What are crack tools?

[billcoe]

On the Leavenworth trad ethic thread: DC Cramer was talkin cleaning a crack out and said:

 

If the crack is one route. I have crack tools. If the crack is not where the route is I'll call bullshit from the start. After all you didnt claim the route is a squeeze job but rather a bolted crack. Traversing off route to the left and right won't cut it.

 

 

Does everone know what he's talkin about ir is it just me being stupid? If you know, then what are they and what do you use for "crack tools."

[Alpinfox]

Small folding saws work great for getting sod/soil out of cracks. Screwdrivers are good too.

 

A dustmask, goggles, and gloves are also recommended equipment.

[chucK]

I bought some thing at the hardware store the other day called a "crack weeder". It looks like the perfect thing for the job. Though maybe better for a crag rather than a remote alpine thing as it's a bit heavy.

 

I did a google image search for "crack weeder" and . If you're at work you might want to make sure you have the "safe search" setting on, or not

[Alpinfox]

I did a google image search for "crack weeder" and . If you're at work you might want to make sure you have the "safe search" setting on, or not

 

I turned my filtering off just for fun and page 3 has some interesting items...

[billcoe]

Ya gotta love the internet.

 

I've seen a lot of stuff, but never one of these. Pictures of crack weeders.

 

 

 

I think my rack needs one.

Edited June 15, 2007 by billcoe

[archenemy]

nut tool works just as well.

[billcoe]

nut tool works just as well.

 

Theses have bigger handles. My forearms are cramping after 2-3 hours of scrapping with a nut tool. I had specialty ground the tips of a couple of nut tools so they are sharp crack weeders.

 

(woke up early from a deep sleep scratching poison oak, so here I sit drinking coffee, it's even too early for the dogs to crawl out of bed)

[mattp]

For getting down and dirty with a real NW choked crack, an alpine hammer works better than any other tool I've found.

[G-spotter]

as long as you use the old blunt/broken pick and not a good one cause it'll end up about as sharp as a butter knife after scrubbing a couple pitches

 

for real heavy duty scrubbing, you want an ice axe cause the adze works great to peel off moss carpets

 

for cleaning a pitch it helps to have an ice tool, narrow wirebrush, whisk, nuttool and toothbrush

 

start with axe

whisk

go over it with wirebrush

whisk

use nut tool on thin parts and deep cracks

whisk

final touch up with toothbrush

one last whisk and it's g2g

[mattp]

On granite I've found a 5" broad knife usefull for cleaning lichen from flat surfaces, but this tool is not at all helpfull on many other types of more textrured rock.

 

By the way, anybody have an old alpine hammer they don't use? I destroyed mine using it to try to pry out a bolt. The mangled pick catches in cracks now.

[EWolfe]

Never leave home without them!!!

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[billcoe]

Don't use wire brushes AT ALL. They polish the rock and make it slick.

 

Get polyester or better yet, natural palmyra bristle brooms and brushes and leave the wire behind.

[G-spotter]

Don't use wire brushes AT ALL. They polish the rock and make it slick.

 

Don't be retarded. It depends entirely on the type of rock.

[lancegranite]

This is the only tool for the modern new router.

This hammer is good for pounding iron, pulling pins, moss mixed moves, driving bolts, killing meddling kids foolish enough to discover your evil plans, removing rotten rock, light prybar work, scraping moss off... everything.

 

Wall hammers and nut tools are a joke for cleaning a lot of moss and dirt out of cracks, this thing is a killing machine.

The Estwing 22 Supreme

 

[Rad]

I used to have something like that Estwing thing when I was a kid. A geologist neighbor gave it to me. Great for smashing open rocks. One winter I used it to chip two inches of ice off our driveway and it worked great, except it nearly destroyed the driveway in the process. Dad was none too happy. Thankfully we lived in a rental at the time.

 

I like the standard weeder for PNW cleaning. And yes, the nylon brush is much better, mainly because it lasts much longer and doesn't litter the area with metal splinters/hairs.

 

I'd also second Alpinfox's comment that mask, goggles, and leather gloves are vital. I've inhaled a good bit of dirt and lichen and it is no fun at all.