UKC

I was thinking of getting the new Petzl ice screw sharpening tool. Would be interested to hear any experience of using it, particularly on BD turbo express screws - does it do a decent job?

http://www.petzl.com/en/outdoor/verticality/anchors/ice-protection-accessor...

So far I've been sending my screws to Needlesports to be sharpened in their Grivel machine - tends to work ok but not quite as good as new. Then taking out any particularly bad nicks with a file through the season.

I know I'm being lazy and could just use a file...

Thanks

In reply to Misha: I've done mine with a file for years - I guess some of my screws are 15 yrs old now! They're still ok despite regularly touching rock and needing lots of filing.

But, if it's not too expensive I'll get the Petzl thingymajig because it looks like a clever way of doing a good job.

In reply to TobyA: £60 ish!!!!!

In reply to David Bennett:

There's going to be one installed in the CIC Hut for anyone to use as they pass by on the way up

In reply to David Bennett: Eeek. I really need to buy a new file - the handle on mine has been broken for years, so that's probably a bit under a tenner - so was thinking if the Petzl one was 20, even 30 quid, it would be fine - but 60 is a lot. Might just have to keep on filing...

In reply to Misha:
I realise this is slightly left field but you may find this interesting. This method lets you maintain the same tooth length as BD screws ship with.

http://www.adventure-science.com/files/Ice%20Screw%20Sharpening%20Procedure...

I've found this can be done without a vice or a flat file with a rounded edge.

In reply to CurlyStevo:

I'm probably no the greatest at DIY stuff and that but that pdf is the best advert for one of these sharpening tools yet lol.

cheers

Gaz

In reply to Gazlynn:
Well the good thing about doing it this way is you can make sure you maintain the original BD tooth geometry.

It takes about 10-15 mins per screw so a couple of hours at the beginning of the season each year covers the bulk of the work and then a bit of maintenance as the season goes on. It's not a big hassle.

In reply to Gazlynn:
>
> I'm probably no the greatest at DIY stuff and that but that pdf is the best advert for one of these sharpening tools yet lol.
>
> cheers
>
> Gaz

Rarely has £60 looked so cheap!! Hell, it's only the price of 1.5 new screws. Even better, you could gang together with mates and maybe pay only £15 each for a quarter share in one.

In reply to BnB:
I think for a very blunted screw (where one or more teeth has lost more than a mm or two) its still going to take quite a while to sharpen all the teeth and get the teeth the same length and the troughs the same depth. How much that really matters is debatable though, but it will make some difference. Also at some stage you'll still want to hand file off the thread from the tips of the screw.

After I've hand sharpened my screws they pretty much are as good as new.

In reply to CurlyStevo: I think one encounters those in life who are naturally "handy" and those who "bodge" if they bother at all. I am firmly of the latter camp and you can consider me jealous of your talents.

Now if I could just find something I could be good at...

In reply to BnB:
To be fair I did completely ruin one screw the first time I tried to sharpen my own screw by hand without a vice (which is how I still do it) about 6 years back or so.

In reply to CurlyStevo: What went wrong?

In reply to TobyA:
God knows, I think I was too aggressive, but it didn't look salvageable, points in the wrong place with very much the wrong geometry. The next time I got them sharpened by the grivel machine and that shortened the teeth in some cases to much shorter than a new grivel screw. After that I researched more carefully what to do and worked in small increments and developed my own technique. Later I found the article I linked which gets much the same result as my method but in less time.

In reply to Misha: try needle sports. Follow the link read the page.
http://www.needlesports.com/Catalogue/Winter-Climbing-Equipment/Ice-Protect...

I think it's worth it if you badly burr them up.

In reply to CurlyStevo:
That looks good and will while away those dark autumn nights... but given the amount of tools and stuff required and the potential to screwing up, I might as well get the Petzl tool...

In reply to WILLS:
Yes, I use this already. The Petzl thing would be instead of rather than as well as.

In reply to Misha:
Do you not find the grivel machine shortens the points a lot on bd screws? I used the Needlesports service once, but never again, my home job is a lot better.

In reply to CurlyStevo:

How come all you folk are constantly sharpening your ice screws? I can think off only one or two occasions over the past few years that I've needed to sharpen, or rather deburr one tooth with a file on hitting rock. If I feel any resistance when placing an ice screw I'll stop. If the ice is thin I'll not bother placing an ice screw in the first place.

In reply to Ron Walker:
In my first couple of seasons I blunted a few screws going in to rock quite badly. I do find it less of a problem now a days.

Recently I've introduced a friend to winter climbing, he has now blunted a one or two of my screws pretty badly.

I always go through mine at the end of the season and after that WD40 them anyway and will always at least sharpen the main edges / points a little. From there I check them before each trip, quite often nothing needs doing, but occasionally I'll sharpen them as required.

I find it makes a noticeable difference....

In reply to TobyA:
talk about skating on this ice! impressive that you can actually climb ice that thin!

In reply to CurlyStevo: It's always counted as "practice for something", we've never worked out what exactly though, next Nov. for when you find yourself doing pretty much the same thing again most likely!

Same wall, different Nov. http://lightfromthenorth.blogspot.fi/2006/11/winter-has-arrived.html

In reply to CurlyStevo:
Yes, it does shorten them a bit but they work ok.

Ron - due to too much climbing in Wales!

In reply to Misha:
I found the longer the teeth the easier to get the bite started. I reshaped mine back to more like BD ones over time.

In reply to Ron Walker: Alpine ice screws them up pretty bad.

In reply to CurlyStevo:
Yes true.

So sounds like no one's used it yet. Might have to bite the bullet.

In reply to Misha: I had a quick play with a sample at Glenmore Lodge last winter. I used it on the 'front of house' screws (BD) in stores there which are usually the ones that get quite a bit of abuse from students. In 5 minutes I too 2 screws from poor condition (burrs and quite blunt) to 'quite good'. It was quite intuitive to use and didn't appear to alter the shape of the teeth too much (although it is designed for Petzl screws). I was however fairly short of time and didn't try to get the screws to a high level of sharpness. Hope that helps a little.

In reply to AlH:
Thanks, that's good feedback.

In reply to Misha: club kit I think Misha?

In reply to Misha:
Not enough of the committee do winter climbing....

In reply to Misha: I've used it quite a bit, should have said earlier. It's super easy to use and I found it does a better job than I was doing, and I smugly thought I was pretty good. I think you still need a round file to finish of the base of the teeth but not every time, only when a ridge build up. Also because the devise is so short you don't tend to over do it as you can seriously do with a larger file. It makes it a quick and easy job which it wasn't before.

In reply to Misha: They don't because its scary - hard to place gear - easier with sharp screws and winter kit expensive- less so if we buy some club kit. We are a mountaineering club after all. Think some Lynxs would be good club kit too - I could look after them.

In reply to ColdWill:
Thanks for the feedback. Seems not many people have used it yet as it's new but some good feedback. Will put it on the shopping list I think.

In reply to philhilo:
I'll leave you to persuade the committee on that one!