What was this camming device called?

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Messages 1 - 27 of total 27 in this topic

Melissa

Gym climber

berkeley, ca

Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 5, 2007 - 02:02pm PT

I was describing the CCH Seismo that I saw on someone's e-bay post this week to my bf last night. He described another device that cammed on one side w/ a 3-axle V-shaped arrangement with the slings coming over the open part of the V so that when they were weighted and the V contracted, the length of the item would increase to create the camming action. What was this thing called? Who made it?

adventurewagen

Trad climber

Seattle

Jun 5, 2007 - 02:07pm PT

I found this link with the following info on the Siesmo, maybe it has the other thing on it as well:

http://www.needlesports.com/nutsmuseum/camsstory.htm

The link says...
"If the wider cracks had always intimidated climbers, it was more due to the lack of appropriate protection devices than by cowardice, the early tools available on the market being awkward. The various models available later were replicas in growth of the Friends, homemade and more or less reliable. The first manufacturer to think about it seriously was C.C.H. who produced the Seismo in 1986, illegitimate child of the Friend and the Visse-Roc. With two cams opposed to an adjusting crossbar, it was possible to increase the range of this device by three extensions made in two, three and four inch lengths and usable in any combination. This disquieting object has fallen into oblivion."

goatboy smellz

climber

colorado

Jun 5, 2007 - 02:09pm PT

Advanced Base Camp?

dirtineye

Trad climber

the south

Jun 5, 2007 - 02:12pm PT

Don't know about the one you asked about, but the one in the pic, I'd call that unstable.

Melissa

Gym climber

berkeley, ca

Topic Author's Reply - Jun 5, 2007 - 02:13pm PT

Thanks for the link. We were looking at the nut museum yesterday, but didn't find it. Do you know what ABC might have called it?

goatboy smellz

climber

colorado

Jun 5, 2007 - 02:22pm PT

Not off hand, I only used them once off a partners rack, they were to squirlly for my tastes.

Melissa

Gym climber

berkeley, ca

Topic Author's Reply - Jun 6, 2007 - 12:06am PT

bump for the evening crowd. Any ideas?

Melissa

Gym climber

berkeley, ca

Topic Author's Reply - Jun 6, 2007 - 01:57am PT

After hunting around, I found one reference on rec.climbing that sounded like it might be the right thing...The "Blitz Cam". Does anyone have a picture?

climbrunride

Trad climber

Durango, CO

Jun 6, 2007 - 02:33am PT

Weren't they called "Crack Jacks"? Or was that just a nickname?

scuffy b

climber

Eastern Salinia

Sep 16, 2010 - 06:56pm PT

Now-that-Stephane-is-around BUMP...

Jaybro

Social climber

Wolf City, Wyoming

Sep 16, 2010 - 07:03pm PT

The description sounds like the original Lowe-cam

Brian in SLC

Social climber

Salt Lake City, UT

Sep 16, 2010 - 07:16pm PT

Seem to recall they were made by Edlerid and imported by ABC/Liberty?

Red/silver with a nylon sling?

Uhh...have one around somewhere...

Steve Grossman

Trad climber

Seattle, WA

Sep 16, 2010 - 07:25pm PT

Are you talking about some sort of scissoring cam?

I have a couple of prototypes that some guys in Colorado made but it is definitely not commercial. Does this resemble your gadget?

Try Marty Karabin too! If Stephane and Marty haven't seen what you are talking about it is beyond obscure.

Early Lowe cam. The next version was a split and widened with a tube spacer to allow two lobes and two strap eyes.

climber

Sep 16, 2010 - 08:06pm PT

'Sold some of those at Sunrise. Pretty funky. Bought them thru ABC. Can't remember the name. Worked just like those homemade ones in the pics. Each size (3) was a different color.

ec

Edit: not the last pic...

Jaybro

Social climber

Wolf City, Wyoming

Sep 16, 2010 - 08:09pm PT

The one in Steve's last shot is what I was thinking of.

Disaster Master

Sport climber

Arcata / Santa Rosa, CA

Sep 16, 2010 - 08:18pm PT

I think ABC marketed a cam / nut that looked like legs of an erecctor set, or an over-grown butterfly knife....?

edit: you guys beat me to it. the ones I saw at the trade show werre anodized.

Steve Grossman

Trad climber

Seattle, WA

Sep 16, 2010 - 08:20pm PT

ec- Time frame when you sold those and what was the smallest width...bigger than a #4 Friend?

schwortz

Social climber

"close to everything = not at anything", ca

Sep 16, 2010 - 08:35pm PT

i had one

looked very similar to the first photos that grossman posted upthread....

blanking on the name right now....feels like i know what its called but just cant remember...no idea what i did with it...probably gave it away to someone

tico

climber

SL, UT

Sep 16, 2010 - 09:51pm PT

Somebody already said it, but it was the Cassin Blitz. They worked great in jigs, poorly in rock. Hi Steve!

climber

Sep 16, 2010 - 10:31pm PT

Steve,
About 2001. The smallest was like 4" and the largest maybe 7"
Each were anodized, two rails silver and the main outside rails a blue, red and something.
Edit: it might have been the Blitz...

schwortz

Social climber

"close to everything = not at anything", ca

Sep 16, 2010 - 11:00pm PT

yo tico!

you got it - cassin blitz.
didnt realize it before but now i see the post above

it was a funky piece...

nutstory

climber

Ajaccio, Corsica, France.

Sep 17, 2010 - 08:12am PT

I’m sorry to be late… tico seems to be right.
The Blitz were marketed by CASSIN (Italia) and created by Martin Gutsche in 1987 .
Some more info: Patent DE 37 17 027. 8 December 1988. In the Cassin catalog 1991, the Blitz are numbered as #1, #2 and #3. Lighter than a SLCD of a similar size. The color anodized part must be placed upside, the non anodized part being downside.
Steve, your prototypes with coil springs are superb!

Disaster Master

Sport climber

Arcata / Santa Rosa, CA

Sep 17, 2010 - 11:26am PT

Anyone got a pic of these in a crack?

How did they work? I can't (cough, cough)remember?

Steve Grossman

Trad climber

Seattle, WA

Sep 17, 2010 - 12:20pm PT

The small one on the left is as it would be situated in a crack. When loaded, the hitched sling draws the mobile ends toward each other and the scissor action provides the holding power.

The design flaw in a parallel placement is that the load transfer in a shock loading situation is too quick to allow the mechanism to bite and maintain its position. Loading in a conventional cam is prompt and direct.