UKC

Drytooling axe geometry?

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 iksander 21 Nov 2010
I've been struck by how much more unstable placements are when you choke up higher towards the head of the tool for long reaches.

Got me thinking that for radically curved tools (that offer a lot of clearance and a "trucker honk" pull up handle at the bottom of the tool), when you choke up, a much smaller component of your weight is pulling down on the pick, so placements are more likely to pop.

I know all is compromise, but seems ironic that (all other things being equal) a straight handled tool would probably perform better when choked up as your hand would be nearer to the rock, so a bigger component of your weight would be downwards, making placements more secure.
 figfour 22 Nov 2010
In reply to iksander:

yeah, but even a straight shafted tool will be less stable on the upper griprest as a smaller amount of movement at a higher point on the shaft is needed to move the pick the same amount, a left to right 'wiggle' of a few degrees when you're on the upper grip position is equivalent to a much bigger wriggle on the lower handle as it moves in a tighter arc, this is partly why all tools feel 'twitchier' choked up.

Grivel's Quantum Monster competition tools tried to reduce the difference in 'feel' between the two positions by overlapping them, making the upper grip position closer to the wall and a little lower but as you say this compromises clearance and the number of ways the axe can be used (daggering, plunging etc) so is unlikely to be adopted in 'proper' (ie. for climbing real ice / snow / rock rather than competition DT / ice) axe design.
 GrahamD 22 Nov 2010
In reply to iksander:

Why not make the axe 20m long and put rungs on it ?
OP iksander 22 Nov 2010
In reply to GrahamD: Funny you should mention rungs... I've been doodling something with horizontal rung like grips. On the facetious front, how about a 20cm shaft of greased up plasticine?
 Reach>Talent 22 Nov 2010
In reply to GrahamD:
Why not make the axe 20m long and put rungs on it ?

Because that would be a parrot perch I think (looks lie half a ladder with a big skyhook on the top).


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