Sharp picks.

[Terminal_Gravity]

Is there such a thing as too sharp for water ice?

First, if it is so sharp that it will catch and cut your cloths with minimal pressure it sure is a pain in the

Second, from my limited experience, a very sharp pick seems to roll the edge and dull worse when you hit rock.

Third, from my experience in construction, a dulled nail is far less likely to split the wood than a sharp one. Does this hold true for fracturing ice?

My guess is that an experienced climber with a lot more finesse than climbing hard, dense ice would want extra sharp picks. But a hack & grunt climber like myself wants them butter knife sharp.

Comments?

[Rafael_H]

I have seen a pick sharpened like a knife myself just recently. It rolls pretty nicely when hit on rock

The perfect angle is a trade off between penetration and durability. I think that the penetration occurs/starts at the point and not the edge of the pick so a correct shape is more important. Mags posted the correct shape several times last couple of years. BD Cobra comes almost perfect out of the factory.

I also think that once the first tooth is filed off it is impossible to repair it adequately, even disregarding the length. Anybody?

[Rodchester]

This might sound stupid...but sharper is better...and sharpen them when they need to be sharpened.

Sure they will wear out if you sharpen them...but if they need to be sharpened, they need to be sharpened.

I agree the key is to find the balance between sharpe and durable. Good luck finding it.

[Lambone]

Yeah, sharp picks are nice, but the more you sharpen them the quicker they wear out. So I guess if don't mind burning through a set of picks or two each season, break out the file.

Oh yeah, try to avoid hiting the rock...it's kinda hard on those picks.