A Dolt Piton - a real beauty...! (Dialup warning - pics)

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Messages 1 - 110 of total 110 in this topic
healyje

Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 19, 2007 - 02:39pm PT
We maintain the pins at our crag and still occasionally use them as fixed pro on new routes. The last round of pin maintenance ate my stock of Deuce's pins snagged during his big round of ebay auctions so I was back on ebay a getting some more. So I got some a couple of weeks back and was about to slam this baby home when I pulled up short and said, "wait just a damn minute here, somethings different about this pin... Sure enough, on real close inspection you could make out the Dolt logo - what a nice find. It has a lovely hammered patina and the remnants of a price sticker that says "Yosemite" on it.


Toker Villain

Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
Oct 19, 2007 - 02:52pm PT
I've got one unused, Joe. A real work of art.
dee ee

Mountain climber
citizen of planet Earth
Oct 19, 2007 - 04:38pm PT
I've got a handful of Dolt nuts. Some are round and gnurled, a couple are hex shaped, all are unused. I can't remember when he died but they should predate any from Chouinard. He must have been thinking about clean climbing way back.
healyje

Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 19, 2007 - 04:42pm PT
I think those Dolt nuts are the one thing Stephane, of the Nut Museum in Corsica, covets above all else...
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Oct 19, 2007 - 05:35pm PT
I have a Dolt piton that has been my nut tool forever. The distinctive eye shape is a giveaway. As Tom Frost recently put it,"he designed his for horizontal placements, we designed ours for flared vertical ones." Dolt was a real character and at points became so obsessive about his pitons that he would polish some to a mirror finish. He also sought to charge a bit too much for the finished product and had trouble making money from tightwad climber types. Glad that you didn't donate that one to the local crag as it might not have stayed there very long.
healyje

Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 19, 2007 - 05:53pm PT
Me too, but around here they're fixed and stay put for the most part. Not sure anyone would recognize the difference, I almost didn't. I've become a retro-lover of pins over the past few years - love this one and the old CMI LA/BUG hybrid (even if they are heavy).
WBraun

climber
Oct 19, 2007 - 09:17pm PT
I can see your crack climbing gobies, even the ones that have healed.

There's no escape .....
scuffy b

climber
The deck above the 5
Oct 19, 2007 - 09:43pm PT
Some of Dolt's nuts were so-so, like the tru nut. Actually, I
don't remember whether that was the hex (shaped no better than
a lug nut but aluminum and polished and all) or the knurled one.
But he made one that was really great, I think it was called the
groovy nut. It was a wedge that had 3 tapers.
Front/back, say like a standard Stopper config, right/left, like
endwise, but also top/bottom.
You could take one of those old SMC wedges with the steel pin
and taper the top to get a similar effect.
I wish I could say, like Steve, that I've been using my Doltpeg
nut tool forever, but it was stolen out of my car in 75.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Oct 19, 2007 - 11:39pm PT
The Groovynut was the crown of creation but for some strange reason the third aspect was never tapered. Check out the wierd ice climbing gear at Neptune's thread by Raydog for pictures of several Dolt oddities in the amazing Neptune museum. Cool gear thread. I came across a Dolt ad in an old Summit mag that had about a dozen different nut designs named that I have never seen. I will try to find it and post. The dude was brilliant, hands down.
Mighty Hiker

Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Oct 19, 2007 - 11:42pm PT
We need a stake, to drive through the heart of Jody's Undead Thread "Good Bye Everyone..." The symbolism of using a Dolt piton is applicable, too. It looks like a long dong - any chance of borrowing it for a second?

ps Nice pin!
healyje

Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 20, 2007 - 12:15am PT
Larry DeAngelo down in Red Rocks still climbs with a bunch of Dolt nuts strung like so many pearls on a few pieces of 1" webbing. Cool stuff. Never seen this one you guys are describing, but I'll have to keep my eyes open on ebay for one. How about a pic of one?

Werner, there is definitely no escape, that we can agree on...
Scared Silly

Trad climber
UT
Oct 20, 2007 - 12:16am PT
I am too lazy tonight to post of a picture but I have a Dolt bolt bag. I would say chaulk bag but it predates it. My climber partner still uses his Dolt gear sling. Dolt stuff is cool.
Scary Larry

Trad climber
Las Vegas
Oct 20, 2007 - 12:19am PT
Those Dolt nuts are still the core of my active rack! Here's a contemporary photo with a few of them in an improvised aid application (along with a Titon):

http://www.mountainproject.com/images/1/86/5200186_large_b846f1.jpg

The Dolt cleaning pin was really a work of art. Mine stays home these days; don't want to lose it. . .
Chicken Skinner

Trad climber
Yosemite
Oct 20, 2007 - 12:31am PT
How many of you have seen one of these?
Ken
Mighty Hiker

Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Oct 20, 2007 - 12:41am PT
"Not I" said the Little Red Hen.
healyje

Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 20, 2007 - 12:48am PT
Hey Larry, those things really are pearls.

Ken, what is that? A way early crash pad?
Chicken Skinner

Trad climber
Yosemite
Oct 20, 2007 - 09:44am PT
Healyje,

It is a three ring binder.

A couple of Dolt pics.


Ken
Toker Villain

Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
Oct 20, 2007 - 02:27pm PT
That last photo is a real gem Ken.
Note the leather shoulder rap pad, the fatigues, and footwear.
healyje

Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 20, 2007 - 08:08pm PT
Damn, good eyes on the shoulder pad - you beat me to it. Ken, really great pics. Reminds me how much I don't miss climbing on goldline.
couchmaster

climber
Oct 20, 2007 - 08:38pm PT
Nice find! To clarify where it came from. The other day when we went out you asked me to bring some Bugaboos. I didn't have squat for long ones, but grabbed a handful of Lost Arrows and knifeblades and that pin too.

I've always appreciated the shape of that one and never recognized it as a Dolt. If owned it for over 20 years, it's never been driven but I might have used it for a nut tool once or twice in a pinch. I may have bought them with a group I got from Mike Jackson which were primarily soft Euro-trash.

Anyway, I'm not asking for it back, as it's languished in my basement for a long time, unnoticed and unused. I know you've donated lots of nuts to the nut museum. If this one found it's way to Ken's Museum I'd be tickled pink. If not, I know how much you did out at Beacon, and even if you sold this on on E-bay for a crazy sum of money, it wouldn't be enough to cover all you've spent out there on bolts and pins, so consider it yours.
healyje

Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 21, 2007 - 12:45pm PT
Bill, mystery solved!

No way man, if this thing came from a clutch of yours then you should figure out where it ends up. I would never sell it and am not particularly attached to things. I do funnel a lot of gear to the Nut Museum from ebay for Stephane just for that reason, I don't want it - but, be it Stephane Pennequin, Ken Yager, Marty Karabin, or Gary Storrick - someone needs to preserve our heritage and legacy relative to gear.

These are the main folks doing that work. Some day I'd love to see their collections combined in a couple of permanent homes - one in the US and one in the EU. Hopefully someone is doing the same thing in Russia.

So Bill, if this thing looks familiar then you take it back and either keep it or ship it to Ken yourself; and Ken would be a better choice than Stephane as he isn't into pins and this beauty definitely has a Valley pedigree.
Toker Villain

Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
Oct 21, 2007 - 12:48pm PT
Bravo.
Jerry Dodrill

climber
Bodega, CA
Oct 21, 2007 - 01:24pm PT
So, how old are these Dolt pins? After seeing this post I realized I had one sitting on my porch. Always thought it was an artistically refined pin.





There's a Dolt logo on one side and a "D" on the other
healyje

Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 21, 2007 - 01:39pm PT
No 'D' on the other side of this one that I can discern. And yeah, what is the history on these things - surely one of you guys must know...?
Jerry Dodrill

climber
Bodega, CA
Oct 21, 2007 - 01:48pm PT
healyje

Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 21, 2007 - 02:12pm PT
Definitely no markings of any kind on that side of Bill's pin.
ec

climber
ca
Oct 21, 2007 - 03:39pm PT
Those long Dolt pins shown were sold as "Dolt Nutcrackers," a nut tool... I had one, until someone ripped it off. Circa 1973??
 ec
Gene

climber
Oct 21, 2007 - 04:21pm PT
My few ancient Dolt nuts are now with Ken. Support your local historical society.

GM
couchmaster

climber
Oct 21, 2007 - 09:40pm PT
Cool Joseph! I e-mailed Ken when I saw your note and just heard back. It's going to the Yosemite Museum to be put with some other Dolt stuff.

He asked for a short history which is easy. If any names get displayed with the pin like "donated by" I want it to say Donated by Joseph Healy and Bill Coe (or reversed).

Good catch on your part seeing the name !
Jerry Dodrill

climber
Bodega, CA
Oct 21, 2007 - 11:10pm PT
So I'm unclear. Is this pin "historical" or just the Dolt nuts? How old are these and what would the significance be? For educational purposes, please refresh me on who Mr. Dolt was. I've heard his name forever but cannot recall his story.
WBraun

climber
Oct 21, 2007 - 11:14pm PT
He made some nice pins, but nobody could afford them.

That long dong ass pin in the photos was basically worthless.

Too long .....

So most ended up as nut tools. I hate nut tools. I just throw the nut in and hope it stays there.
Chicken Skinner

Trad climber
Yosemite
Oct 21, 2007 - 11:26pm PT
For that time there is no doubt that he made the best quality pitons and had a lot of pride in his workmanship,he is the only one that polished his pitons, no laughs, (I understand where your mind is going). His are distinctive, because of the elongated eye. His nuts were exploratory (again the laughs). I am sure, if he was alive today that we would see his name on a lot of gear and he would be considered a genius.

Ken
Jerry Dodrill

climber
Bodega, CA
Oct 21, 2007 - 11:38pm PT
Thanks. "For his time" which was when? Should I just throw this thing back in my box of pins that never get used?
WBraun

climber
Oct 21, 2007 - 11:52pm PT
Pound it in the Captain somewhere at the base.

Some n00b or some hard ass will see you and flame you there.

Watch the mental sparks fly .......



Mighty Hiker

Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Oct 22, 2007 - 12:00am PT
Dolt was Bill Feuerer, who was quite involved in the first ascent of the Nose of El Capitan, but didn't make the final ascent.

You could check with Ken and see if he needs one for the museum. I believe they're considered classics.

Dale once told me they worked quite well on the groove pitch of the Shield. You had to pre-tie them off, but they were long enough that the tip placed quite well.

Edit: It may have been Chouinard long dongs he was talking about.
WBraun

climber
Oct 22, 2007 - 12:03am PT
Dale told you that?

I don't remember us having any long Dolt pins on that ascent.
Chicken Skinner

Trad climber
Yosemite
Oct 22, 2007 - 12:06am PT
Jerry, I think he got serious about equipment making during the first ascent of the Nose. And got continually more so until his death. I think he made the elongated eye version after his experience on the Nose (might help with multiple uses}. My observation and would be glad to hear others.

Ken
scuffy b

climber
The deck above the 5
Oct 22, 2007 - 12:41pm PT
Ken, I remember looking through one of the Dolt binders at a shop
in maybe 71 or 72.
Had lots of different hooks (well maybe 3 or 4), the Cobra
Skyhook. No telling if they were any better shape than what was
available at the time, but a beautiful curve and all. I think
they were in the shape of an "S" as opposed to the Chouinard
Cliffhanger which was more of a "C"
That binder also had the Dolt Blue Boot.
I wonder if it was the same as a Gaulie?

When I bought my nut tool, the story was that someone had got
hold of his long-dong style pins and forged them out a little
longer, then ground the notch into the end. I thought it was just
after his death.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Oct 22, 2007 - 02:52pm PT
Check this eccentric ad from an old Summit mag. This ad shows the polished finished product. Way out there!


And my trusty nut scratcher, tip rounded from decades of micronut excavation.


Only Clog Kingpins had an eye shape similar to the Dolt pitons.

Chicken Skinner

Trad climber
Yosemite
Oct 22, 2007 - 03:05pm PT
A Dolt Cobra. This one belonged to Royal.


Ken
healyje

Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 22, 2007 - 03:40pm PT
Wow, those are great. So what was Bill like then? Who did he climb with most of the time?
healyje

Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 23, 2007 - 10:34am PT
Bump, didn't any of you [really] old guys climb with him...?
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Oct 23, 2007 - 11:48am PT
Just a little before my time....Dolt's main climbing partner was certainly Mark Powell. He would be the one to contact if you are truly curious about the enigmatic Dolt. Those two climbed together extensively in Yosemite and Tahquitz even after Powell screwed up his ankle showing off for some gal and effectively took himself out of the long route FA game. Tom Frost became friends with Bill while attending school at Stanford and would ride his bicycle across Palo Alto to hang out at Dolt's shop and talk climbing and hardware design.
It was Dolt that entrusted his precious Leica camera to Tom just before Tom, Royal and Joe Fitschen left the ground on the second ascent of the Nose. "Take some pictures up there," he said and Tom never stopped pressing the shutter for the rest of his climbing career. Dolt was involved in establishing the lower half of the route and was doubtless very curious about beautiful upper dihedrals that he would never experience himself.
I will try to get some more information about climbing with Dolt when I next talk to Tom. They established the Rixon's Pinnacle West Face route together among others.
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Oct 23, 2007 - 11:53am PT
Somewhere deep in the stack of super topo threads, Mike Graham posted up some very nice Dolt adds.
Maybe Ray's Neptune Museum thread?
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Oct 23, 2007 - 12:04pm PT
Here are some DMM pins which seemed to follow the Dolt aesthetic pretty closely:

Chicken Skinner

Trad climber
Yosemite
Oct 23, 2007 - 12:25pm PT
Roy I posted a few on this thread.

http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=213073&msg=213541#msg213541

Ken
Jerry Dodrill

climber
Bodega, CA
Oct 23, 2007 - 12:31pm PT
Man, those Cobra hooks are beautiful. It would be so cool to have them mounted on a hand rubbed rose wood block. That guy was thinking. Climbing gear as ART. Way ahead of his time, indeed.

re-post, hope you don't mind:
deuce4

Big Wall climber
the Southwest
Oct 23, 2007 - 01:56pm PT
dang, Healyje, was that in the batch I sold you?

*DOLT!!*
healyje

Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 23, 2007 - 05:34pm PT
Deuce, no or I'd ship it back to you. Rather it recently came from Bill Coe (couchmaster) here locally after I put out a call for more medium and long pins. I've went through all of yours replacing pins out at Beacon where they are all now solidly fixed - the karma is much appreciated by the way. I still have about a half dozen lingering lines to check pins on so the call for more. That, and I'm still using them as fixed pro of first choice on FA's.

Bill said he got in touch with Ken and so the pearly little rascal is now going to the Yosemite Museum - as it should be if they don't have one.

Thanks all for the posts and links - keep it coming as I'd love to hear more about this artisan of stone and metal.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Oct 24, 2007 - 12:15am PT
From Summit Nov 1968. Check out the GOLD PLATED option. LOL


And from Oct 1968 Summit, even more mindblowing! I have no idea what most of these nuts are! Anyone?????


That thread was titled Weird Ice Climbing Gear at Neptunes by Raydog.
WBraun

climber
Oct 24, 2007 - 01:00am PT
Great photo of Harding and the "Dolt"

I'm so tired at looking at the modern day hacks now-a-days in all that fancy ass clothing. Ugly looking sh'it.

Now look at our man Harding. Now that's fukin style and class.

Beautiful ......

Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Oct 24, 2007 - 01:13am PT
You grumpy old bastad, WB!
I'm sending Walleye over straight away.
You need a noogie AND a wedgie.

(even though I do agree...haha Warren is one sharp dressed man there)
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Oct 24, 2007 - 01:16am PT
"And from Oct 1968 Summit, even more mindblowing! I have no idea what most of these nuts are! Anyone?????"

No doubt Steve,
That can't be for real.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Oct 24, 2007 - 01:25am PT
I don't think the man had ANY shortage of ideas, absolutely brilliant gear designer!
healyje

Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 24, 2007 - 03:28am PT
I'd bet at least one unit of every single one existed. I suspect how many production runs of each got done is probably a different matter. Would love to have one of those Cobras - those are sweet.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Oct 24, 2007 - 12:06pm PT
And mighty rare, I have never even had the chance to snag one at any price. The only downsides to that hook shape (along with the original Chouinard Skyhook) are instablity and the intense tip pressure and general flake shearing action that comes with it. The functional hook design award goes to Jim Logan and the Logan hook made and distributed by Ed Leeper. Take the wide version and reduce the tip width by grinding to produce three narrower sizes and now you are talking some awesome flake latching power with five widths in all!
healyje

Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 24, 2007 - 01:05pm PT
Agreed, I'd love to have a Cobra purely as being representative of the aesthetic and sensibilities he brought to bear on the problems. He clearly had a good design sense even if it sometimes took priority over functionality.
healyje

Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 25, 2007 - 12:59am PT
Proxy posting for Larry DeAngelo...

---------------------------------------------------


I haven't quite gotten into the photo posting, but if you'd like to add this to the thread, some might find it interesting.

These were marketed as Doltnuts and Tru-Nuts. I do not know which was which. The round ones came both anodized and plain. I don't think it was color coding for size (but maybe?). On the hexagonal ones, they were occasionally stamped with the Dolt trademark, and less frequently with the sizes (3 and 5 in this photo). Some of the ones I have were not chamfered on both sides-- maybe an exception to the usual Dolt craftsmanship (or an indication that Chouinard dominated the U.S. artificial chockstone market).

I bought these in 1970 at the West Ridge in Los Angeles. They had them on a close-out sale. Mixed bags of 20 for a dollar each. I bought a bunch and gave them to friends (who never seemed to like them as much as I did).

After this, can we have threads on MOACs, Titons, and Peck Crackers?

Larry

Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
Oct 25, 2007 - 01:02am PT
I'm in heaven - just love this stuff
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Oct 25, 2007 - 11:03am PT
I have several of the very same two designs but am in the dark about the other ones listed. Dolt also sold Colornuts which I always thought were the hexagonal ones with an anodized array of colors. It is just possible that Bill was fishing and was offering a stack of designs just hoping that he would generate some interest before making any of them.
Unfortunately, the heyday of runner nuts was very short and ended when the full range of Stoppers and Hexentrics became available. Over the shoulder, full length runners used to sport a nugget or two in the olde english tradition but the magic began to fade as runners began to shift towards 9/16" and were used increasingly for tying off knobs and horns and for lacing together opposition nut anchors. I continued to carry me Groovynut but the rest of the Dolt line fell into disuse on my rack.
As the ST is dead slow right now, I will resurrect Jello's It Takes Balls to Use Nuts thread for the frothing faithful. LOL
steelmnkey

climber
Vision man...ya gotta have vision...
Oct 25, 2007 - 11:40am PT
Here's one for Larry, the whole xylophone:

Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Oct 25, 2007 - 12:13pm PT
Awesome lineup Steel,
I came across an old article from the Black Canyon that featured a solid Titon placement at the end of a long line of shizzle on the FA of Wild Bill's Wall (5.9 A5). I'll post it up.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Oct 28, 2007 - 02:45am PT
Uhhh, I think you got yerself a Non-Piton there fella.

Jerry Dodrill

climber
Bodega, CA
Oct 28, 2007 - 02:47am PT
Damn. All this time I thought it was a piton...

Jerry Dodrill

climber
Bodega, CA
Nov 13, 2007 - 06:17pm PT
What do ya'll make of this old ring angle I have sitting here? I believe it came from the Jim Hansen collection but can't remember now.




Says Fitsch Zurich around the ring hole.

Obviously an old (well used) iron pin of swiss origin. How old? Thoughts? Scrapmetal?

Jerry Dodrill

climber
Bodega, CA
Nov 13, 2007 - 10:46pm PT
bump?
john hansen

climber
Nov 13, 2007 - 10:56pm PT
You should get those things out of that salty air,, they will rust away in no time.
healyje

Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Apr 16, 2009 - 07:02pm PT
Bump because I just almost can't stand the beauty of those Dolt Cobra hooks - damn!
squishy

Mountain climber
sacramento
Apr 16, 2009 - 08:04pm PT
I wish some of these pictures were still up, it's hard to follow sometimes and I wanna see. I wanna see, cries*
Don Lauria

Trad climber
Bishop, CA
Apr 19, 2009 - 01:44am PT
Just a comment. I wrote that Non-Piton ad. The Dolt Company mentioned in the ad was formed after his death at West Ridge. We had purchased Dolt's entire business estate at auction. Everything! His machinery - all his metal stock including hundreds of piton blanks.

Hennek was forging for Chouinard in Ventura at the time and we asked him to forge out all those blanks into the "long dong" shape. We marketed them as the "Non-Piton" for use as a versatile chock cleaning device.

Some were even titanium - very light. Also sorts brittle. I still have one. Dennis saved it and just presented to me a year ago.
healyje

Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Apr 19, 2009 - 02:49am PT
Damn if you don't have some stories - thanks...
Studly

Trad climber
WA
Apr 19, 2009 - 10:47am PT
someone should write a book, The History of Climbing Gear.
couchmaster

climber
Apr 19, 2009 - 10:55am PT
Nice call Studly. Between the folks who've posted on this thread they'd have it 90 percent covered - or more.

I've appreciated watching Joesph repeatedly looking around to buy sh#t off ebay or where ever, or trying and hustle something from the old timers here and then just turn around and give it to Stephan for his nut museum (or Ken or Marty as well). Long after we're all gone, that stuff will be in a place still telling a story, instead of tossed out in the trash or a garage sale by someones heirs.

Don, thank you for that contribution!!! Steve Grossman, it's always a pleasure to read your posts as well!
mastadon

Trad climber
crack addict
Apr 10, 2012 - 05:00pm PT


Found this little Dolt beauty recently. The shape of the blade doesn’t resemble anything I’ve ever seen. I'm wondering if it's a very early Dolt creation.




mongrel

Trad climber
Truckee, CA
Apr 11, 2012 - 01:15am PT
I have a bunch of those Dolt nuts at the bottom of a box somewhere - I'd cheerfully donate them to some collection. And I remember ogling those Cobra hooks in West Ridge, they were indeed things of incredibly beautiful design and workmanship. But one Dolt item I haven't seen mentioned here is his rurp. I have one of those too, at the bottom of a different box. That sounds like a lot more of a museum piece than any of those other pitons.
WBraun

climber
Apr 11, 2012 - 02:10am PT
Don (mastadon)

Spray that rusty ass pin with Kano Aerokroil to bring it back to life .....
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
Apr 11, 2012 - 03:24am PT
Don,

Interesting taper.
The Dolt horizontal pitons can be dated somewhat by the style of logo on the eye, and by the anvil height (part of the piton which hammer hits while driving).
My guess is this (based on ads in Summit magazine):
1. Plain "DOLT" logo (low anvil): 1965?
2. DOLT with piton outline logo, "D" on other side (high anvil): 1968?
It looks like yours is the earlier style logo.

mongrel,

Marty Karabin has good photos of the Dolt "RURP" (Doltjack) models.

On the "Dolt Stories" thread:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=727870&msg=1001941#msg1001941
mastadon

Trad climber
crack addict
Apr 11, 2012 - 10:05am PT

Werner-you actually know what Aerokroil is? Not too many people do. I've got a can that I guard jealously cause I can't get it anywhere around here. It works so well that I'm afraid to look at the contents. I'm sure it's not tofu...

I started to clean the pin up and you can see hammer indentations where Dolt hot-forged it. It may be another candidate for the Yos museum.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Apr 11, 2012 - 10:46am PT
Nice find!

More about the evolution of the head shape on the Dolt Stories thread...

http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=727870&msg=1773161#msg1773161

All the Dolt gear and tales you could want!
WBraun

climber
Apr 11, 2012 - 11:13am PT
Don

You can get the stuff straight from the manufacturer.

http://www.kanolabs.com/

It's not sold in stores. It's industrial.

You can buy one from them and get any other of their product free or two for the price of one.

Bad ass stuff for sure ......
Tobia

Social climber
GA
Apr 15, 2012 - 09:07pm PT
Mastadon, I was weened on Kano!

I use the Kano Kroil (non-aerosol) just because the cans lose their propellants in the heat.
Nick

climber
portland, Oregon
Apr 15, 2012 - 09:39pm PT
I hope the Dolt vibe cancels out the work ethic.
Tobia

Social climber
GA
Apr 17, 2012 - 09:54pm PT
Dolt Tread On Me!
Forgive us for the thread drift Nick. Better check your Fisherman's knot on your key chain...
BooDawg

Social climber
Butterfly Town
Apr 17, 2012 - 10:55pm PT
Mastadon: That Dolt piton was probably made around 1967. It was then that Dolt had just forged his first prototypes with those small heads, and he offered a small pile of them to Don Lauria and me for our 8th ascent of the Nose. It is those same pegs that I have been giving away to deserving folks, like S.G., who help to keep climbing history alive. No doubt Steve can find the link to the pic of the one that I gave him.

Here's a pic of similar ones that Dolt gave us with their sometimes weirdly shaped blades.

mastadon

Trad climber
crack addict
Apr 18, 2012 - 12:26am PT
Mr BooDawg Sir,

You're probably right. It was found below El Cap Tower. I cleaned it up and you can clearly see hammer marks where it was beat on on a forge.

Once again, I'm going to say that most of Dolt's creations, especially his pitons and hooks, are works of art.

Tobia-weaned on Kano??? That explains a lot.......
BooDawg

Social climber
Butterfly Town
Apr 18, 2012 - 12:33am PT
Mastadon: What year did you find it? Was it lying loose as if dropped or placed?
mastadon

Trad climber
crack addict
Apr 18, 2012 - 12:45am PT

I found it several weeks ago in the same area where I found this:




It was in the boulders/trees about 30 feet from the wall.
BooDawg

Social climber
Butterfly Town
Apr 18, 2012 - 03:03am PT
Have you compared this large angle you found with original Dolt angles made for the Nose first ascent to see if they might be related? It looks like about a 2" angle. Is that right? What year were the first 2" angles manufactured for sale, so that one wouldn't have to hand make one's own?
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
Apr 18, 2012 - 03:55am PT
Yeah, the welded eye is a design feature that Dolt provided on his angles in the 1958 Dolt Hut Catalog.
1958 Dolt Hut Catalog, from guido's post

Nose 2nd ascent rack, Tom Frost photo

They fit a crack width 1"-1.25". (See the 1" square graph paper Dolt used in his catalog)
However, the eye hole looks too small relative to the crack size to match up with the Dolt Hut catalog photo.

It doesn't match up with the photo from the Nose first ascent of all the Stoveleg pitons - those all had rings (except the T cross section ones).
http://www.yosemiteclimbing.org/category/image-galleries/-nose-1st-ascent?page=1

Of course it could still be a special larger angle made by Dolt or someone else and used in the early years on the Nose.
mastadon

Trad climber
crack addict
Apr 18, 2012 - 09:12am PT


Boo and Clint- Thanks for your input. I’ve been marveling over both pitons ever since I found them and actually thought the angle might have been a stoveleg made for the first ascent of the Nose. If you look at the middle picture, you can see that there’s a ridge on the back spine. It looks like the piton was originally some kind of angle-iron (stoveleg?) that was cut and shaped into the piton. The tip of the one I found isn’t rounded like the ones in the picture and you’re right, the biner hole is smaller than normal. I actually talked to Frank Tarver in Seattle and sent him a picture. He said that if it didn’t have a ring in the eye, it wasn’t made by him. He said that it looked like a Dolt-made piton.

Whatever the progeny of the pitons, I’ll be donating both of them to the Yosemite climbing museum after I’ve had a few years to fondle and admire them.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Apr 18, 2012 - 09:19am PT
Too bad pitons went out of style. Hell, one of the most popular climbs in the Valley is Serenity Crack- can't get piton holes without pitons.
mastadon

Trad climber
crack addict
Apr 18, 2012 - 09:25am PT

Pitons out of style????? Wait a minute!!!! Have I missed something while hiding in my dark cave?

Maybe they'll be like clothes. They go out of style for a decade or two then you'll see people using them again.....
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Apr 18, 2012 - 09:28am PT
For free climbing....big wall guys still need them to get their portaledge hotels, replete with hippy lettuce and booze, up where the rangers can't hassle them.
guido

Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
Apr 18, 2012 - 10:48am PT
Kor made some angles similar to the one Mastadon found. Just wondering? Roper and I pulled one off Lover's Leap once.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Apr 18, 2012 - 12:16pm PT
Looks like a big Dolt angle to me. Made directly from angle stock hence the name.

Nice find!
LilaBiene

Trad climber
Apr 18, 2012 - 08:15pm PT
Tobia: LOVE the "Dolt tread on me"!!! Going to go pull out Metallica's Black Album...
Jim_Creek

climber
Nov 25, 2012 - 10:56am PT
I stumbled across this big guy yesterday. The Dolt logo is faint and the opposing side is just marked with a 'D' instead of Dolt. Is this unusual? Also, the notch in the end of the blade is pretty large compared to the ones I've seen here on the threads. All in all I'm stoked.

Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
Nov 25, 2012 - 08:11pm PT
That's the second generation (1968?) Dolt horizontal die - the way the logos are is normal.
Made as a "Nutcracker", as pitons were going out of style at the time.
AlanVG

Social climber
Laurin (lo-ray), Montana
Nov 26, 2012 - 05:00pm PT
The Dolt not a long dong, non-piton nut tool pitons were made by Hennek, who brought a boxful to the West Ridge repair shop, told me what he wanted done and left them with me. My job was to create a notch at the tip, and after at least 8 hours at the grinder I finished up. These "pitons" were labeled non-pitons as they were not tempered and would'nt survive being hammered upon. I'm thinking this might have been mid-'74.
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
Nov 26, 2012 - 05:07pm PT
from the 3rd page of this thread - May 1975 ad in Summit magazine:

So mid-1974 could be about right. It sounds like notched and unnotched versions were sold?
HighTraverse

Trad climber
Bay Area
Nov 26, 2012 - 05:28pm PT
I still have the un-notched version. Was my first nut tool.
Dennis Hennek

climber
Nov 27, 2012 - 12:08am PT
A Dolt blank and the first of two open dies sets from Chouinard's power hammer.[photoid=275802

Dennis Hennek

climber
Nov 27, 2012 - 12:20am PT
BooDawg

Social climber
Butterfly Town
Nov 27, 2012 - 04:29am PT
Great pictures, Dennis. Thanks for posting them up!
steveA

Trad climber
bedford,massachusetts
Nov 27, 2012 - 07:42am PT
I've got a long tailed cobra, which I bought new, and never used, plus a few pitons. I had a 3/4 inch angle, which I can't find. Hope it turns up.
jaaan

Trad climber
Chamonix, France
Nov 27, 2012 - 09:11am PT
Hey Clint, I mentioned in the thread about the big block that's just been cut loose from Freerider http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1322537&msg=1994542#msg1994542 at 12:34 Nov 25 that I have a souvenir from doing La Escuela in the 70s - a nice and very long 'Lost Arrow' that came from thousands of feet above me and just missed me. I was mistaken (using a sort of generic term) - in fact it was one of these things. It had a notch cut just below the tip for nut removal.
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
Nov 27, 2012 - 03:39pm PT
Pretty cool for Dennis and Alan, the guys who made these from the blanks, to post here!
And the original hammer dies - that gets right down to the source.
Thanks for sharing, you guys!
mucci

Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
Nov 27, 2012 - 03:45pm PT
Wow!

History MONEY SHOT!

So cool, thanks Dennis.
LilaBiene

Trad climber
Nov 27, 2012 - 05:12pm PT
Hey, wow! What a great surprise on a dark, cold, rainy commute home from work.

Thanks so much for posting these most recent pictures. It means an awful lot to me just to be able to look & read & learn. Thanks for taking the time to share.

And thanks for making me smile! :D
lostinshanghai

Social climber
someplace
Nov 27, 2012 - 06:05pm PT



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