Wanted: Tubular pick for Simond Chacal ice tool

[Orvel]

Hello all you aging ice climbers. The Chacals ended about 20 yr ago; their picks were supported for another 10 yr--ie., 10 yr. ago. The tools were heavy and straight-shafted, but the improved version of the semi-tubular pick is superb for all conditions, superior to all 'modern' picks for most. But they replaced the fragile original version of the pick after most experimenters gave up on them due to breakage, so they never caught on very much.

I'm hoping that someone still has at least one of these picks in the basement and would be happy to part with it.

It looks generally like a flat alpine pick (curved downward)

but the last 2 inches of the tip is twisted 90deg. and formed into a half-tube with the groove on the bottom, and aggressive flat teeth separated by circular notches. The semi-circular tip is bevelled on the inside, straight on the outside.

[fishstick]

I haven't seen one in years.

 

Try Mountain Magic (Banff) or MEC (Calgary - not Vancouver). The picks will probably be too old to show up on a computer, so you'll have to describe them to staff (unless staff is older than about 35).

 

I think it may have recently closed, but the Hostel shop in Calgary sold them.

 

Try running an ad in the CMC (Calgary Mountain Club) news letter. They may have a website. Chacals were the tool of choice in Canada, pre-tirol.

 

Remember to tell people if you're looking for the one bolt/2 scroll key, or two bolt version.

 

Good luck.

 

GB

[Orvel]

Thanks GB; I contacted Simond and their Canadian. distrib. in Canmore; and Mountain Magic, who gave me a spark of hope but when I went for a look, the 4 tubular picks they have are for an unknown tool, not the Chacal, though it had a similar tip and might be adaptable--I should have/still may picked one up for 20$, though it doesn't look as strong as the Chacal tube. I'm in Calgary but still haven't made it in to MEC! which may be a good bet; and the owner of (ex-)Hostel Shop may have an idea of what was in his close-out stock. Cheers, Orvel