Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
| Messages 1 - 39 of total 39 in this topic |
H
Mountain climber
there and back again
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - Jan 11, 2011 - 10:14pm PT
|
Hey can some of you aficionados help me with where this axe comes from, the age, etc. Steve Grossman, Clint what do you think.
,
|
|
H
Mountain climber
there and back again
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 11, 2011 - 10:32pm PT
|
Right Charles. That was fast.
I posted this and then realized I forgot to put them in.
Hows that now?
|
|
Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
|
|
|
Jan 11, 2011 - 10:40pm PT
|
I blame Hamish McInnes for the permanent damage that thing caused to my hands.
Edit: That's a clue, by the way. Look closely at the scraped-up logo. And also, although Jim says Medieval, I think you have to go a lot further back. Way, way, way back. To the Jurassic. Or so.
|
|
H
Mountain climber
there and back again
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 11, 2011 - 10:55pm PT
|
Thanks Guys,
I can always rely on you all. To cheer me up. I thought it might be a Hamish torture device even though there Mc was missing. There seemed to be much more of the label to the right of whats left.
|
|
LuckyPink
climber
the last bivy
|
|
|
Jan 11, 2011 - 11:00pm PT
|
McInnes Terrodactyl mid 60's??
Edit: you might find it in an old Chouinard catalog
|
|
corniss chopper
climber
not my real name
|
|
|
Jan 11, 2011 - 11:01pm PT
|
Otzi! Definitely the man.
The story they put together for him may be right or not. Still heroic.
I used 2 broken
branches as daggers to cross from Anne L to the GraveYard lakes once.
Needed them for sure.
|
|
bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
|
|
|
Jan 11, 2011 - 11:04pm PT
|
prototype for that puppy was "the message."
|
|
H
Mountain climber
there and back again
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 11, 2011 - 11:09pm PT
|
Sounds right Mo. What year???
and how about the leather holder. No distinguishing marks other than a small boarder. I'll see if I can hold the camera still enough and take another shot.
|
|
Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
|
|
|
Jan 11, 2011 - 11:20pm PT
|
'73-'75 I'd say
|
|
Todd Eastman
climber
Bellingham, WA
|
|
|
Jan 11, 2011 - 11:21pm PT
|
That Terrordactyl is from the mid-1970s and likely has crappy soft steel for the pick that bends really easily.
|
|
Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
|
|
|
Jan 11, 2011 - 11:26pm PT
|
Could be as late as 78. We had one like that in a store I worked in Laramie in 77-78.
it was supposed to be the sh#t, but I was saving my $1.90/hr for wall gear* on pro deal.
*Also Titons, I-beams and green Shoenards
|
|
H
Mountain climber
there and back again
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 11, 2011 - 11:34pm PT
|
here is some more pictures. The pick seems strong enough. Were there variations over the years?
,
|
|
LuckyPink
climber
the last bivy
|
|
|
Jan 11, 2011 - 11:44pm PT
|
what is that tied into it.. kermantle or nylon? (probably not original) I thought that McInnes was before the chouinard piolets.. but I don't know much about this .. just from the literature
|
|
Todd Eastman
climber
Bellingham, WA
|
|
|
Jan 12, 2011 - 12:23am PT
|
that's polypro...
|
|
grover
climber
The Gar, BC.
|
|
|
Jan 12, 2011 - 12:38am PT
|
Picked one up at a yardsale years ago, best
10$ I eva spent.
The leash is the same orange poly, go figure.
Took it into the bugs once as a 'just in case' tool.
All I remember is cold bashed knuckles.....;)
|
|
Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
|
|
|
Jan 12, 2011 - 01:37am PT
|
Odd tools. Maybe best suited for hoarfrost over rock? Yikes...
Who knows some Roostertool history?
|
|
Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
|
|
|
Jan 12, 2011 - 01:40am PT
|
Was there any ice climbing tool or axe manufactured in the 1970s that one didn't bash one's knuckles to bits with?
|
|
Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
|
|
|
Jan 12, 2011 - 11:11am PT
|
I think the longer tools, ala a Chouinard Zero, with a classic pick, tended to not bash the knuckles some, but, even my Cobras will get my pinkies every now and then. That is, until I installed those pinky rests on my tools. Now? Rare that I bash a knuckle.
Seems like the newer leashless tools don't knuckle bash as much either. Same reason, having a pinky rest hook gives some protection.
|
|
Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
|
|
|
Jan 12, 2011 - 11:23am PT
|
I'm amazed anybody ever bought those Terros with the adze. To my mind they
were worthless - what were you supposed to do with that thing? They also
lacked 'heft' and that adze was freaking dangerous if you were in a tight awkward
position, like this...
Terro terror in the Hamish Hood
|
|
Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
|
|
|
Jan 12, 2011 - 11:31am PT
|
Why do you think they call it a learning "Curve"?
|
|
ground_up
Trad climber
mt. hood /baja
|
|
|
Jan 12, 2011 - 11:55am PT
|
Reilly.....that pic is awesome .... most shots you see make the climber
look suave and at ease so to speak .... that looks on the edge !
thanks
|
|
H
Mountain climber
there and back again
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 12, 2011 - 12:14pm PT
|
Thanks Brian. I was trying to remember who all the gear freaks were. Sorry I did not remember you. Nice collection there. I imagine the hammers are rare.
Any ideas on the holster?
|
|
Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
|
Jan 12, 2011 - 12:16pm PT
|
We got gear...We got freaks..You got Terror...dactyls! LOL
Brian- You and the Roosters are on your own! LOL
RDB may know something.
|
|
Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
|
|
|
Jan 12, 2011 - 12:18pm PT
|
Any ideas on the holster?
Not marked at all? I don't recognize it. Could be custom, from a cobbler, etc.
If you put "terrordactyl" in a search here on the 'taco, you'll see a bunch of stuff on those McInnes tools.
|
|
steelmnkey
climber
Vision man...ya gotta have vision...
|
|
|
Jan 12, 2011 - 12:19pm PT
|
Another example...
|
|
philo
Trad climber
Somewhere halfway over the rainbow
|
|
|
Jan 12, 2011 - 12:22pm PT
|
Those terrors were brutal. Fit for neanderthals and retro-simians only.
Some of my knuckles still look like cauliflowers from the dark ages of ice climbing.
Awesome pic Reilly!
Hey Steelmnkey nice reservoir tip on your axe condom.
|
|
Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
|
|
|
Jan 12, 2011 - 12:28pm PT
|
ps
That's what they call a 'gully' in Scotland.
Or at least that's what they tell gullible Yanks.
|
|
RDB
Social climber
wa
|
|
|
Jan 12, 2011 - 12:33pm PT
|
Weiners! Ye all weiners I say. Or was that whiners ;)
Terro was a fine tool ;-)
Todd has it right..the picks would bend. Yours is most likely '73 to '76 vintage and all original. Clogg holster I suspect. Reilly!!?? GD it! How dare ye besmirtch me Terro adze? Saved me on many a slush fest high on some nasty dragon. Just had to hook and hang :)
Who said that? I am too "normal".
|
|
Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
|
|
|
Jan 12, 2011 - 02:04pm PT
|
Reilly.....that pic is awesome .... most shots you see make the climber look suave and at ease so to speak .... that looks on the edge!
Ha ha. Just rotate it 90 degrees clockwise and you'll get the truth. He's just lying on some snow!
|
|
JBC
Trad climber
Tacoma, WA
|
|
|
Jan 12, 2011 - 02:25pm PT
|
I'm amazed anybody ever bought those Terros with the adze. To my mind they were worthless - what were you supposed to do with that thing?
The Scots used the adze in place of a pick when the snow was to soft to hold a pick. Now why anybody would want to climb something that REQUIRED using the adze for forward progress is what I want to know! :)
Jim
|
|
Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
|
|
|
Jan 12, 2011 - 02:33pm PT
|
It was a bit of a rhetorical question. I just figgered I would do more
damage to my beautiful nose with it than reap its benefits.
Ghost,
You couldn't let 'em think it was real for another page or so?
|
|
klk
Trad climber
cali
|
|
|
Jan 12, 2011 - 03:13pm PT
|
yeah, those tools were specifically developed for scottish winter with its weird mixes of hoarfrost, verglas, and iced-cracks. it's killer if you think of it as a hook with a handle rather than something you swing.
look at that tool and imagine the situations in which it would actually be useful-- if that doesn't make you want to avoid scottish ice climbing, nothing will.
|
|
Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
|
|
|
Jan 12, 2011 - 03:33pm PT
|
Nice Terrordactyl.
The Roosterheads that Brian posted had that second leading point down on the handle which helped greatly for knuckle protection.
Actually you had to learn how to swing with more of a rotation, or else the lower point would hit first and wreck your swing.
My partner used a Terrodactyl (until Hummingbirds came out) and bashed knuckles were a big problem.
I had a Roosterhead and was pretty much unscathed.
I don't know much about the company history behind Roosterheads, but I bought mine mail order, either after seeing an ad in Climbing magazine, or maybe after Michael Kennedy showed me one (en route to Telluride).
I still remember when it arrived, packed in newspaper!
|
|
RDB
Social climber
wa
|
|
|
Jan 12, 2011 - 04:56pm PT
|
Roosterheads?
BITD we were tired of bending and replacing Terros. Roosters came out and I thought they were the sh#t once you cut that extra spike off. Hard to get in a holster that.
I was working at a shop part time back then and talked to the owner/maker and he was excited I liked them. At one point in the conversation He offered to send me a free pair. Big deal back then as no one gave things away..well at least not to me.
But then we got deeper into the discussion on how the heads were tearing off when you pounded snargs or just rock pins. Picks didn't bend but loosing the heads was an issue. I think he hung up on me (certainly the conversation came to an screaching halt anyway) when I told him I didn't like the extra spike and had been cutting them off mine.
Never saw those free tools ;)
Mugs used a Curver and a Roosterhead on Moonflower btw. And I though.."that will not end well" as we went over the 'shrund together.
Injun, not the arrow, I guess on that one.
|
|
MassiveD
Trad climber
|
|
|
Mar 20, 2015 - 11:22pm PT
|
" Hard to get in a holster that."
My innovation was a horizontal holster. You just stuck the ice pick in, and it had a velcro around the back if you wanted to hang it up long term.
I used a rooster hammer for a while. What sold me on it was a picture they had of a guy belayed off two of the hammers, liked the way that looked, though I don't remember ever doing it.
I remember the Terodactyls being pretty popular. They were regarded as a big step beyond the chouinard hammers I started with. I never had Terrors but had a stubai and the rooster, The stubai had a longer shaft but was otherwise like a Terror, and I never got hurt with it. The Roosters were hard to use because the blade was too wide and they had to be hit perfect to get the point in. I didn't normally hurt my hands but I got a full set of knuckles one day when I forgot to bring mittens.
I still have all this stuff but I see some nice prices on Ebay.
|
|
Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
|
|
|
Mar 21, 2015 - 02:12am PT
|
The Terrordactyl:
Another great tool and nasty beast:
The Vulture had some problems (broke between the head and the shaft) and British climbers were offered Simond Chacal, one of the greatest innovative ice axe achievements, the first reverse curve pick ice tool:
The Chacal as it's still seen today:
Here's a link to another thread: Who invented the first reverse curve pick ice tool http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/2074941/Who-invented-modern-reverse-curve-pick-Ice-tools
|
|
Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
|
|
|
Mar 21, 2015 - 04:00am PT
|
No Forrest life times?
They came with thick picks that we would grind to a thin sharp edge before putting a point
on the thing and sharpening it was needed before every pitch.
|
|
ECF
Big Wall climber
Ouray, CO.
|
|
|
Mar 21, 2015 - 04:02am PT
|
It was owned by a foolish and bold man.
It caused him great pain.
A relic of a brutish time when men were men, and sheep were nervous...
That's state of the art right there, when I was using two modified east wing roofing hammers from ACE hardware.
You trust funders, with all your fancy modern gear...
|
|
| Messages 1 - 39 of total 39 in this topic |
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!