Is there any way to recycle old rigging?

[Don C L]

I just can't bear to just throw away old rigging, but it is my understanding there is no way to recycle it economically. What do you all do with old rigging?

[Orion Jim]

Standing or running?

[leftbrainstuff]

Standing rigging can be recycled just the same as any ferrous material.

It goes back in the blast furnace. They use scrap steel to charge the furnace which reduces the cost to turn iron ore and other additives into steel.

Just take it to your local recycling center. Old rigging has no value.

Running rigging is either kevlar or a thermoplastic. Not sure recycling centers can sort it. It will probably go into land fill.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[pesarsten]

Or, you could send it to me and I will recycle it!

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Orion Jim

Standing or running?

Standing.

Yes I thought it would go in with all other metals, but my rigger just said they don't take it and it gets hung up in the shredders. I have not checked personally with the recycling center though.

[Hudson Force]

I've found ranchers with fencing for horses or cattle are very fond of my old rigging. It's prized for tensioning fencing and diagonal bracing in swing gates.

[Paul Annapolis]

Why not just call some scrap metal dealers or recyclers? I took all the cables to a local recycler from a 38' sloop and I think I got $14.00--yes all of $14.00. Some hardware is actual stainless and more valuable, but most shrouds and stays are partially ferrous and therefore of little value--they just put a magnet up to it all. The scrap dealer kept saying that somebody ought to sue all these sailboat makers for claiming the cables were stainless. It's my understanding that it mainly is due to strength, but I'm not a metallurgist or materials engineer-but I do trust my rigger and scrap dealer.

The OP even wrote that he did not check with a recycler but a one second web search for metal recyclers in Channel Islands that anyone with a computer and internet can do yielded these Search Results--so why not call them?:
Santa Barbara Iron & Metal
No reviews · Junkyard
709 E Gutierrez St
(805) 966-4468
Closed now
Website
Directions
Max Scrap Metals and Recycling, Inc.
3.3
(7) · Recycling Center
21608 Nordhoff St
(818) 709-4100
Closed now
Website
Directions
SA Recycling
3 reviews · Recycling Center
1441 Mountain View Ave
(805) 483-0512
Closed now
Website
Directions
ACE Recycling & Scrap Metal
3 reviews · Junkyard
21252 Nordhoff St
(818) 772-4891
Directions
M & M Scrap Metals
No reviews · Junkyard
(805) 964-9128

....all of which once again underscores the value of searching online first to contact actual experts rather than posing a question to a broad swath of the sailing community where you will yield a dozen opinions, some reliable, some maybe not. If the OP finds that there are other markets and better answers, that's terrific and we'd love to see them. But I asked my rigger and he showed me a huge pile of other cables tossed into a corner. That pretty much answered it for me and the metal recycler confirmed it a day later.

[Jim Cate]

We've seen moderate size 1x19 (5/16 or so) recycled as life lines. Even in a bad state, they are far stronger than the t ypical 3/16 stuff used there and in that application, will last forever (+/-).

Jim

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Paul Annapolis

Why not just call some scrap metal dealers or recyclers? I took all the cables to a local recycler from a 38' sloop and I think I got $14.00--yes all of $14.00. Some hardware is actual stainless and more valuable, but most shrouds and stays are partially ferrous and therefore of little value--they just put a magnet up to it all. The scrap dealer kept saying that somebody ought to sue all these sailboat makers for claiming the cables were stainless. It's my understanding that it mainly is due to strength, but I'm not a metallurgist or materials engineer-but I do trust my rigger and scrap dealer.

The OP even wrote that he did not check with a recycler but a one second web search for metal recyclers in Channel Islands that anyone with a computer and internet can do yielded these Search Results--so why not call them?:
Santa Barbara Iron & Metal
No reviews · Junkyard
709 E Gutierrez St
(805) 966-4468
Closed now
Website
Directions
Max Scrap Metals and Recycling, Inc.
3.3
(7) · Recycling Center
21608 Nordhoff St
(818) 709-4100
Closed now
Website
Directions
SA Recycling
3 reviews · Recycling Center
1441 Mountain View Ave
(805) 483-0512
Closed now
Website
Directions
ACE Recycling & Scrap Metal
3 reviews · Junkyard
21252 Nordhoff St
(818) 772-4891
Directions
M & M Scrap Metals
No reviews · Junkyard
(805) 964-9128

....all of which once again underscores the value of searching online first to contact actual experts rather than posing a question to a broad swath of the sailing community where you will yield a dozen opinions, some reliable, some maybe not. If the OP finds that there are other markets and better answers, that's terrific and we'd love to see them. But I asked my rigger and he showed me a huge pile of other cables tossed into a corner. That pretty much answered it for me and the metal recycler confirmed it a day later.

Yeah, you're right, I should have called those guys first. I was just going by what my rigger said, "don't bother, they won't take them.." I'll report back on what they tell me...

[avb3]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

We've seen moderate size 1x19 (5/16 or so) recycled as life lines. Even in a bad state, they are far stronger than the t ypical 3/16 stuff used there and in that application, will last forever (+/-).

Jim

Boy, that makes all sorts of sense. I'll keep that in mind for the future. I'll have to ask my rigger friend what he does with his used standing rigging... I might have a real good supply for others.

[Nicholson58]

I work in a machine shop. Our scrap is sometimes chunks over 1000#. Our scrap bins are truck sized. All metal is recyclable. Often, local trash haulers won't touch heavy stuff because it jams their pop-can shredders. Our local marina yard saves up SS rigging same as the machine shop and sends a dumpster to the recycler when its full. This stuff should never go to the landfill, especially SS. Try an auto junk yard. Think about the engine blocks they process.

[sanibel sailor]

I have been able to sell on eBay and craigslist. I disclose that it is old and being replaced due to age, as well as any defects.

[zeehag]

dinghy lock cables, bicycle lock cables. why buy wheye can use old stuff successfully.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Paul Annapolis

Why not just call some scrap metal dealers or recyclers? I took all the cables to a local recycler from a 38' sloop and I think I got $14.00--yes all of $14.00. Some hardware is actual stainless and more valuable, but most shrouds and stays are partially ferrous and therefore of little value--they just put a magnet up to it all. The scrap dealer kept saying that somebody ought to sue all these sailboat makers for claiming the cables were stainless. It's my understanding that it mainly is due to strength, but I'm not a metallurgist or materials engineer-but I do trust my rigger and scrap dealer.

The comments you report really confuse me. Stainless is stainless steel. All types of steel by definition are ferrous IE alloys containing iron. So by definition, all stainless steel is also ferrous.

There are different grades of SS, the most common on boats being 304 and 316 but to say that hardware is actual stainless and rigging is partially ferrous makes no sense at all.

Regarding the magnet test, most grades of stainless steel are at least slightly magnetic. Only autenistic grades of stainless (mainly the 300 series of SS alloys) are non magnetic and even those grades will become slightly magnetic from cold working, for example when making fasteners and fittings from 316 grade.

I think your local recycler needs to learn a bit more about his field.

[AD28]

your rigger probably told you that 'cause he wants to collect the money himself. Yes, indeed, scrap houses will take rigging...