Bill, there are leather belts and then there are LEATHER belts. :-) Our pole
climbing belts at Ma Bell are Buckingham leather lineman's belts, and they
do have a wide leather "pad" which goes from one hip around the back to the
other hip. But that pad carries no actual body weight, because it's threaded
onto a heavy rubber-impregnated nylon strap, which in turn terminates at
each hip in the big metal "D" rings, onto which you snap your actual pole
strap. The pad is for just comfort and to hang tools from. The actual belt
and pole strap, which carry your life, are very heavy impregnated nylon, as
you mentioned. Saddle soap and some elbow grease are all that is needed for
the leather parts, although I've never seen a guy bother with it, since the
leather carries no critical weight. We do pay very close attention to the
nylon parts, though! :-) If your belt D rings are attached directly to a
leather belt (with no nylon strap for reinforcement) which carries your
weight on the tower, I'd cut it in half to prevent somebody else from using
it, throw it away, and blow $120 or so on a quality nylon full body climbing
harness. I bought a couple (an extra for helpers who show up and say "gosh,
I can't help, I forgot my belt) and combined with K7LXC's double lanyard
setup, would never go back to a belt type rig again. I trust properly rigged
nylon. I do not trust leather alone to hold my life up there, and never
will.
73, Jerry W5KP
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Otten" <res0958z@verizon.net>
To: "TowerTalk" <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, December 23, 2001 7:46 AM
Subject: [TowerTalk] Maintainance on leather climbing belt
>
>
> .
> I have a leather climbing belt with all the tool loops, etc. It is very
> heavy thick leather that feels like it has a waxy type of material on it
to
> preserve it. The loops, buckle attachments, are all riveted through the
> leather with a sandwiched brass ? looking material. The portion of the
belt
> that goes around the tower itself (not the waist part) is a very heavy
nylon
> looking woven material. My question is how to clean the leather part of
the
> belt and keep it supple and not decaying. It isn't now although the waxy
> looking stuff is mottled looking and it almost appears as though some
mildew
> looking stuff is spotted on the surface. Neatsfoot oil? Something else?
> Anyone seen these with that waxy feeling, waxy looking substance on the
> leather?
>
> I usually clamp my ample girth to the tower at a foot or two above ground
> level and lean into the whole shebang to 'test' the belt prior to a full
> climb.
>
> Thanks for any help! Happy Holidays.....
>
> Bill
> KC9CS
>
>
> AN Wireless Self Supporting Towers are now available! Windloading tables,
> foundation diagrams and charts, along with full details are now at the
> AN Wireless Web site: http://www.ANWireless.com
>
> -----
> FAQ on WWW: http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/towertalk
> Submissions: towertalk@contesting.com
> Administrative requests: towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
> Problems: owner-towertalk@contesting.com
>
>
AN Wireless Self Supporting Towers are now available! Windloading tables,
foundation diagrams and charts, along with full details are now at the
AN Wireless Web site: http://www.ANWireless.com
-----
FAQ on WWW: http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/towertalk
Submissions: towertalk@contesting.com
Administrative requests: towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems: owner-towertalk@contesting.com
|