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3/4" Stainless Steel Shell Gibbs

/4" SS Ver. A

/4" SS Ver. B

/4" SS Ver. C

#4SS Ver. A

#4SS Ver. B

#4SS Ver. C

3/4" SS Ver. A 3/4" SS Ver. B> 3/4" SS Ver. C
3/4" SS Ver. A 3/4" SS Ver. B 3/4" SS Ver. C
 
#4SS Ver. A #4SS Ver. B #4SS Ver. C
#4S Ver. A #4S Ver. B #4S Ver. C

Overview


3/4" Stainless Steel, Version A
(#76)

Front Rear
Front Rear
 
Open for Rigging
Open for Rigging

Technical Details

I acquired my Gibbs QR, Stainless Steel, Version A from John E. Weinel, Inc. in 1989.

Version A is 105 mm. tall, 81 mm. wide, 76 mm. thick, and weighs 500 g.

Comments

The 3/4" aluminum-shelled ascenders weighed less than a pound each. Gibbs introduced this stainless steel shell version, which breaks the pound barrier.


3/4" Stainless Steel, Version B
(#2316)

Front Rear
Front Rear
 
Open for Rigging
Open for Rigging

Technical Details

I acquired my Gibbs (3/4) QR, Stainless Steel, Version B from On Rope 1 at the 2017 NSS Convention. It was new old stock from Bob & Bob’s going-out-of-business liquidation.

The Gibbs (3/4) QR, Stainless Steel, Version B is 105 mm. tall, 83 mm. wide, 75 mm. thick, and weighs 506 g. The rope channel is 23 mm. wide. The cam is cast aluminum. The cam radius increases from 25 to 41 mm. over an angle of 79°, giving a 20° cam angle. The QR pin is 12.4 mm. in diameter. A tear-drop metal piece riveted to the shell holds a cable keeper for the QR pin and a webbing cam keeper.

Each side of the shell is stamped with "UP," an up-pointing arrow, and "GIBBS" with a double underline. The QR pin is stamped with "AVIBANK PUSH," and "BLS8B13SL5."

Comments

This version moves the teardrop lower on the shell.


3/4" Stainless Steel, Version C
(#1920)

Front Rear
Front Rear
 
Open for Rigging
Open for Rigging

Technical Details

I acquired my Gibbs (3/4) QR, Stainless Steel, Version C as new old stock from Speleoshoppe in 2012.

Version C is 107 mm. tall, 83 mm. wide, 75 mm. thick, and weighs 505 g. The rope channel is 23 mm. wide. The cam is cast aluminum. The cam radius increases from 23 to 37 mm. over an angle of 92°, giving a 17° cam angle. The QR pin is 12.4 mm. in diameter. The cam is spring-loaded with a coil spring that is attached to the cam with a phillips-head screw. The other end has a split ring that can be placed over a tab pressed out of the shell. A chain on the split ring provides for a better grip. A tear-drop metal piece riveted to the shell holds a cable keeper for the QR pin and a second chain to the split ring.

Comments

This Gibbs is larger than necessary, requires impractically large ropes, and is too heavy for normal caving or climbing use. Huge, heavy, spring loaded, and a pin keeper that makes opeining the ascender rather awkward. What can I say? This ascender does not fit my needs.


#4S, Version A
(#143)

Front Rear
Front Rear
 
Open for Rigging
Open for Rigging

Technical Details

I acquired my Gibbs #4S, Version A from John E. Weinel, Inc., 1999.

The Gibbs #4S, Version A is 105 mm. tall, 91 mm. wide, 64 mm. thick, and weighs 438 g. The design was refined by going to a dimpled shell, wire spring, forged cam (complete with goo) and stainless steel quick-release pin.

Each side of the shell is stamped with "UP," an up-pointing arrow, and "GIBBS" with a double underline. The QR pin is stamped with "LOCKWELL," "PUSH," "HARTWELL-LA.-U.S.A.," and "62060/L66CB1125."

Comments

The cam is covered with goo. Yuck! For use as an ascender, this is totally absurd, all that happens is that the goo eventually rubs off. If you don't like it, a little time with a penknife gets rid of it all. Supposedly the goo helps the cam slip if you abuse the ascender by dropping loads on it (at least the first time, then the goo is gone). I don't do that so I don't care.

This Gibbs is larger than necessary, requires impractically large ropes, and is too heavy for normal caving or climbing use. The result came in just under a pound. Enough said. Lemon .

Instructions Instructions Instructions

#4S, Version B
(#274)

Front Rear
Front Rear
 
Open for Rigging
Open for Rigging

Technical Details

I acquired my Gibbs #4S, Version B from On Rope 1 in 2009.

The Gibbs #4S, Version B is 104 mm. tall, 87 mm. wide, 64 mm. thick, and weighs 425 g. The shell is made from 3.1 mm. aluminum sheet and has two dimples opposite the cam face. The cam is cast from aluminum alloy. The QR pin is 9.3 mm. in diameter. The cam is spring-loaded with a wire spring that sits in a plastic housing. A piece of webbing riveted to the spring housing acts as a keeper for the QR pin.

Each side of the shell is stamped with "UP," an up-pointing arrow, and "GIBBS" with a double underline. The QR pin is stamped with "LOCKWELL," "PUSH," "HARTWELL-LA.-U.S.A.," and "62060/L66CB1125."

Comments

This Gibbs is larger than necessary, requires impractically large ropes, and is too heavy for normal caving or climbing use. At least there is no goo on the cam.

Instructions Instructions Instructions

#4S, Version C
(#3434)

Front Rear
Front Rear
 
Side Top Open for Rigging
Side Top Open for Rigging

Technical Details

I acquired two of these Gibbs from Ryan Melton in 2021.

The Gibbs #4S, Version B is 103 mm. tall, 89 mm. wide, 63 mm. thick, and weighs 422 g. The shell is made from 3.1 mm. aluminum sheet and has two dimples opposite the cam face. The rope channel is 21 mm. wide. The cam is cast from aluminum alloy and has nine rounded transverse teeth. The cam radius increases from 17 to 39 mm. over an angle of 106°, giving a 24° cam angle. The QR pin is 9.3 mm. in diameter. The cam is spring-loaded with a wire spring that sits in a plastic housing. A piece of webbing riveted to the spring housing acts as a keeper for the QR pin.

Each side of the shell is stamped with "UP," an up-pointing arrow, and "GIBBS" with a double underline. The QR pin is stamped with "AVK," "PUSH," and "BLS6B11S."

Comments

This Gibbs #4S uses Avibank QR pins rather than the less-common (for Gibbs) Lockwell pins. Functionally, they are interchangable.


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