Looking after rope | Knot Atlas

Rope fails at its weakest point, and damage is often hidden. A minute spent looking at a rope before you trust it is never wasted.

Inspect

Run the whole length through your hands, feeling for flat, stiff or soft spots.
Look for cuts, heavy fuzzing, glazed or melted areas, and broken yarns.
On kernmantle rope, look for the core showing through the sheath.
Check for discolouration from chemicals or long sun exposure.
Open the strands of laid rope slightly: powdery fibres inside mean internal wear.

Clean and dry

Rinse salt, grit and mud out with cool fresh water. A mild soap is fine; strong detergents and bleach are not. Dry rope loosely coiled, in the shade, away from heaters and direct sun.

Avoid

Stepping on rope or dragging it over grit, which works sharp particles into the fibres.
Running rope over sharp edges. Protect it with a sleeve or padding.
Rope running fast over rope, which melts synthetic fibres through friction.
Contact with acids, solvents and fuels. Battery acid can destroy nylon with little visible sign.

Retire it

Replace any rope with damage you can see or feel. Ropes used to hold people have extra rules: keep a log, follow the maker’s lifespan, and retire a rope after a severe fall or any doubt about its history.