[dunnyg]

I have been putting this off for a fair while now, but I need to do it. Any idea if black-diamond will refuse to re-sling cams if they think they are too old? I have a set of the previous generation of camalots that all need re-doing. Does anyone have any experience of turn around time?

[Boredboy]

Black diamond to repair the old design:

http://eu.blackdiamondequipment.com/en/qc-labreslinging-camalots-and-c3s.html

See bottom of article.

[dunnyg]

Looks like they will do the old ones too. Winner!

[mrjonathanr]

The article quotes for reslings within US ...I'd be interested to know what they offer within Europe. Can you share info here if you find out?
Thanks

[dunnyg]

I messaged them about a year ago. They didnt reply reguarding turn around time. Last time they said they would resling and return for free, i f I got the cams to them. Pretty good! Not sure if this is still the case, will post up when I find out (waiting to get a cam back before I get the ball rolling on this)

[mikester]

FWIW, I considered posting a load of cams to mtntools in the US. Reckoned £50 rtn postage would've done the lot, plus a few dollars per cam/sling.

[dave]

Why not try contacting wild country/dmm and ask if they'll do it?

[mrjonathanr]

I spoke to DMM and they said no, only their own.

I suspect they may have to inspect and pass the hardware before re slinging and sending back to you. Anyway, that's the reason I'm leaning towards Dragon cams but have some Camalots to re sling so need to check this out.

Thing is, there's a lot of Camalots out there so someone must have sussed this...

[dave]

You could probably get away with replacing them with knotted non-dynemma slings yourself. With the caveat that it'll probably be a bit weaker than a sewn sling, and the knot would become a wear point, but probably still worth doing given they'll probably be stronger than a lot of placements. I'm sure self replacing the slings on rigid cams back in the day used to be fairly common practice.

[Muenchener]

From what I've read that's ok on thread-through-a-boss style slings - so fine for older camalots - but BD don't like the idea for the current thumb loop camalots, hence the wrap-around nylon sling to spread the load & avoid deforming the wire.

But otherwise yeah, everybody used to re-sling their own Friends and the rigid stems had holes big enough for reassuringly chunk 9mm rope. I liked that. I don't have any previous version Camalots, but from what I've seen they look like they would take 7mm cord? Plenty strong enough.

[dunnyg]

Its the old school ones I have that need replacing. Would only cost me about £25 to have them re-done I think. Might just go with the 7mm cord option (it does fit) if its much more. Will have a read about doing the old school camalots yourself. cheers!

[jwi]

From what I've read that's ok on thread-through-a-boss style slings - so fine for older camalots - but BD don't like the idea for the current thumb loop camalots, hence the wrap-around nylon sling to spread the load & avoid deforming the wire.

To me this is a serious flaw with the camalot design. I don't know if I'd gotten camalots if I knew about this. I guess it's OK to replace the sling with 7mm kevlar cord though? BD doesn't mention that on the website, and the cynic in me is convinced that is because it is totally fine.

[Muenchener]

From what I've read that's ok on thread-through-a-boss style slings - so fine for older camalots - but BD don't like the idea for the current thumb loop camalots, hence the wrap-around nylon sling to spread the load & avoid deforming the wire.

To me this is a serious flaw with the camalot design. I don't know if I'd gotten camalots if I knew about this. I guess it's OK to replace the sling with 7mm kevlar cord though? BD doesn't mention that on the website, and the cynic in me is convinced that is because it is totally fine.

Given what I've read about the current C4's, I wouldn't. The thumb loop would deform, and the sling would probably cut through the plastic coating and the be directly loaded on the wire.

Black Diamond's recommendations

One-inch tubular webbing with a knot will work.
Sending them to someone that knows how to sew structural climbing gear, and have them bartack a single loop of SuperTape will work.
Having someone that knows what they're doing bartack a double length of SuperTape or 10 mm Dynex will work.
But it's important that you understand the ramifications of such methods:

The strength will be compromised in all cases.
The thumb loop will get tweaked much easier in all cases.

Note that the Totems - otherwise the current best cam design - have a highly complicated sling that you have no chance of getting replaced by anybody other than the manufacturer. And given that Totem are in the EU, you therefore have no chance of getting them done when they are over ten years old. This is not good; I have Friends that are over thirty years old and still fine.

[mrjonathanr]

The other option is to rack with a lightweight krab and always use a draw clipped directly into the thumb loop once the tape's really old.

[dunnyg]

Just incase anyone looks at this in the future, I sent cams off to Black Diamond, 7 in total (not 0.3-3 but near enough), only cost was postage there which was about £20 - because im outside the US, otherwise charges can be found on BD website.

Took a while to get there, but pretty quick turn around once they got them, about 3 weeks in total.

They now look like mutant cams - half brand new, half old. Pretty cool!Ready to get back out on them now. 

Well worth doing in my opinion, especially if you have a busy couple of weeks at work and arent going to get out much.

Hope that helps someone.

[slackline]

I would say pretty much the same of DMMs service, although turn around was a lot quicker due to distance for postage if you're in the UK.

[Muenchener]

Key difference being that companies in the EU aren't allowed to re-sling anything over ten years old.

[mrjonathanr]

I think that's out of date.

[slackline]

Not sure of the exact age of the cams I sent but they will have been getting on for 10 years old.  They do carry out assessments on each cams as to whether they think they are suitable for repairing and only if they pass this assessment will they then do the work...

http://dmmclimbing.com/about/servicing-repairs/