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Faster than a stationary bullet.
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Snow climbing is great, but packing iceaxes and travelling with them can be a nightmare. If the Iceaxe blades could be folded down inside the body of the handle when not in use, they would become soo much safer / more portable. Care would have to be taken to ensure that the heads, when un-collapsed,
were mounted strongly enough and I doubt whether a technical ice-axe could ever be collapsible.
Folding modular walking ice axe
http://www.lboro.ac...nts/show97/p10.html
(project, possibly patented) [Shz, Nov 29 2005]
[link]
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Wouldn't the ice/snow freeze this shut? And, when I might need such a device, I'd hate to try to get it unfolded while wearing gloves/mittens. |
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Maybe add a chemical stick inside that heats it up to melt ice and unfold easier, and at the same time, would aid in poking through ice. |
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Or, in emergency situations, add a flare at the end of the shaft to both heat & shine. |
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[soph] I hadn't thought about it icing shut. However I guess that during an expedition it would be kept unfolded.
If the release mechanism were activated by rotating a section of the handle, it should be fairly easy to operate with gloves etc. |
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I like the idea of the flare aswell. you could hack it in and then let off the flare :) |
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Only the tip(s) need to recess into the handle for it to be safer. There could be enough exposed to grip / open easily if it ices. Spring-loaded? I'm trusting this as a clibming tool even less, but you did specify non-technical. + |
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The springs would only be used on opening, once open, there would need to be another method for locking them open. |
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Could the handle be hollow? If so, the axe-y bit could be stored inside the handle and screwed onto the end when required. |
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That was my thought. Provide a gravity catch on each handle so the axes won't open when hung off one's belt, but only when held upright. |
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