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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Nov 28, 2008 - 11:48pm PT
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hey there don... say, i just cut in here from the newest post, and back-tracked some... say, i just read the MASKING TAPE swamie belt story... oh my :O
whewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww... truth strangaer than fiction type stuff... man, oh, man...
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Nov 29, 2008 - 12:08am PT
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hey there don... say, i am very sorry to hear this story of the loss of your friend... very sad...
he must have thought a lot of you, to have called you...
thank you so very kind for sharing, or, i would not ever have known of this special man...
i'll put this bit of quote from one of the post of yours, done by another man:
"The name William Feuerer was known in the Yosemite and southern California climbing communities, but the "Dolt" was known to the entire climbing world. Bill "Dolt" Feuerer's identity as designer and manufacturer of the ultimate in technical climbing hardware overshadowed his considerable reputation as a Yosemite and California technical climbing pioneer. "
thank you for teaching me this... and thank you for bearing your heart, concerning a dear friend... i wish his life had not ended so sadly--but the wishing, is, more sadly, too late...
god bless, and uphold you...
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Nov 30, 2008 - 11:58am PT
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I just reread Mark's piece and perhaps it was a proud and righteous piss! "I have just become the first man on the face of this earth to piss in Dolt Hole!" The rising of the territorial Dolt! LOL
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BBA
Social climber
West Linn OR
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Jun 14, 2009 - 12:51pm PT
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In October 1958 I started climbing. After a fall and winter at Stoney Point, I needed equipment for roped climbs at Tahquitz. I'd met the Dolt at Stoney Point and wondered why he liked his nickname. Seemed odd and not respectful, so I called him Bill and he called me Amborn. In any case, he was a nice guy, quiet and thoughtful.
Being at UCLA and a poor student in more ways than one, I could walk down to Sawtelle Blvd to the Dolt Hut and chat with Bill and buy a piton or two as that was all my budget would allow. Guido's 1960 catalog had a lot more items than I recall being in stock. For example, Chouinard had not yet gotten Alcoa Aluminum to cast his style of carabiners when I first visited the Dolt Hut. I kept the Dolt Hut catalog from 1958 and later my Mom saw the front picture being of Kat Pinnacle (named after her father), and she copied the front page and so it was saved. She covered up Mark Powell's name (sorry Mark). I tossed or lost the full catalog long ago.
Bill spoke slowly and something he said made an impression on me due to its existential cast, so I put it in my 1956 Climber's Guide to Tahquitz Rock at the time, about when I was ready to leave UCLA for UC Berkeley. It has a touch of irony, considering Bill's death.
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Jan
Mountain climber
Okinawa, Japan
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Jun 17, 2009 - 11:18am PT
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I'm not sure why, but I never met Dolt, only heard many references to him over the years. Thank you for so vividly acquainting me with him.
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Jun 26, 2009 - 06:20pm PT
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BBA
I have the 1958 Dolt Catalog on my computer from when we scanned everything last summer but can't seem to get it loaded for some odd reason. Will work on that as it is way cool.
cheers
Joe
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scuffy b
climber
Sinatra to Singapore
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Jun 26, 2009 - 08:46pm PT
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The cover illustration to the Tahquitz guide...
Isn't that from a piece in Belaying the Leader?
Something like the Smiley Company, who made rubber pitons?
(EZ in, EZ out)
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Anastasia
climber
Not here
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Jun 27, 2009 - 12:02am PT
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Bump for an incredible thread!
:)AF
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Jun 27, 2009 - 01:05am PT
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A couple of Dolt photos from the Wilts guide to Tahquitz.
Anyone recognize the climber in the stylish hat and sneakers?
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T Moses
Big Wall climber
Paso Robles
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Thanks for posting all the great stories. He seemed to be a true pioneer and craftsman. Like many of the shining lights, he seemed to have burned bright and fast, leaving us too early. Those are some big footsteps to follow in.
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Ray Olson
Trad climber
Imperial Beach, California
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Don Lauria,
I love all your posts here,
your candor, humor and insights are
really appreciated.
Thank you sir.
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lostinshanghai
Social climber
someplace
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Don
Knew and got these from Dolt a few years back. These were downdoaded last year on previous site.
Would like your comments on the production of these babies and I recall back then at his shop we talked about Viet Nam and he was quite upset about a couple of things.
Would like to know if he discussed or talked about it with you.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Man, that is one beautiful set of Dolt nuggets!!! Thanks for posting it again. Did you buy anything else from him?
Guido- Thanks for posting that superb catalog. Amazing resource on so many fronts. It is the best snapshot of what YC was putting out before Tom Frost entered the picture and began designing the dies that revolutionized piton production.
Tom was a close friend of the Dolt's and best man at Bill's wedding. Unfortunately, when Tom began working with YC the Dolt felt deeply betrayed and he never really recovered from the blow. YC had the business sense that the Dolt lacked, so the success of Chouinard Equipment was something that he took personally and to the grave. He was a brilliant designer and Tom was really his only peer.
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lostinshanghai
Social climber
someplace
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Steve,
Kept the long pin never used it, prefect condition, have other pins put them away but use the Key hold hangers once in awhile when needed.
When I was at school and living in the area and would visit the Hut or his shop Bill felt that his ideas were being copied, Looking back those years UK, EU [Eiger], CY were all working on the same premise. Who really copied who or whom.
Spider nuts had to be his.
As for the colouring or Iodized had to be his idea as well. My thinking, I could be wrong since he was working for Aircraft Co., some had to come there.
One thing to note is holes are at the end, a couple of months or a year later CY came up with them inside to take advantage of the design to work more efficient? Dolt came out with his. Who was at first or was it EU.
????????????????????????????????
Any thoughts
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lostinshanghai
Social climber
someplace
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Sorry CY should have read YC for Chouinard.
Hey, Haven't had anything to drink yet.
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Wow, what a thread! I, too, never met Dolt, but my Doltster is still one of my prized possessions.
John
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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The set of nuts that you have are a classic case in point as to why the Dolt had trouble in the marketplace. Those two designs were intended to be threaded on full length runners carried over the shoulder as was common practice long before any sort of quickdraw came into use. As pearls on a string, each runner would have a couple of nuggets that could be jammed as chocks.
The Dolt simply didn't have any market driven ability to self edit based on practicality. Of the 22 nuts shown, four or five of the cylindrical knurled ones would have been plenty to cover the entire practical size range that you would need. Bill was too obsessive to see that. He labored over the many possible variations and produced beautiful nuggets that the market just wouldn't support. YC and Tom sold two shapes in 1972, Stoppers and Hexentrics in an appropriate range of sizes. The Dolt sent to market at least dozen! I am sure that he loved every one of them and fussed endlessly over them to but was hopelessly lost in the aesthetics of it all.
Here is a Dolt ad from Summit in 1968. Eighteen shapes!
Thanks to Stephane (nutstory) this is what most of them looked like from ads in Summit from 1969.
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S.Leeper
Sport climber
Austin, Texas
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What a poignant thread. Thank you for giving us a glimpse into a complex life.
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karabin museum
Trad climber
phoenix, az
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WELCOME TO THE DOLT SHOW!!!
Dolt Spidernuts and Trunuts - Row 1 is uncolored Spidernuts. Spidernuts can also be called Crudnuts and have a knureled outer finish. Row 2 colored Spidernuts. Spidernuts (uncolored) first mention shows photo is Summit mag June 1969 pg 38.
Row 3 is uncolored Trunuts. Row 4-5 is a full set of colored Trunuts. In my searching, 99% of the time I see colored Spidernuts or Trunuts. They are quite common. I do not see very many uncolored ones. It is interesting that the first Trunut mention is Summit mag Oct 68 pg 34. But in Summit mag March 1971 pg 29 Dolt shows and ad announcing "16 Colornuts" which suggest his Trunuts and Spidernuts have gone colored. So Dolt must of sold a lot of these colornuts between March 1971 and Dec 1971(death). The uncolored nuts went from Oct 68 to March 1971 and they are harder to find. Trunuts (uncolored) are shown in photo in Summit mag March 1969 pg 32.
Dolt Bashchocks - Two hole Bashchock or one hole Bashchock. There was no real rhyme or reason to these square chocks as far as numbers went. I believe that Dolt renumbered the size range three times, where at one time there were 14 sizes. First mention is Summit mag Oct 1968 pg 36. Photo shown in Summit mag March 1969 pg 38.
Dolt Kernlchock - (with sling), one size available. First mention Summit mag Oct 1968 pg 38. Photo shown in Summit mag March 1969 pg 36.
Dolt Cornchock - one size - first mention shows photo Summit mag March 1969 pg 36.
Dolt Narrochock - hole through ends with wide taper sides. First mention Summit mag Oct 1968 pg 38. Stamped "N1"
Dolt Hipchock or Nutchock - three sizes shown. First mention Summit mag Oct 1968 pg 38. Not 100% sure on correct name of these nuts.
Dolt Blockchock - far right row three sizes shown. First mention Summit mag Oct 1968 pg 38. I am guessing these are Blockchocks since they are perfectly square on the tops of the nuts.
Dolt Gruvychock- A realy cool nut! One size. First mention photo shown Summit mag March 1969 pg 37. Original owner Don Lauria.
Teechock - First mention Summit mag Oct 1968 pg 38. Photo shown Summit mag March 1969 pg 37. This Teechock has angle to cord side where Summit mag shows straight across design. Original owner TM Herbert.
Dolt Saddlechocks C - Cable version first mention shows photo Summit mag March 1969 pg 36.
Dolt Saddlechocks - First mention Summit mag Nov 1967 pg 34. Photo shown Summit mag March 1969 pg 37. Please note: the cord on the large #12 Saddlewedge is tied with two opposing hangman noose knots. First time I have ever seen this knot used this way.
Doltbit - two hole Doltbit - First mention Summit mag Nov 1967 pg 34. Photo show Summit mag Jan/Feb 1969 pg 27.
Doltjack - I love this piece! Original owner Jim Bridwell. First mention Summit mag May 1967 pg 28. Photo shown Summit mag Jan/Feb 1969 pg 27. Photo also shown in 1967 dolt catalog.
Dolt Backpackers Sewing Awl - With instructions! First mention Summit mag Nov 1967 pg 36. Photo shown Summit mag May 1969 pg 40. Original owner Tom Taber.
Dolt Ballpoint Pen - How many of these do you think still exist? Original owner Don Lauria. Thanks Don, I love this pen, and it still writes. True sign of Dolt. Circa sometime 1966 to 1971.
Dolt Patches - Left patch is original Dolt. First mention shows photo Summit mag July/August 1969 pg 36. Right patch is new Dolt circa sometime after 1971.
Dolthangers - Top left angle hanger was not mass produced. Possibly a prototype. Middle top hanger is the only hanger I have ever seen that was designed to be stepped on. Dolt put a tip on the top edge to catch the rubber of your climbing boot. Circa 1960. Top row right hanger is Dolts 1960 top seller. First mention shows photo Dolt 1960 catalog. Bottom row left is that old beer can tab style hanger. Model 1/4 H. First mention Summit mag May 1967 pg 28. Photo shown in Dolt 1967 catalog. Bottom center left hanger is Model 3/8 HK keyhole hanger. First mention Summit mag May 1967 pg 28. Photo shown 1967 Dolt catalog. Also photo shown Summit mag Oct 1968 pg 34. Bottom row center right is Dolthanger model 1/4V which is chrome plated. Bridwell said this hanger was a rare piece one of a kind. First mention Summit mag May 1967 pg 28. Photo shown in 1967 Dolt catalog but not chromed. Looks somewhat like the hanger SMC created in 1974....hmmm. Bottom row right is original 1957 DOLDT hanger. Dolt stamped all of his personal gear DOLDT in 1957 and became Dolt in 1958. This hanger is an original ladder bolt hanger from Texas Flake to Boot Flake from the FA ascent of the Nose route in Yosemite. This hanger is seen in a photo from the book "Vertical World of Yosemite", Galen Rowell, pg 45 (bottom of gear photo).
Top piton is a gift from Dolt to Jim Bridwell late 1959. Super heavy prototype welded angle. It looks like it was beaten to hell but yet there is not a dent on it! Jim told me that he hated draging this piece up the walls, but yet it was indestructable.
Nutcracker - Titanium nut tool (the non-piton). Only 12 of these were produced. Length 7 1/2" . Original owner Don Lauria.
Nutcracker - CrMo steel nut tool (the Non-piton). Original owner Jay Fiske to Eric Kohl.
Doltpeg - The original baby!!! Stardolt 5 supersteel!!! First mentioned Summit mag May 1967 pg 28. Photo shown Summit mag Nov 1968 pg 26. Photo also shown in Dolt 1967 catalog.
Doltpeg blank - unforged Dolt blank. Original owner Don Lauria.
Dolt Littlepeg front - Littlepeg piton made of bronze and still has mfg tags attached. Yellow tag has Bill Dolt signature in ball point pen, blue tag has mfg logo stamp. Both tags are tied to the Littlepeg piton. Can you imagine if he put these tags on all of the products he created, and signed every one of them.....wow! First mention Summit mag June 1969 pg 44. Photo Summit mag July/August 1969 pg 43.
Dolt Littlepeg back - Yellow tag shows item stamp, blue tag shows three patent numbers.
Doltseat - of course it was created with Dolt-tex fabric. First mention Summit mag July/Aug 1969 pg 69.
Doltsling - first mention Summit mag Nov 1967 pg 34. Has a sewn on small Dolt logo tag.
Pulleydolt - Two styles. Pulleydolt no. 2 and no. 1SL.
first mention shows photos Oct 1968 pg 34.
I still have many more items but presently they are in display cases at the gym. Dolt chalkbag, posters, Ringdolt rap ring, different color Doltster Hammer holsters, Doltrope, catalogs, pins, more Doltjacks, a few more hangers, and other of Dolt's personal items.
William Dolt Feurer was a really amazing character! He had this need to create something special for every climber out there. First noted mfg to create nuts in the USA! First annodized (colored) nuts created in the world?
Rock on! Marty
Karabin Climbing Museum
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