Realized I was choking the boom line for years after a mentor watched me for 2 minutes in Kentucky

I was on a job near Louisville last month setting trusses for a warehouse, and an old timer came over to watch. He just stood there for a minute and said 'you're choking that boom line like it owes you money, let it breathe between the sheaves.' I had no idea I was keeping tension on it during the free spool part of the swing. I had been doing that for almost 4 years without anyone telling me it wears the line unevenly. Has anyone else had a basic habit pointed out that made you feel like an idiot afterward?

2 comments

2 Comments

kim.emma1mo ago

Let it breathe" huh? Guess that explains the bald spots on my rope.

jamies451mo ago

Holding a rope wrong is actually a REAL thing though. Climbers get picky about this because rope fibers are delicate and getting them dirty or pinched can mess with the whole safety rating. Those "bald spots" could be from dirt grinding into the sheath or from standing on the rope wrong. The "let it breathe" advice is meant for keeping the rope dry and clean after a wet day. If you're seeing weird wear marks, it's more likely from how you're storing or handling it. But hey, maybe your rope just has a different opinion on fresh air than mine does.