UKC

Has anyone messed around with their DMM picks to help them perform a bit better in pure ice? I don't feel like I'm getting anywhere near the quality of sticks that I used to get with Nomics and am wondering if a bit of tuning could help with that.

In reply to grubbers:

I thought this was pretty much a standard thing done by everyone.
In fact i started a thread about it on here years back:
http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=380489

Could be some interesting stuff in there.

In reply to grubbers:

Pegler's used to modify picks, with DMM's approval I believe. Certainly there were DMM axes around on Pegler's Ice Fests that were far more Piolet Stiletto than Piolet Claymore.

A thinner pick will displace less ice - but be less strong.

It would be reasonable to assume that DMM pick shapes are cut according to DMM's perception of the best compromise between placement quality and strength, given indeterminate user competence. Ergo, if you consider yourself to be a competent user, get busy with a file, but don't go bleating to DMM if it breaks.

It may also just be that the geometry of one axe is better suited your personal geometry than another. If you still have a Nomic it might be worth a side by side comparison to see if an adjustment in swing might be the answer.

Comparing one axe to another directly also rather implies that the ice is a constant, which isn't necessarily so.

In reply to nniff:


Not if they're being compared for a specific use, I suppose, waterfall ice rather than Scottish mixed?

In reply to Timmd:


well even waterfall ice will be different at -1 compared to -10 or 20.

In reply to grubbers:

I took a round file to the picks and changed the angle from the tip to the first tooth. I think that will be the change that I needed to make. I'll post up some pictures of what I did later.