MYOG ice axe

I haven't, but I have some thoughts about it. I'm not one of those who thinks "You have to have a UIAA-approved ice axe or you'll be committing suicide!" because I'd bring a lighter weight version on many more trips than the standard type. Therefore, I'd more often have a self-arrest option on high-angle snow. (caveat: if I were primarily doing snow travel, if there were crevasses, or any vertical work, I'd get the new, official modern version from REI or use one of the many around the house from the 1980's.

I like my ice axe to double as a walking stick (I don't do vertical ice except to get somewhere, not as an end in itself) so at my 6-foot height, I like a 85-cm to 90-cm total length.

I was taught and have always practiced with the head/handle junction in my strong hand with my hand wrapped around the head. i.e. I'm not relying on the head-shaft connection strength.

REI sells no end of tradational, rather short ice axes around 400-450 grams (one pound) in the 55 to 70-cm length range. Extrapolating, that would be about 500 gm at a 85- or 90-cm length. The basic commercial offerings are about $100.

My local trash transfer station has a place for people to set aside stuff too good to throw away. Other people pick it up for free. I've considered snagging the next aluminum frame bike I see primarily for the T junction between two tubes. Nicely socketed and help-arc welded, I'd cut and grind away everything that isn't the pick and adze for the head and leave enough of a tube to transition to an aluminum or carbon fiber ski pole or hiking stick. The flick-lock hiking sticks would be especially compact when retracted. And then you're potentially multi purposing your self-arrest device, trekking pole and tarp pole.

There was of course the infamous "Helix Potty Trowel" reviewed by Roger here:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/helix_potty_trowel_review.html#.U0G2Ahar1z8 for $150 at 74 cm and 5.4 ounces.

> I've considered snagging the next aluminum frame bike I see primarily for the
> T junction between two tubes. Nicely socketed and help-arc welded, I'd cut and
> grind away everything that isn't the pick and adze for the head

I want to see that!
In fact, it would make a really great MYOG article for BPL.
But you will need to add some weight to the head or it just won't handle very well – I think.
I have used Steve's Ti/CF axe in Europe – chopped very well on hard neve in the early mornings.

Cheers

I'm debating making my own for my PCT thru hike next year and I can't see spending $100+ on something so simple that I feel I can somewhat realistically duplicate seeing as how I do have experience working metal. I like your bike idea though I don't know where I would get an alum. frame bike.

In a steep snow self arrest situation is it better to use the pointy side or the adze side? Is the adze size mostly used to chop footholds? Mind you I have never used an ice axe.

Thanks for the help.

When you're sliding down the slope, you use the pointy pick end. The adze is just for step-cutting (and catholes) – which is really handy when needed and especially in a large party, the work you do helps many people.

More than most of your gear, you need to practice with an ice axe. Because when you really need it, you won't have time to think or experiment. So in Spring sometime, find a steep slope that safely runs out to a shallow area. Climb, slide, self-arrest, repeat, repeat, repeat. Start in not-slick clothes (codura slides much less than smoother nylon). Then graduate to slicker clothes that let you build up more speed. You will be surprised by how steep the slope you can self-arrest on.

On trips when have an ice axe, I'll butt-slide down a snow slope and save a lot of time and energy doing so. Without an ice axe, I wouldn't want to risk building up too much speed and I always want to slow WAY down before the bottom of the snow field – by Spring, there's often a 2- to 3-foot gap between the snow field and boulders below. I like to lower myself onto the boulders instead of landing full-speed on my ankle or butt on the rocks.

People have been doing this for >500 years:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpenstock

"Nicely socketed and help-arc welded"

What is that?

–B.G.–

"I'll butt-slide down a snow slope"

Let's be a little more articulate and call it the sitting glissade.

On the first time that I climbed Mount Shasta, I didn't have a clue what I was doing with my ice axe. I had read the page out of Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills, so I sort of knew it intellectually, but that is all. I quickly figured out what I was doing up around 12,500 feet and survived. Not everybody is so lucky.

No way would I attempt to construct my own ice axe.

For one thing, I don't think that I have the wood working skills or a wood lathe.

–B.G.–

I am guessing it is nicely socketed and heli-arc welded.

socketed means that the head has a tenon going into the tubing of the shaft, so there is a mechanical attachment and the strength of the joint is not just the heli-arc weld, which is welding done in a helium environment to prevent oxidation and is what is used for aluminum.

I am a blacksmith and ice climber. I forged my own ice axe and witnessed the kinds of stresses and failures that can occur. That is why ,nowadays, axes are made from laser cut alloy steel so that you dont have to contend with the stresses that forging introduces.

I think that $100 for a well made axe is a bargain. I agree that UIAA approval is only of interest when the axe is used as part of a climbers belay system. Self arresting still generates a lot of force and should be practiced before you are in a situation where the boulders at the bottom of the icefield are quickly approaching.

I am responding to my own reply, I saw the follow up question and went back and saw the original post, clearly just a typo.

help-arc = "Heli-arc" welded + Spell-correct.

Many bicycle joints are made with larger diameter tubing at the junctions, with smaller diameter tubing inserted in and welded (or sometimes a hot/cold interference fit?).