# Alpenstock



## Rad

Anyone own a Alpenstock? Ever made one? If you have, do you know where to get the parts? I'd like to make one, but not sure where to begin. It would be nice to find a good source for the hardware -- I don't really want to forge my own hardware.


----------



## Rad

OK -- since I have had zero response, maybe no one knows what the heck I'm talking about! Or, maybe no one cares! If it is that no one is interested -- then I'll just forget it. But just in case no one has a clue what a Alpenstock is and what I'm looking at making -- here's a picture:


----------



## gdenby

I do know what an alpenstock is. But where I live, most appropriate sticks would be called flattenstocks, or muddenstock.  No help here, sorry


----------



## Rad

gdenby said:


> I do know what an alpenstock is. But where I live, most appropriate sticks would be called flattenstocks, or muddenstock.  No help here, sorry


Laughing!!! Thanks for Responding! I understand -- although I don't live in the mountains, my walks can be kind of rugged -- especially in the winter! Here is what it looks like from my eastern exposure:


----------



## Chiricahua Jack

I did a google search and couldn't come up with a source for parts. The head reminds me of a rock hammer I have but rock hammers are all hand forged in one piece today. Your best bet might be to search extreme backpacking shops and suppliers where you might be able to find one where you could replace the handle with the stick you want.


----------



## CAS14

I will look this weekend, maybe a place like Forestry Suppliers or an outfitter as CJ suggested carries them and who knows, even parts?

I would be interested myself.


----------



## Chiricahua Jack

When I first saw Rad's pictures of the alpenstock the very first thing that came to my mind was the ice hammer murder weapon from the book, "The First Deadly Sin", later made into a movie staring Frank Sinatra. Great book series by the way!


----------



## CAS14

I checked a ton of stores, including Bass Pro, Cabelas, Dicks Sporting Goods, Rei, and lots more. No luck. I checked Lee Valley too. I'll look some more. All I've seen so far is hardware from China.


----------



## CAS14

If money were no object..................

Note the interchangeable parts. Maybe they sell the parts separately.

http://www.camp-usa.com/products/cassin/cassin-technical-ice/x-alp-hammer-3004.asp


----------



## CAS14

EBay link sent to me by an old Marine brother: http://www.ebay.com/itm/251303571156


----------



## CAS14

I have one of these, but haven't had a small enough stick yet to install it on. The steel point attachment might work for you.

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=58762&cat=1,250,43243


----------



## CAS14

The EBay Alpenstock gave me an idea for future use: a lanyard on a slip ring. Otherwise, the lanyard is useful only on level terrain. That's probably old news to seasoned stickmakers, but it's new news to me.


----------



## AAAndrew

Here are the parts, and it looks like they can be taken off the shaft. The company might even be willing to sell them separately for you to put on your own stick.

http://www.grivel.com/products/ice/ice_axes/11-monte_bianco

You could also look for one of these heads fit onto a wooden shaft and take out the handle.

http://www.amazon.com/patio-lawn-garden/dp/B005B1R21S

Probably your best bet would be to get onto a mountaineering forum and put out the call for an old ice axe head.


----------



## CAS14

For rockhounds: http://minerox.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=1072&ParentCat=5

That's a 30" handle.

I just emailed these Tennesseeans to see whether they have a suitable 60" hickory handle for a combo rock hammer & walking stick. The fire-hardened hickory would not be well suited for carving, but perhaps a little woodburning after I practice a bit.

http://www.tennesseehickory.com/index.shtml


----------



## Rad

Thanks guys for all the info! I've been gone for over 2 weeks, so I'm just seeing your comments!


----------



## CAS14

I recently received the August issue of GSA Today, an informal publication of the Geological Society of America.


----------



## Rad

CAS said:


> I recently received the August issue of GSA Today, an informal publication of the Geological Society of America.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> gt1308_Page_01.jpg


Interesting! I wonder how long the handle is?


----------



## CAS14

Rad said:


> CAS said:
> 
> 
> 
> I recently received the August issue of GSA Today, an informal publication of the Geological Society of America.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> gt1308_Page_01.jpg
> 
> 
> 
> Interesting! I wonder how long the handle is?
Click to expand...

No way to know, it was just their cover shot, probably from a GSA or a university field trip.


----------



## AAAndrew

Interesting looking head on the thing. Looks like split metal so as to maintain lightness, but sacrifice on sturdiness. Might be good enough for an ice ax or light digging in loose soil, but I don't think it would be very comfortable to use as a handle.

But interesting. Thanks for sharing!


----------



## CAS14

My more formal version of a geologist's "Rockinstock" for "knapping the chucky stanes", as an old Scott (Sir Walter Scott) once said.





  








Partly finished




__
CAS14


__
Dec 22, 2015


__
1



First coat applied: about 60:40 spar varnish to mineral spirits 
To seal and get an initial coat on


----------



## Rodney

The geologist hammer head is a little different than the ice axe but it should be nearly the same functionally for hiking rough terrain.

I do like the idea of the sliding lanyard in the one comment. It looks very functional.

Rodney


----------



## CAS14

CAS14 said:


> My more formal version of a geologist's "Rockinstock" for "knapping the chucky stanes", as an old Scott (Sir Walter Scott) once said.


First coat of about 60/40 oil based spar varnish, and second coat of 100% varnish applied. Now the usual winter temps have come. I'm looking into the cost of insulating and heating my garage so that I can finish the job before April. I'd like to have 70 degrees F, ideally to apply the last 3-4 coats of varnish.

Also, I have a stick that I have set aside for high gloss varnish, to compare with the satin varnish on the stick above. As I noted somewhere, the satin varnish is on the hickory geologist's stick, and the high gloss will be used over two-year old tung oil on the older stick which is eastern red cedar.

The comparison is months away, contingent on the weather, or my budget and possible garage insulating/heating project.


----------



## Gloops

the only thing I can think of in a similar vein is an ice pick


----------



## Rad

CAS14 said:


> My more formal version of a geologist's "Rockinstock" for "knapping the chucky stanes", as an old Scott (Sir Walter Scott) once said.


CAS -- I like the "Rockinstick". 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


----------

