UKC

Servicing Crampons & Axes

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 Mattlloyd10 18 Feb 2017
Hi, just wondered if there are any places that service crampons and tools. Mainly just sharpen etc.
I am in Worksop (Notts) and think they are well overdue.
Thanks in anticipation.
Matt
1
 CurlyStevo 18 Feb 2017
In reply to Mattlloyd10:

Just learn to do it your self it's easy!
 GarethSL 18 Feb 2017
In reply to Mattlloyd10:

If you are desperate Needle sports do an ice screw sharpening service

http://www.needlesports.com/3873/ice-screw-sharpening.aspx

But seriously, find a vice and a decent file and do your gear yourself. Ice screws can be done easily by hand with a small file set, ice axe picks are dead easy, i.e. just sharpen it back to original shape. Crampons are the same and even easier if you can remove the front points.

Don't use a grinder and sandwich any metal-ware between blocks of wood.

If you don't have access to a good vice, a few sheets of cardboard, a G-clamp, some wooden blocks and a kitchen table work just as well.
1
 TobyA 18 Feb 2017
In reply to GarethSL:

> If you don't have access to a good vice, a few sheets of cardboard, a G-clamp, some wooden blocks and a kitchen table work just as well.

I've never had any problems just holding the tool or crampon with one hand and using the file with the other. Don't think I've ever used a vice. In Finland I often used to chuck my file pack and sharpen things at the crag if they needed it.
2
 tspoon1981 19 Feb 2017
In reply to Mattlloyd10:

Everyone seems to have said the same thing, just do it yourself. If you're really unsure a quick Google will bring up plenty of how to videos.

youtube.com/watch?v=nJ_U2PerLFY&

Head to Wilkos, buy some tools and have a go. Unless Wilkos has closed, I haven't been back to Worksop since I left for university.
 Sharp 19 Feb 2017
In reply to Mattlloyd10:

I've met people who climb VI and upwards and don't sharpen a thing, personally it gives me confidence on brittle ice to have sharper picks but it's best done sparingly. Half an hour spent beautifully sharpening and honing your picks into delicate points will be undone in a few metres of scottish mixed. A lot of people have two sets of picks and save their sharp ones for when they need them. It's also a good opportunity to change the shape of the pick to aid with penetration and removal. I don't bother sharpening my crampons because they'll probably be blunt again by the time the bottom of the route comes up but then again i don't really climb any water ice. I like to use a quick clamp to clamp the axe to a bench with the pick hanging over the edge and then flip for the other side. Couple of useful articles:

https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=163
https://andy-kirkpatrick.com/articles/view/winter_climbing_booster
2
 Pina 19 Feb 2017
In reply to Mattlloyd10:

As mentioned above, a lot of folk don't really sharpen their picks for mixed. Every time you sharpen them you lose some steel so is a weigh off between buying picks less often or having sharp picks. Of doing both ice and mixed it's definitely worth having dedicated picks as the ice picks will last a long time and it overall saves a lot on sharpening. Same goes for crampons (easy with removal front points).

If sharpening for mixed, bear in mind it's only the shape you need to file back in. You're just looking to get a front tooth again so just need to file down the front of the pick but can leave out the tapering which is only useful on ice.

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