Version B,
Version C
Version
E[ Top | Version B | Version C | Version D | Version E | Return to Figure Eights ]
I don't have a record of when I acquired this figure eight, but I am fairly certain that it was in the mid-1970s.
The CMI Standard, Version A is forged from aluminum alloy and then hard anodized. Mine is 136 mm. tall, 73 mm. wide, and 16 mm. thick. The rope hole is 45 mm. high and 51 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 11 mm. The shaft length and width are 46 mm. and 25 mm, respectively. The eye measures 26 mm. by 25 mm. My eight weighs 111 g. in the used condition shown in the photo.
The front side of the shaft has "Cmi" in raised letters.
The CMI Standard, Version A is a typical example of a full size, forged, aluminum eight. The hard coating on this eight works very well. I've used these eights (I have several) on muddy cave ropes for years, and they hold up well, but once the coating wears through, its time to replace the eight. After the coating is breached - like it is on this one, they wear quickly - like most eights, but sometimes the anodized layer develops a sharp edge. The CMI standard eights have a nice shape with gentle curves that normally give a smooth rappel. Their eye is not designed for belaying.
[ Top | Version A | Version C | Version D | Version E | Return to Figure Eights ]
I don't have a record of when I acquired this figure eight, but I am fairly certain that it was in the late-1970s.
The CMI Standard, Version B is forged from aluminum alloy and then hard anodized. Mine is 137 mm. tall, 72 mm. wide, and 17 mm. thick. The rope hole is 44 mm. high and 51 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 12 mm. The shaft length and width are 47 mm. and 25 mm, respectively. The eye measures 25 mm. by 25 mm. My eight weighs 120 g.
The front side of the shaft has "Cmi" in raised letters, and the rear has "ALCOA," also in raised letters.
Version B is almost identical to Version A. I acquired it after using Version A started showing some wear after a couple year's use. The dimensions are slightly different, but this may be accidental. The unambiguous difference is that Version B has "ALCOA" forged on the back, while Version A does not.
[ Top | Version A | Version B | Version D | Version E | Return to Figure Eights ]
I acquired two of these eights from Craig Kubanoff in 2007.
The CMI Standard, Version C is forged from aluminum alloy and then hard anodized. Mine are 138 mm. tall, 73 mm. wide, and 16 mm. thick. The rope hole is 45 mm. high and 51 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 11 mm. The shaft length and width are 46 mm. and 25 mm., respectively. The eye measures 26 mm. by 26 mm. My Version C eights each weigh 110 g.
The front side of the shaft has "Cmi" in raised letters.
One of my CMI Standard, Version C eights is black and the other gray. The only difference between Version A and Version C is a tiny difference in a mark forged on the rear of the eight: it is filled in Version A and outlined in Version C. It serves no functional purpose to the user. I acquired my two CMI Standard, Version C eights as part of a large assortment of climbing gear which included among many carabiners, chocks, SLCDs, and ice screws, two pairs of Clog, Version A eccentric cam ascenders, a Salewa 9/11 with spring, Version B Sticht plate, and the item I was most interested in, another Famau descender. One of the Version C eights will go into use with the rest of my regular climbing gear.
[ Top | Version A | Version B | Version C | Version E | Return to Figure Eights ]
I acquired this eight from On Rope 1 in 2002.
The CMI Standard, Version D is forged from aluminum alloy. Mine is 136 mm. tall, 73 mm. wide, and 16 mm. thick. The rope hole is 45 mm. high and 51 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 11 mm. The shaft length and width are 46 mm. and 25 mm, respectively. The eye measures 26 mm by 26 mm. My Version D eight weighs 106 g.
The front side of the shaft has "Cmi" in raised letters, and the rear has "MBS," "44.5 KN," and "10000 LB.," also in raised letters.
Version D is essentially the same as Versions A, B, and C except it is unfinished. Without the hard coating, it will wear much faster than the superior earlier versions.
[ Top | Version A | Version B | Version C | Version D | Return to Figure Eights ]
I acquired this eight from from Larry Moore in 2007.
The CMI Standard, Version E is forged from aluminum alloy and then hard anodized. Mine is 138 mm. tall, 73 mm. wide, and 16 mm. thick. The rope hole is 45 mm. high and 51 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 12 mm. The shaft length and width are 46 mm. and 26 mm., respectively. The eye measures 25 mm. by 25 mm. My Version E eight weighs 119 g.
The front side of the shaft has "Cmi" in raised letters, and the rear has "FORGED" and "M," also in raised letters.
Version E is essentially the same as Version D except for the different format used for "Cmi" on the front, and different words forged on the back.
[ Top | Version A | Version B | Version C | Version D | Version E ]
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©2008, Gary D. Storrick