UKC

Morning all,

Have been noticing a some routes on some of the local crags are starting to suffer from a bit of light vegetation in cracks / breaks. Mostly dirt and small root systems.

The question being, other than a pair of clippers, what tool is most ideal for sensitively cleaning the dirt / roots out. A nutkey just doesn't quite cut it.

Cheers

I use a car windscreen scraper which has a plastic blade one end, stiff brush on the other. Kids sand pit plastic toys have been utilised in the past, that and stiff bristled brush minus the shaft, threaded with cord to clip and let it hang from my set up descending. Rigid enough to clean, but not damage. 

Any of the narrow stiff brushes available are good for cleaning up choked cracks, but get yourself a Kent & Stowe Carbon Steel Hand Weeding Knife for proper crack preparation.

Thanks, I'll try that. Hopefully it will get the roots out, help stop the veg coming back as quickly.

A pair of long-nosed pliers does a decent job. Those, and an old narrow chisel or screwdriver for deeper cleaning.

I use one of these similar to Jon's suggestion for getting mud and roots out of cracks, much more effective and easier  to use than a nut key also goes deeper into the cracks so more likely to remove roots for longer lasting cleaning

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spear-Jackson-3065EL-multicoloured-31-5x8-5x7-5/dp...

It would appear I'm much too gentle with my cleaning and non aggressive implements. I'll just call in air support and napalm the whole crag in future. 

Nuke it from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure….

I find this method works quite well. https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/hydraulic-mining-used-wash-away-landscape...

An old ice axe, wire brush, stiff fibre bristle brush, decorators multitool and a Silky pocket boy do a pretty good job.

That looks just the ticket. I'll look into getting one. 

I didn't even realise they existed

I think that's me after a couple of pints of Spitfire 

Those narrow stiff brushes are great. Curved end saves knuckles and good for scubbing both sides of a finger crack at once. I often carry one with my nut key on routes , they have a krab hole on the handle.

A patio knife is like a giant nut key and half the price but a bit too big to carry leading.

Was with you until right up to when you said "silky pocket boy". I'm scared to Google that, so no idea where you're going there 🤣

You’re safe, unless your ‘thing’ is Japanese saws! 

I have an old "mountain technology" one I keep on Arran for shifting big clumps out of cracks.  I get very self conscious passing people on the hill in the middle of summer. Sometimes I feel the need to explain myself.