Timber020
2nd December 2006, 23:59
If your a rock climber, industrial abeiler, arborist, caver, mountaineer or know anyone who is, there has been a recall on one of the most trusted bits of gear out there, one that has saved my life a few times. Now the announcement is supposed to only apply to US gear but I have Aus mates who have found theres faulty and outside the batch date supplied. (ie they busted in there hands)
Petzl America voluntarily announced a recall of Petzl M34 BL Am'D BALL-LOCK and M36 BL WILLIAM BALL-LOCK carabiners with the new metal locking sleeve due to the possibility that the sleeve can be unlocked without pressing the green button, so the locking system acts as a TWIST-LOCK, instead of a BALL-LOCK. Affected units were sold during March and July, 2006. No incidents or injuries have been reported. This information does not apply to the older nylon-sleeve locking system, but only to BALL-LOCK carabiners with the metal locking sleeve manufactured in March and July, 2006. This recall is in effect only in the USA - it does not affect BALL LOCK carabiners sold in other countries
BALL-LOCK metal sleeve inspection procedure
Unlock, open and close the carabiner once as shown in the technical notice:
- Am'D BALL-LOCK technical notice
- WILLIAM BALL-LOCK technical notice
Grip the spine of the carabiner with your right hand so that your thumb is on the wider end of the carabiner (end opposite the hinge).
Firmly grip the locking sleeve by wrapping the fingers of your left hand around it.
Without pressing the green button, twist the sleeve firmly in the direction normally used to unlock the carabiner.
Inspection results
A non-conforming product will unlock easily with a single firm twist. Please do not apply excessive force as a single firm twist is all that is required to unlock a non-conforming product.
Conforming product will resist a firm twist and remain locked; again, please avoid excesssive force.
Petzl America voluntarily announced a recall of Petzl M34 BL Am'D BALL-LOCK and M36 BL WILLIAM BALL-LOCK carabiners with the new metal locking sleeve due to the possibility that the sleeve can be unlocked without pressing the green button, so the locking system acts as a TWIST-LOCK, instead of a BALL-LOCK. Affected units were sold during March and July, 2006. No incidents or injuries have been reported. This information does not apply to the older nylon-sleeve locking system, but only to BALL-LOCK carabiners with the metal locking sleeve manufactured in March and July, 2006. This recall is in effect only in the USA - it does not affect BALL LOCK carabiners sold in other countries
BALL-LOCK metal sleeve inspection procedure
Unlock, open and close the carabiner once as shown in the technical notice:
- Am'D BALL-LOCK technical notice
- WILLIAM BALL-LOCK technical notice
Grip the spine of the carabiner with your right hand so that your thumb is on the wider end of the carabiner (end opposite the hinge).
Firmly grip the locking sleeve by wrapping the fingers of your left hand around it.
Without pressing the green button, twist the sleeve firmly in the direction normally used to unlock the carabiner.
Inspection results
A non-conforming product will unlock easily with a single firm twist. Please do not apply excessive force as a single firm twist is all that is required to unlock a non-conforming product.
Conforming product will resist a firm twist and remain locked; again, please avoid excesssive force.