Slider grommet damage - holes in steel?!

[frost 1]

I was examining the slider last night, i discovered that all 4 grommets have dents on them. I saw that type of dents in all my other canopies, but this one was a bit different. Two of the grommets had HOLES inside the ring in the stainless steel(!!) like someone has driven a small nail in them. VERY strange damage and very bad for the lines, needless to say. I know there are huge forces at play during opening sequence, but HOLES in STAINLESS steel?? lol


Curious to hear from experienced riggers their opinion on what could cause this?? I have slinks.

Thanks in advance

SoFPiDaRF - School of Fast Progress in Downsizing and Radical Flying. Because nobody knows your skills better than you.

[Remster 24]

Pics?

Remster

[frost 1]

pics!

SoFPiDaRF - School of Fast Progress in Downsizing and Radical Flying. Because nobody knows your skills better than you.

[NelKel 0]

edit: slinks.

_________________________________________

Someone dies, someone says how stupid, someone says it was avoidable, someone says how to avoid it, someone calls them an idiot, someone proposes rule chan

[sundevil777 94]

It might just be because of the flash, digital pic quality, etc, but those grommets look like brass to me.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[teason 0]

Seems quite consistant with a quick link strike, although I've never seen so much damage.

Any damage on your links? Bumbers?

I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

[marks 0]

you sure those arent brass?

what kind of lines are those?

it kinda looks like that is burnt in there.

I have no idea. maybe there is alot of friction from those lines and it did that over time. if that is even possible. I dont know.

[frost 1]

The lines in pics are brand new HMA line set. 2 jumps. The grommets are stainless steel for sure, must be the flash effect. I have slinks and prior owner always had them, i am 99.9% sure... Before HMA it was Vectran - 700 jumps.

Like i was saying - it's an actual break in the metal-a hole in the grommet, an uneven tear in the steel... VERY odd... I dont thinkk any line can ever do that. i have never ever seen that much damage myself. Dents - yeah, but not holes in steel...

SoFPiDaRF - School of Fast Progress in Downsizing and Radical Flying. Because nobody knows your skills better than you.

[ripcord4 0]

I would vote for slinks damaging the grommets. Are you positive they are stainless steel grommets? Lines won't / can't do that kind of damage.

[DeNReN 0]

Is it on all 4 slider grommet's??

[justinb138 0]

I thought they looked like nickel-plated brass at first, but they don't seem shiny enough, and I've only seen that plastic washer on the SS grommets.

[CrazyL 0]

Look like stainless. HMA/vectran and brass = holes in brass. Stainless? Have seen many HMA/vectran/stainless w/no holes. That damage is wierd. i'd sure like to know 'what's up with that?'

[RIGGER 0]

Any hard or extra fast openings ? does the slider slide all the way down to the steering system ?

It looks like metal to metal contact, SS grommet to METAL "Mini Rings"

If the 2 rear grommets have a deeper hole I would check the rear risers guide rings.

Does the Soft Links in use have fabric tabs or METAL
rings ?

If metal rings used, does the rings were hand tacked into the main Ty.17 (?) risers or were free to move ?

Now I wonder who reline the canopy & left that slider on the canopy ?

The slider must be replaced before next jump !!!

Please inform.

Thanks.

[frost 1]

PM sent...

to answer some of the questions here:

I have had some rather fast openings on it, but nothing neck breaking. Solid is what i would call them. The slider doesnt slide down past the guide rings, usually to the top of risers. I pull it down all the way and secure with a rubber band so it stays al the way down when in flight.

The FRONT grommets have the holes, the rears just have some dents in them. So looks like majority of damage comes from the front.

My slinks are PD - soft all around, no metal tabs. Tucked under the riser (T17 with nickel hardware).

SoFPiDaRF - School of Fast Progress in Downsizing and Radical Flying. Because nobody knows your skills better than you.

[RIGGER 0]

The damage looks on the top side of the slider ??? facing the canopy, on the tape side.

Try to find out the history of that slider.

In your photos "Grommet & Grommet 3" I can see a FUZZ line which should NOT looks like that after 2 jumps on the new lines, it could be done by the damaged grommet.

Call the rigger who reline the canopy & ask for details about the slider.

Get your lines checked by a Master Rigger maybe any action should be taken. Look at the slider stops
area on the Stab. & check your SM-1 slinks for any cuts or damage. Check your canopy before next jump.

Please DO NOT jump this slider anymore !!!

Safe Jumps !!!

[CrazyL 0]

Good points. Could there possibly be damage due to slider stops? Washer worn through tape exposing metal washer(slider stop). If so, i'd imagine damage is on the canopy side of grommets. Also would imagine the force necessary would be from the slider having slid up the lines during the deployment, banging into slider stops at a high rate. Suggestion: carefully place slider up at slider stops and physically see if the dent/hole matches like a puzzle to the slider stop. Curious.

[frost 1]

All good suggestions! Thanks guys.

I inspected the slider stops, and they look fine. More strange findings - the damage IS on the top of the grommet (facing the canopy). That suggests that may be the slider was placed upside down at some point, but I seriousely doubt that, knowing that the previous owner was a world class pilot, never had metal links and had his canopy looked after and cared for well.

Overall, really odd stuff. I will have it looked at by a master rigger to get some ideas what it could be. I will definitely replace the slider.

If interested - i will post my findings and resutls here.

Thanks to all that contributed

SoFPiDaRF - School of Fast Progress in Downsizing and Radical Flying. Because nobody knows your skills better than you.

[RMURRAY 1]

Quote

All good suggestions! Thanks guys.

I inspected the slider stops, and they look fine. More strange findings - the damage IS on the top of the grommet (facing the canopy). That suggests that may be the slider was placed upside down at some point, but I seriousely doubt that, knowing that the previous owner was a world class pilot, never had metal links and had his canopy looked after and cared for well.

Overall, really odd stuff. I will have it looked at by a master rigger to get some ideas what it could be. I will definitely replace the slider.

If interested - i will post my findings and resutls here.

Thanks to all that contributed

more money but just get a removable slider for the VX - you won't regret it!

[frost 1]

nuh, i dont think i need it. LOL I dont think 90% of the people that use it actually "need" it.

SoFPiDaRF - School of Fast Progress in Downsizing and Radical Flying. Because nobody knows your skills better than you.

[RMURRAY 1]

Quote

nuh, i dont think i need it. LOL I dont think 90% of the people that use it actually "need" it.

sorry to get off topic but do you use your VX for wingsuit jumps? I can't imagine anyone who jumps a VX and does not want more speed - probably just me.

rm

[frost 1]

No, actually i had a second canopy - a Tri 135 for the wingsuit :) Not anymore though

SoFPiDaRF - School of Fast Progress in Downsizing and Radical Flying. Because nobody knows your skills better than you.

[crazydiver 0]

I wonder, since the damage is on the top side of the grommets and there is most likely nothing on the bottom side of the slider that would damage it anyway, perhaps the slider stops have something to do with it. Perhaps the slider got slammed into the stops on opening a few times. Look for some damage to the covers over the slider stop washers on the canopy. Perhaps that has something to do with it.

Cheers,
Travis

[riggerrob 561]

Quote

The lines in pics are brand new HMA line set. 2 jumps. The grommets are stainless steel for sure, must be the flash effect. I have slinks and prior owner always had them, i am 99.9% sure... Before HMA it was Vectran - 700 jumps.

Like i was saying - it's an actual break in the metal-a hole in the grommet, an uneven tear in the steel... VERY odd... I dont think any line can ever do that. i have never ever seen that much damage myself. Dents - yeah, but not holes in steel...

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Wow!
I have seen that damage on dozens of (soft) brass grommets, but never before on steel grommets.
Normally that is caused by the slider SLAMMING into steel connector links.
Definitely do not jump them, because they will shred your lines..

[marks 0]

Quote

nuh, i dont think i need it. LOL I dont think 90% of the people that use it actually "need" it.

do you know why people use it? have you tried one? Im willing to bet if you tried one you would change your mind.

It isnt needed for anyone. it makes removing your bag and pilot chute easier though. but once you use it by itself, you wont go back. they are awesome. and they make the vx open better also.

everyone needs visibility.

• Quote

[frost 1]

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do you know why people use it?

Enlighten me :)

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have you tried one?

No, "i dont think i need one"

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Im willing to bet if you tried one you would change your mind.

I'll take that bet! :) How much?

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It isnt needed for anyone. it makes removing your bag and pilot chute easier though.

Quote

but once you use it by itself, you wont go back. they are awesome. and they make the vx open better also.

May be they do... I havent had a chance to try it yet, but they also add more stuff to worry about, more stuff to assemble on every packjob... just more headache and i dont want to go there. Yet. I am happy with my stock set up.

A little off topic, but my opinion about 90% of people not needing it is based on a very common trend of followers wanting to be like the leaders. We see it every day (on the DZ and in regular life) - from 150 jump noobs wanting to swoop like the 1000 jump experienced people, to 1000 jump experienced people getting the removable stuff to be like the 4000 jump expert competitive swoopers. Am i in the minority here saying that you can and should get max performance out of what you have before moving up to the advance stuff?

SoFPiDaRF - School of Fast Progress in Downsizing and Radical Flying. Because nobody knows your skills better than you.