Capo scarring

[DesolationAngel]

This might sound like a simple question but...whenever I see an old guitar for sale somewhere and the back of the neck is like a ploughed field I want to know;

Were old time capos unpadded? Or did they just have a fierce some grip? Or am I just using my capos incorrectly?

[devellis]

I think people were just kind of careless. Some old capos had an elastic strap that went across the back of the neck. If used carefully, no problem. Other styles had a heavy spring supplying tension, with a felt pad on the part of the capo that rested on the neck. If the pad felt off, bare metal contacted the neck. I suspect those were often the culprits.