Old Stoppers - Chouinard

[Thinker]

Old

[chris]

2. Chouinard started making stoppers in '72. For the first few years they did not have shrink wrap on them. The first curved Chouinard stoppers 7-12 where made in '81. 1-6 remained straight sided for several more years.

 

4. In the early 80s Chouinard started putting little stickers on the swage that said "Tested" (White paper with red ink). If it has something else then it would be mid/late 80s. This was under the shrink wrap.

 

So I have a #7, straight-sided, with shrink wrap and "tested" like you described. Is it correct to believe it was produced in 1980?

[ScaredSilly]

2. Chouinard started making stoppers in '72. For the first few years they did not have shrink wrap on them. The first curved Chouinard stoppers 7-12 where made in '81. 1-6 remained straight sided for several more years.

 

4. In the early 80s Chouinard started putting little stickers on the swage that said "Tested" (White paper with red ink). If it has something else then it would be mid/late 80s. This was under the shrink wrap.

 

So I have a #7, straight-sided, with shrink wrap and "tested" like you described. Is it correct to believe it was produced in 1980?

 

I have smaller wired stoppers circa 1981/1982 that have the tested sticker on them. So probably about 1981 or so. I think there were a few years where they made both the larger curved or straight sided stoppers I can not remember when they stop making them. So call it 25 years old. Should have plently of life left in it. I am still using mine.

[chris]

This #7 is almost in mint condition. It was given to me on a rack of anchor material to be used for a rappel route here in the Sierra's, and I couldn't bare to use it.

[dbb]

Here's another question for the chouinard informed folks,

 

what's the deal with holes in the hexes? It sounds like maybe there was a drilling template that came with the hexes? were they ever sold pre-drilled? When did the asymetrical hexcentrics come on the market?

 

thanks

[ScaredSilly]

Your guess is correct. They came with solid walls and with a template that you could use to drill them out to make them lighter. Later they started coming predrilled. The mid late 1970s for this I think.

 

The asymetrical hexcentrics came out in the early 1970s. Chouinard followed the lead of the Brits who were making them first.

 

I have full set of both the symmetrical and asymmetrical hexcentrics - well sorta they are down at BD for their gear display. Both have been home drilled which ruined a fair number of drills.