UKC

I want to leave a steel screwgate at a belay but I want to make it look like it's not crag-swag and make it difficult to pinch. I appreciate that some people would want to take it anyway but I get that.

A captive eye carabiner would be best but they're expensive and I just happen to have some nice shiny steel screwgates lying unused.

I was thinking some sort of rubber thing that keeps the carabiner in place, like the ones you get on quickdraws.

Any ideas?

Cheers,

E

A drop of locktite on the thread ? Just enough to prevent undoing with fingers.

You almost certainly know, but for anyone who doesn't, adding a caribiner or maillon to a belay changes the rope angle through the belay which can cause twisting of the rope.

I want to be able to open it.

E

A few rounds of waterproof duct tape?.

Is it bolts or staples?  If bolts install one of those in situ carabiner lower offs?  I mean I know it'll cost and you won't get to use up one of your screwgates, but it won't get nicked.... 

Unfortunately there's no getting around stingy attitude of climbers.  On numerous occasions I've left a scabby old  krab to connect bundles of ab tat and protect them from abrasion from pulling ropes through them, only to find the krab gone soon after on a subsequent visit.

If you want cheaper ones, have a look at boating supplies - you should be able to pick up captive SS karabiners pretty cheaply, and maillons to install them too.

That being said, i would question why you want to install a screwgate permanently? They don't really last any time at all before seizing shut, and then you just have a badly made threadable ring which some poor sod has to angle grind to get off again. 

From a maintenance perspective, it is far nice if you either use rings, or at the very most, non locking karabiners. 

As Jamie says they don't last, rain and dirt/grit washes down into the barrel and they seize up. My local crag replaced all of theirs (stainless Kong ones) after a year, we told them they'd be rubbish! Wiregates are the only way to go.

Normally they aren't interested in steel krabs round here, but... Is it a Fixe unit? You could try wrapping really thin wire around the krab then smothering that in Araldite, so the krab can't be turned in the hanger. Or clip the krab into the elbow hanger then put a blob of resin on the rock just beneath the hanger in such a way as to prevent the krab from turning. I guess this route is going to take a few goes?

I'm hoping not too long ;-)

In the short term no one will be pinching them any way.

Good luck today.

E

Can you attach a label to it? (if it's steel, tack weld a small plate onto it ;) )

edit winky

Install a dummy CCTV camera nearby?

You just need something to say it hasn't been forgotten and is meant to be there.

A fat red cable tie, a little loose to allow movement, and trimmed nicely.  It just says "Hey! I was put here deliberately and meant to be left!"

If you have plenty of shiny things put two facing opposite directions and glue the gates open.

Tough tag type label that says whos it is, and to leave it there please.

Wont stop total loss, but most climbers I'd hope would leave it there and not shout crag swag.

I have a 2nd idea. 

Heat shrink tube over the gate. Will stop it being opened, but you can cut it off. 

You can use a lighter to heat the stuff, but obviously a small gas blow torch or similar may work better.

Glue lined stuff may be trickier...

Can I just ask why you want to do this? If you're working it and it's your project you've got to put the draws in anyway, unless you're leaving those as well?, why not just toprope off 2 draws?

Couple of zip ties around the krab and lower off? If you can get them tight enough that'd stop anyone without a knife nicking the krab?

From previous experience people will nick anything, unless you get something that needs a spanner it will be removed