UKC

an interesting kickstarter project.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/climbdesign/littlehammer?ref=project_s...

In reply to Dan Arkle:

Great idea. Might help prevent a few bent wires and skint knuckles.

In reply to Dan Arkle:

Good idea. I was thinking along similar lines myself recently wondering about combining an automatic center-punch mechanism and a nutkey. Not worth the bother now.

jk

In reply to Dan Arkle:

$70 for a nut tool? No thanks, I'll continue smacking my gear out.

In reply to ex0:

For those less observant - it's 70 AUD, not USD. That's about £33 in proper money.

In reply to Dan Arkle:
Looks cool. Even at £33, I don't think I'll bother. Can get a cam for that money instead.

In reply to jkarran:


I had a close look at the automatic centre punch, the mechanism inside is brilliant. I don't think it could scale up for a nut key and more importantly the IP on that mechanism would be protected I'm sure.

In regards to LittleHammer's value mentioned in other posts I always knew it'd be a hard sell being the heaviest and most expensive nut key but I'm confident it's performance will win people over. Also with the $AU so low it's a good time to try one out.

Happy to answer any questions on LittleHammer here (I'm the designer).

In reply to Tim Preston:

How do you pull the spring back when hanging on one-handed? It looked in the video like it needed some force.

In reply to Dan Arkle:

At that weight and price it will need to offer a significant advantage over conventional nut keys. It's quite rare for me to leave a nut behind and I'm not convinced it would help when I do so it looks like a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

In reply to DaveHK:

I'd assumed it's more aimed at convenience than at overall application; It's never going to be able to exert as much force as smacking your nut key with a hex, but it may mean when on second even more nuts can be retrieved first tap, one handed, improving the seconding experience.

As a convenience item, I don't think it's weight will be that much of a factor (the same as having your phone in your pocket, and much less than carrying a guide or some shoes on your harness), and the cost isn't that excessive in the grand scheme of climbing.

However I assume it's success will hinge on third party review, as it's hard to tell from videos actually how much force that thing punches, and as such if it's going to make things much easier.

Tim:

I think it might be nice to show some comparatives on the force it exerts (or some stats)? Make show it cracking some eggs and blasting some polystyrene or something? Or something people can recreate easily on their own (breaking through some sheets of paper or something). Might be fun seeing what destruction you can cause in the process.

In reply to Si dH:

Look at 2:30 and it shows how you'd do this, you just hook the tip of the nut key around the krab from the quick draw or inside the nut's wire loop and pull back on the weight.
It looks like a decent design, however as other people have said it's not something which I would default to giving a second over my existing nut key (the wild country one with the leash). The majority of occasions on which I have problems with nuts being stuck it's actually not being able to tell how they slid into a weird knobbly crack.

In reply to Dan Arkle:
Superb idea and looks to be a well engineered prototype. I've just pledged $30, please make a pledge folks, let's help this project out and be part of something!

In reply to Tim Preston:

I reckon it's a good idea, my partner is really keen for it as she often has trouble removing gear...

In reply to Si dH:


I've gone for a fairly stiff spring to get the acceleration of the impact weight over that short distance. I find the spring easy to pull back, best if LittleHammer is hooked on something solid to do this, even the pro you are about to remove. The knurling on the brass impact weight is good to grip and the pulling motion quite natural with only about an inch travel to load it. I'm a pretty low level climber — HS in UK grades so my hand strength is not stellar!
We got to our Kickstarter goal today so will be going into production so expect to see one around or reviews before the end of the year.

In reply to DaveHK:


I'm confident LittleHammer's performance will let it get away with being the heaviest and most expensive nut tool!

One thing I like is that the second can have a clean ascent without hanging on the rope to release gear: they get to test themselves at the grade. I recall having struggles with gear seconding when I learnt.

Then there is the reverse impact and aid climbing where all all placements are jammed especially RP's and micro-nuts.

I guess it's how you like to deal with gear in the flow of a climb.

In reply to wilkie14c:


Thanks Dan for being one of our backers that got LittleHammer into production. We are over 100% of our funding goal with 16 days still to go. I'll be making orders with the manufactures in the next few days.

In reply to Robin Woodward:


I've done a video on my home made test bed featuring a marble on an inclined track — inspired by side show strength testers! http://climbdesign.co/2015/09/14/impact-force-and-littlehammer/

Smashing something up sounds like fun, could go as far as the "will it blend" guy and crack the screen of my phone! Hmm might think of something less expensive.

In reply to Tim Preston:

I had a notification from kickstarter to say you'd reached the goal, congrats!
I can see it being advantageous when seconding routes beyond your grade, and less time hanging off one arm fiddling with gear is going to help overall

In reply to wilkie14c:



Thanks wilkie14c. Yep I recon it's great for seconds. they can now have a clean ascent to test themselves at the grade. a great way to improve.

In reply to Tim Preston:


I'd be surprised, it's old tech, the patents should be long expired. Anyway, your solution is neat, servicable and it looks robust. Good luck with it.

jk

In reply to Gael Force:


Maybe take her out for dinner, buy her some flowers or clean the kitchen?

In reply to Dan Arkle:

Four days to go on the campaign and we've done really well with 120 backers and 143% funded. This is the best chance to get a LittleHammer for now as it might take us a while to get into regular production and distribution post-Kickstarter. A big thanks to UKClimbing readers who backed us and helped spread the word.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/climbdesign/littlehammer

In reply to Dan Arkle:

Is this any advance on the funkness device?

In reply to Fredt:

It's a completely different thing surely? I carry a nut key on pretty much every trad route I do. I've never felt the need to carry a peg hammer.

In reply to Tim:

Is this strong enough to give my partner a dead arm? If so, i'm in. I am getting a little bored of just telling him how shit he is at climbing, being able to give him a dead arm on demand seems decent value to me.

In reply to snoop6060:


It isn't designed for arms. It's designed for nuts ... ouch!

In reply to john arran:

...and peckers.

In reply to john arran:


I'm not entirely certain, but watching him wobble up even the simplest of climbs suggests to me he may not actually have any balls.

All jokes aside, your post did make me think that I could at some point imagine firing this thing at my own nuts by mistake. I've done it with every other piece of climbing gear I own in the past. Probably best I stay clear, I may want children in the future at some point. Actually scratch that.

In reply to Lemony:


I take your point, but my funkness device is a couple of old wires, and a couple of krabs, the end one of which I grip with my hand.

In reply to Fredt:


I'd say yes. Now it might not have the raw power of a the funkiness / hammer combination but it weighs much less (700g BD big wall hammer)… at last something LittleHammer is lighter than! The reverse impact of LittleHammer is unique and though small, having a direct metal to metal connection transfers all that energy. I've only mucked around with a tomahawk and haven't tried removing a piton but I recon it would get one out after a few whacks.
Speaking of hammerless climbing the forward impact of LittleHammer can be used to firm up the placement of beaks, peckers, and tomahawks.
I'm hoping aid / big wall climbers will take up LittleHammer in a big way.

In reply to Tim Preston:
Our Kickstarter campaign has finished with 159% funding, 129 backers taking 174 LittleHammers as rewards. We had 22,000 views of the video. Thanks to all the UKC readers who checked it out and backed us.

If you want to keep up with LittleHammer's progress check in on the Climb Design blog: http://climbdesign.co/littlehammer/

Production is underway and we hope to have media samples ready for review soon, a couple will be sent to UKC.