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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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Apr 10, 2009 - 07:12am PT
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Ah, but, you know, where these good things come are from?
It is California .. .. . .
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Apr 10, 2009 - 07:27am PT
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Coding...
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Ain't no flatlander
climber
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Apr 10, 2009 - 12:18pm PT
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Any plans to make Logan Hooks? How about real Z Pitons (not the Pika crap ones)? Sounds like the future of Fish Hooks is in doubt, would you consider making them too?
For those who have tried them, does the A5 Beak have any advantages over the BD Pecker?
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Apr 10, 2009 - 12:38pm PT
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Holy Moses, Deucey - his first name is Theron. And I emphatically concur with Tom - Theron Moses makes truly fine stuff.
Especially Russian Aiders, with the best hook design ever, the prototype of which needed only a few minor modifications. And which I would really really love to try in Yosemite on Monday May 18 [HINT].
And if a couple cam hooks happened to arrive in the same package with said russkies, I would actually be willing to give them a try, since I will be climbing a route for a change where I don't think I'll be too scared to use them!
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Ihateplastic
Trad climber
Lake Oswego, Oregon
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Apr 10, 2009 - 01:08pm PT
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So... 1976... Did Leeper get some inspiration? When did his come out?
EDIT: Gotta go help an old lady right now... will make a better scan later so you can read the text.
Edit^2: Hope this scan looks better now.
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sbecker
Sport climber
Meff-ferr, Oregon
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Apr 10, 2009 - 01:25pm PT
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I just ordered some yesterday... along with some dmm offset brassies!!!
w00t!
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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Apr 10, 2009 - 01:32pm PT
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Glad they are on the market again! Guess I shouldn't have hoarded so many off eBay!
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Werd
Trad climber
Bay area
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Apr 10, 2009 - 02:03pm PT
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Quick Q: which is the best size for the Yos trade routes--med or lg? I've been waiting to get my hands on a pair for a while!
Thanks
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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Apr 10, 2009 - 02:14pm PT
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Medium, but if you are getting 2 I'd get one of each. I carry 2ea.
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T Moses
Trad climber
Paso Robles
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Apr 10, 2009 - 08:02pm PT
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Duece, $12.00 I think. I only do wholesale. Mountain Tools has all of those. I made a very small batch.
Munge,not to much of a story to tell. The beaks were more of a "fun" project. They weren't available and I was pretty sure I could make them. The CNC Plasma cutter does a fair job of cutting them out. Getting the geometry right was a real trick with access to only three small ad photos. I finally borrowed one when I learned a part time partner had a few. That was after I had already cut some out. It is a really cool design. The simpleness has its own beauty and have always been a function over form kind of guy. I never have intended to reproduce a lot of them. The Tomahawks (Minerals design, which you have seen) will replace those in my line up shortly.
Cool to hear the stories of how stuff gets developed. I had a similair experience with some wire rivet hangers that I was experimenting with. They broke when you bounce tested them.
Tom, I think a modern Chouinard is a little bit of a stretch. I am not in that league, but thanks.
Healyje, yeah Ed was doing it all with foot powered machinery! I guess it kept him in shape for the long approaches. His electric bills were pretty low too. When I asked him if he had any prints or drawings he said: "No, all I have is these little bits of metal". He used an old school approach of using templates instead of dimensioned drawings. I am in no way knocking any of the methods he used. I think it's really cool that he was able to produce the quantities he did in the manner he did. Kind of like free soloing versus aid climbing. They both might get you to the same point but the experience is a little different. The man had a highly scientific approach to developing the hooks in the first place. Ed did a lot testing also. Some of the stuff just happened to be the right blend by chance. The fragile flake hooks come with a softer outer layer of aluminum that help it to "bite" into the rock. This happened because that was th way that particular metal is available. One of those unintended (but beneficial) consequences.
Ihate...that is a really interesting article. My understanding is that is about the time Ed was developing the Cam Hooks. I'll have to ask him about that.
Werd, Lambone has it right. Narrows are most used. I would definitely get one of each wide and narrow. Two of each is even better. It lets you do consecutive hook moves. Buy a whole lot so I can put my kids through a good college. Just kidding, not making a killing at this. Ask Duece about making a living at making climbing stuff. This is a side business for me. Keeps me up late into the night slaving away in the shop.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Apr 10, 2009 - 08:18pm PT
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oh yeah, Tomahawks, that's what I want to hear about.
/me salivates
Thx Chouina... er I mean Theron
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GDavis
Trad climber
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Apr 10, 2009 - 08:25pm PT
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T Moses, have you given Nomad Ventures a call? We could use some more, but we don't do very big orders. Hit us up on monday, 760-747-8223. I'd be interested to talk Bruce into picking up some! Ran out of cam hooks the day after we got Leepers' letter in the mail.
Greg
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Apr 11, 2009 - 02:23am PT
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I ordered mine yesterday. TMoses gave me the heads up a few weeks ago when I started a thread about getting my aid rack to join the century.
Many, many thanks for reviving their manufacture.
John
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Gunkie
climber
East Coast US
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Apr 11, 2009 - 08:50am PT
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Gary Polizzotto from Bloomfield NJ probably fashioned these Hangitals to fend off car jackers in the late 70's. I figure he was leading something like Nurse's Aid in the Gunks and was looking for some gear above the roof, when he reached into his pocket and found his anti-carjack device. In a desparation move, Gary probably flinged it into a horizontal crack, clipped it and took a rest. The Hangital was invented.
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Indianclimber
Trad climber
Lost Wages
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Apr 11, 2009 - 02:12pm PT
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Gear bump
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Cuckawalla
Trad climber
Grand Junction, CO
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Apr 11, 2009 - 05:48pm PT
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Any chance of making the cam hooks like Pika's with the Right Angle instead of the curve? These work way better for splitter sandstone .
-Jesse
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T Moses
Trad climber
Paso Robles
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Apr 12, 2009 - 12:39am PT
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Werner: You are welcome to come oogle the machinery anytime you are in the area. If you can ever get out of that big ugly ditch you work in. ;)
Jesse: Hmm..possible. I haven't aided any sandstone. I thought it was taboo to use cam hooks because it breaks the edge of the crack.
The handful of beaks I made are at Mountain Tools.
Cam Hooks hanging to dry after a dip in corrosion inhibiter:
Cam Hook blanks:
Thanks to Erik for really working these out. It was his tough job to go field test them. Poor guy!
Totally forgot to credit Larry at Mountain Tools with the cool photo of the Cam Hooks and stuff!
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T Moses
Trad climber
Paso Robles
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Apr 12, 2009 - 12:42am PT
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Re: Tomahawks.
Working on them right now (literally just took a break from it).
Building the taper fixture:
It should take about a month from start to finish before the first batch is available for your climbing pleasure. Expect mid May.
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WBraun
climber
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Apr 12, 2009 - 12:46am PT
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Theron
Thanks for great update & photos.
Ah .... the sweet smell of cutting oil .....
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