Help identify old wooden ice axe

[zalmen_mlotek]

Can anyone help me identify an old wooden ice axe. The head has two distinct emblems. One is a bird and the other is a flower. The leash is made out of rope and it's fixed to the shaft (doesn't slide up and down). Sorry, I don't have any photos of the axe. Does anyone know the brand?

 

Thank you!

[ScaredSilly]

The flower is probably an Edelweiss. As such, I wold guess an old Hope Edelweiss ice axe.

[Le Piston]

I agree with ScaredSilly on the flower. As I remember Salewa used a bird symbol (Eagle I believe). I know Edelweiss makes ropes, but don't know about ice axes. Ask Dane!

Edited December 14, 2010 by Le Piston

[Hugh Conway]

a picture would helpful, and nice porn

[Lodestone]

Do either of the logos look like the ones below?

 

 

 

 

 

Chad

[zalmen_mlotek]

Here is a photo. Definitely has the Edelweiss logo. Were these nice axes? Does anyone know the history of the company? It looks like they no longer make axes.

 

[Alex]

The eagle on the back makes me think Salewa.

[treknclime]

How long is it? My guess...it's likely an alpenstock. Check out some old Alps or Rainier climbing shots. Often times, you'd see them there, and they were used for chopping steps up long ice slopes. Don't think they were used as our traditional ice axes are, for self arrest, rather, they were used more like long canes (some like 4' or more, for reach and stability when walking).

 

That's my best guess.

[billcoe]

Well, until Jeff Thomas, Dane or Lowell Skoog show up, we'll have to muddle through with some guess's.

 

I think carabiner holes showed up in the 50s axes, but they had the slimmer head design in the 40s and 50s - so you have a pre war axe. How much earlier? The length of axes has gotten shorter over time, with long assed nearly walking stick lengths getting shorter @ the turn of the last century. Axes they use to be as well, with the hatchet shape becoming an adze shape just before that time period as well.

 

Thats all I know. Based on that you may have a 100 year old axe or so, but you could most likely send a picture off to Edelweiss as they are still in business, and ask them yourself. They say they've been in business for 220 years. Edelrid has not been in business that long, 50's I think, although that does look like their Eagle logo. (nice work Chad) http://www.edelweiss-ropes.com/ or info@edelweiss-ropes.com for email.

 

Are you looking to figure out what you are going to sell it for or whats the story here?

[ScaredSilly]

How long is it? My guess...it's likely an alpenstock. Check out some old Alps or Rainier climbing shots. Often times, you'd see them there, and they were used for chopping steps up long ice slopes. Don't think they were used as our traditional ice axes are, for self arrest, rather, they were used more like long canes (some like 4' or more, for reach and stability when walking).

 

That's my best guess.

 

Those are decorative marks on the head which as said above would make it a alpenstock or walking stick and not a true ice axe. The adze/pick looks to to about 6" long which is quite small compared to a std. ice axe but perfect for fitting in one's hand as they walked a snowy trail. They are quite common through out the alps BITD. Now folks use ski poles. I have one that I picked up years ago. While the head is not decorative the shaft is carved with a reminder of an walk to the Jungfraujoch. I.e. folks take the rail car up and then walk across the glacier on a well marked path to the col, admire the views, then walk back to restaurant for lunch. All quite civilized.

 

So you have walking stick from the alps that some one brought back as a souvenir.

 

 

[Le Piston]

I think you're right about the biner hole...this is a 1940-50's era axe with a leash glide ring.

[stevetimetravlr]

Actually its more then a walking stick from the Alps. Hiking sticks(not walking sticks which are canes) from the Alps are a collectible item in their own right and quite different. I have imported and sold many of them in my business. They are not normally outfitted with a head like this, and the shaft has little tin emblems of events or villages or hikes that the hiking stick has been on. This looks like a specialized tool for snow travel and could definitly be called a ice ax, especially if the head is attached in a secure fashion. sometimes a hiking staff may have a ice ax head attached but in such a flimsy or non secure fashion that is it ever was put into use to self arrest it would blow apart. To me this is what truely differeniates the hiking ax from the ice ax, and also the quality of the head casting with the logos show it is a serious alpine tool.

[Hugh Conway]

Here is a photo. Definitely has the Edelweiss logo. Were these nice axes? Does anyone know the history of the company? It looks like they no longer make axes.

 

 

Is that writing on the side?

 

perhaps worth pointing out that the Edelweiss and Eagle have historically been more than just corporate logos.

[zalmen_mlotek]

I actually don't own the axe/alpenstock I was talking with someone who is selling it. I was thinking of buying it as a gift for a climbing friend of mine as a wedding gift.

 

Thank you so much for all the information. I am still torn on whether to buy it or not.

[stevetimetravlr]

If you don't buy it, I would buy it! How much?

[billcoe]

Perhaps what he mean to say was

"How much? "How much? How much? How much? How much? COMMMMME ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm sure that you've got us all curious as well, how much? Be aware that no one uses wooden ice axes any more in the mountains for a reason, so it's purely going to be over the mantle or the door, or much like my 2 wooden ice axes, buried someplace in the basement under a ton of shit.

 

You might drop the hint to the bride and see if that's something she wants in her house, or if not, that your buddy has a man cave in the basement like moi, where all the my shit my wife can't stand (buddy bear) goes. Buddy is a carved bear I fell in love with, who is seen below smoking a bong and about to cough, that I bought on Jim and drug home. Wife hated him and he got evicted in short order to the.....

 

Man cave:

 

 

 

 

[Le Piston]

Great collection of big wall hammers! I like the nice selection of kids movies too in the man cave...I'm glad I'm not the only one!

[Lodestone]

Here's one I bartered for today. Similar to Le Piston's but with a carabiner hole.

 

 

 

 

Chad

[billcoe]

Nice! 60's Chad?

[Lodestone]

Nice! 60's Chad?

 

 

That would be my guess. I haven't found much info on it, at least that's not in German.

 

About once a year for the last five years I've asked my non-climbing co-worker about "that old ice axe" in the corner of his office. This thread reminded me to ask again and this time he said take it. Must be a Christmas miracle.

 

 

Chad

[stevetimetravlr]

Looks like a 60's ice ax to me. I have a ice ax by Stubai I bought new in 1974. Heres the photo. Bill already taunted me about it in an other thread, which I think means he would like to get his hands on it.Ha!

[Dane]

My best guess is the first one is a decorative alpenstock....'70s vintage likely, maybe late '60s...not an ice ace. Tourist stuff that most any hotel or shop would sell in the Alps. Not unlikely both Salewa and Edelweiss logos (my guess and good advertizing) or neither.

 

Last orange beater is an Stubia Nanga Parbat. Same axe the Snowdon Curver was made from. Both were good technical axes bitd.

 

Mod Wallner was my first axe...great for self arrest Ash shaft was a little weak

[stevetimetravlr]

I would offer $100- for the "decorative alpenstock" if you're interested in selling it Zalmen.

[pcg]

Last orange beater is an Stubia Nanga Parbat. Same axe the Snowdon Curver was made from. Both were good technical axes bitd.

My Stubai Nanga Parbat from the 60s had an ash shaft, instead of fiberglass.

Edited December 18, 2010 by pcg

[stevetimetravlr]

I bought the fiberglass shaft Nanga Parbat because it was the strongest axe on the market, but also the heaviest. but that was when I was still packing in a cast iron skillet to cook breakfast.