Trad cams are arguably the crown jewels of the gear rack… shiny, bomber and pretty bloody expensive, a cam is one toy you don’t want to neglect. That’s why today were sharing Wild Country’s comprehensive guide to caring for your cams (even though this article is written about the WC Friend cams, the principles can be applied to most camming devices).
HOW TO LOOK AFTER YOUR FRIENDS
From the Beta Talks series
(originally published here on wild country.com)
Friendship is built on trust, on passion, on emotion. It’s hard to describe true friendship in words – you have good times and bad times together, but your friends are always there for you. To maintain a friendship and for it to grow stronger, sometimes you need to invest time and care.
With your Friends it’s a bit like with a normal friendship between human beings. They need care and attention. You go through ups and downs and share unforgettable memories. Remember that big whipper you took on the 0.5 – scared, falling, screaming and then the soft, smooth catch when you found yourself dangling on the rope and that massive, overwhelming rush of emotion.
Keep the friendship alive. Show that you care about your Friends and invest some quality time to give them a well-deserved inspection.
1. WHEN TO CLEAN YOUR FRIENDS?
A dirty camming device or SCLD (spring-loaded camming device), with stiff lobes doesn’t function as well as a smooth-triggering Friend. Ensure that when the trigger is released from any position the cams instantly return to their fully expanded position.
In general, you should clean, inspect and lubricate your Friends every time you use them. We understand that cleaning your Friends after every climbing session is kind of time consuming, but we recommend cleaning and inspect the friends at least on a regular basis.
If you have been climbing on sea cliffs then its particularly important to clean your Friends properly afterwards. The salty environment can accelerate corrosion, something you definitely don’t want on your protection.
2. WHEN TO INSPECT YOUR FRIENDS?
If you’ve taken a big fall on a piece, check it to ensure that the trigger still works, that there are no cracks or deformations on the cam lobe and that the stem is not bent.
Here are our full inspection guidelines.
3. OUR FULL INSPECTION GUIDELINES
Follow our step-by-step instructions:
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4. HOW TO CLEAN YOUR FRIENDS?
• Water temperature around 40°C
• Add a small amount of mild dishwashing detergent
• Take care not to get the textile slings wet
• Use your old toothbrush to clean all the dust and dirt from the springs, axles and cam lobes
• Trigger Friend several times under water
• Rinse off Friend with clean water
• Dry off excess water carefully, using a clean rag
• Leave your Friends to dry on some clean newspaper or cardboard
• Allow to dry thoroughly dry away from direct heat before lubrication
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5. HOW OLD IS YOUR FRIEND?
• Check the batch number on the inner cam lobes and on the webbing label
• Important: lifespan always depends on individual usage
• Webbing also can be damaged by a bad whipper
• Whilst the maximum lifespan of metal products have no defined time limit (continued use is subject to satisfactory user inspection), the textile sling has a maximum lifespan of 10 years from date of manufacture (subject to satisfactory user inspection). Establish age of the sewn sling using the sling’s serial number as above. The sling can only be replaced if the cam passes inspection.
6. MAIN FUNCTIONS INSPECTION
• Ensure the cam lobes move freely
• When you release the trigger → the lobes should snap back to a 90° position
• Trigger and trigger wires are not twisted
• No cracks or deformities
7. CAM LOBES
• Should be straight → no deformation
• No dents or flat areas on lobes → after a big fall (this could change the camming angle)
• No cracks
• No sharp edges (that could damage the sling, but you can use fine sandpaper to gently smooth down the surface again – max. grain size 240)
• No signs of corrosion
8. CAM LOBES – AXLE CONNECTION
• Check for excessive play
• Worn out bearings
• Axles are straight
• Axle side plates are not bent
• No signs of corrosion
9. HOW TO CHECK THE TRIGGERS ON YOUR FRIENDS?
• Trigger wire is securely attached to the trigger
• Swage between wire and cable is fixed
• Check that wire/cable are straight and free from deformations
• Slightly bent wires can cause problems with the cam lobes position, but they can be readjusted by gentle bending
• No signs of corrosion
• No cracks in plastic trigger
10. HOW TO CHECK THE STEM?
• No sharp edges, no permanent deformation
• Slightly bent stems can be readjusted, by gentle bending
• No big gap between swaging and plastic part
• Tube cover is not damaged/ has no cuts
11. HOW TO CHECK THE EXTENDABLE SLING
• Check that all bar tacks are present and that there are no loose/open stitching threads
• Check for any cuts or abrasion
• If your Friends are in good condition, but the sling is damaged → send the friend back to us, and we’ll re-sling your friend for you
• The sling can only be replaced if the camming device passes inspection
12. HOW TO APPLY LUBRICANT
• Place your Friends on newspaper, paper towel or cardboard to prevent mess
• Use a Teflon, silicone or a wax-based lubricant
• Avoid oil based lubricants as they collect dirt faster
• Apply to the springs, axles, and between the side plates
• Squeeze the trigger to work the lubricant along the axle and into the cams
• Take care not to get any lubricant on the sling
• You can always cover the sling in a plastic bag
• Wipe off any excess
Keep an eye on your Friends – and get your (other) friends to check theirs too.
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