RRC Archives

It seems the biggest limiting factor for the number of climbs I can do on a given trip is the amount of skin remaining on my finger tips. What are your opinions on taping the fingertips? Seems like it would compromise grip.

super glue em before you climb.

I only tape once I am bleeding. I don't like it to much. One thing that I do is to superglue the tip, then apply tape. And I also go ahead and tape most of the finger, even if only the tip is bleeding. It gives the tape a better anchor, and it won't slip off.

I like that. I know docs are using a superglue like substance to close wounds now too. Great advice - thanks!

Superglue was originally invented for use in sealing wounds in the military.

Nope. Quick web search produced:

In 1942 the original cyanoacrylates (chemical name) were discovered while searching for materials that could make clear plastic gun sights for the war. While searching for these materials, scientists came upon a formulation that stuck to everything it came into contact with. These cyanoacrylates were rapidly rejected by American researchers for the sole reason that they stuck to everything they came in contact with. It wasn’t until 9 years later that these cyanoacrylates were rediscovered by researchers from Eastman Kodak. Fred Joyner and Harry Coover recognized the true potential for these cyanoacrylates and it was first sold as a commercial product in 1958. Since then Super Glue has evolved into several other great products, and continues to grow even to this day.

But read on: this is what made it catch on:

The use of cyanoacrylate glues in medicine was considered fairly early on. Eastman Kodak and Ethicon began studying whether the glues could be used to hold human tissue together for surgery. In 1964 Eastman submitted an application to use cyanoacrylate glues to seal wounds to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Soon afterward Dr. Coover's glue did find use in Vietnam--reportedly in 1966 cyanoacrylates were tested on-site by a specially trained surgical team, with impressive results. According to an interview with Dr. Coover by the Kingsport Times-News:

Coover said the compound demonstrated an excellent capacity to stop bleeding, and during the Vietnam War, he developed disposal cyanoacrylate sprays for use in the battle field.

"If somebody had a chest wound or open wound that was bleeding, the biggest problem they had was stopping the bleeding so they could get the patient back to the hospital. And the consequence was--many of them bled to death. So the medics used the spray, stopped the bleeding, and were able to get the wounded back to the base hospital. And many, many lives were saved," Coover said.

"This was very powerful. That's something I'm very proud of--the number of lives that were saved," he said.

Ironically, the Food & Drug Administration hadn't given approval for the medical use of the compound at that point. But the military used the substance, anyway (reference 1).

I start taping once I bleed.

Do you dig scars? I always thought that was a myth....

when my tips start going and i can't get push myself on sport anymore i go do easy trad routes cause generally they don't require as much physical exersion (for me) but more mental skills as far as placing the gear. so my tip, start mixing it up and go trad climbing.