Climbing Rope

[2GJR100]

Greetings, I need some information on climbing rope. I am WWII living historian who does German Mountain Infantry. I'm looking for a source of European climbing rope. It's all natural fiber(not coarse)rope, 1/2" in diameter and used prior to the 1950's. Does anyone have any ideas as to where I could find this item?

 

Thanks,

 

2GJR100

[sobo]

You might find what you’re looking for at this website, or they might point you elsewhere:

 

PMI

[Ducknut]

I hope you aren't going to climb with it. I doubt you'll find anyone to sell you a natural fiber rope for actual climbing.

 

Your best bet for a look-a-like rope is to find for an old goldline rope or maybe a military surplus olive drab goldline.

[specialed]

I think they used hemp rope back then.

[catbirdseat]

When Manila came out, it was considered an improvement. In those days, the leader could not fall. The rope could protect a second, but not really the leader. It would break on anything but a miniscule fall. I imagine that people would go aid much sooner. Aid obviously had to be absolutely bomber. Those were the days when men were men.

[Mal_Con]

In the late 60's REI used to still sell Manila rope for fixed lines but I never heard of anyone using it.

[MisterMo]

In the late 60's REI used to still sell Manila rope for fixed lines but I never heard of anyone using it.

 

I, uh, climbed on Manila rope for a couple of years. Mostly volcano slogs and 4th class stuff. Took a lot of top rope falls on it.

[catbirdseat]

Yep, Manila was the hot stuff when it came out. Then nylon Goldline came along and THAT was the hot stuff.

[chriss]

2GJR100,

 

I would start with contacting Mammut, a swiss rope company that was around in that time period. Google it for more information.

 

Good luck.

 

chris

 

(edit for typo)

Edited March 8, 2005 by chriss

[marylou]

Manila line is still widely used in theatrical applications. Most of it's 3/4" laid line but we also use 1/2" for some things.

[MisterMo]

Yep, Manila was the hot stuff when it came out. Then nylon Goldline came along and THAT was the hot stuff.

 

The main, in fact, the only thing Goldline had going for it was that it was cheaper than Perlon. Huge stretch under body weight...kinks from hell...still, a lot of people used it and it was obviously preferable to Manila. One of the incidents leading to the birth of MSR was breakage of a 3/8" Goldline (a common diameter for glacier sloggers back then) under body weight!