too. The 2nd example is an extreme case where the whole gate has expanded from the same process and deformed. It was so extreme that the whole gate crumbled away so I could remove it off the in situ abseil point on a sea cliff in Cornwall 

Yes, that'll be it. I did suspect it was related to bad sea cliff habits.

Two corrosion accelerators!

Crevices - diffent oxygen levels 

Steel & Aluminium touching

Mm, interesting link. There's some good articles on there.

Not just sea cliffs, though they are probably the most severe conditions, had to replace some abseil point krabs on slime wall on the buckle last year.

Looked intact but the gates crumbled to bits  under finger pressure.

This very evening i have been reflecting on my one remaining Clog screwgate on my rack! It sits well amongst my 1995 DMM Mambas. Perhaps my rack needs a refresh as well?

Save it for a belay crab at Owens River Gorge,  Calico Hills, First Pullout or  Smith Rock

I give a week before you won't dare use it (PS new belay plates also advised)

The pumice is worse than the  sandstone.

Indeed, I had a carabiner fall to bits because it was stored against a tent peg at the bottom of a box of random stuff.