My spikes, new to climbing and having problems

[swinny]

Good evening all,

 

Been out doing a little climbing tonight, i've been climbing a sycamore tree which i'm due to be felled this week, it's been a little bit wet tonight, but i'm struggling a bit with my spikes, sometimes they do not seem to sink into the trunk correctly and just skate down the side of the tree shaving the bark off and i feel like i have to stab them in at times

 

The spikes are quite old as i got my gear second hand, should they be a really good razor sharp point on these?

 

or is it me? and how i've been climbing?

 

cheers chris

[Tree Man Tom]

Syc is abit slippy to spike, and yes your spikes should be sharp. I didnt get the hang of spiking first time round, and still slip out now and again.

[Billy]

might be that your not getting them to hit the tree at the right angle, or thewy could just be really blunt. try to improve your technique first before looking at the equipment too much.

[Husqvarna King]

sharp gaffs are the key, you should only have to place them into the wood, not stab them in, this will damage your knees overtime. The angle is important on spikes, you want them to go into the wood to be secure but not too far so they are difficult to pull out as you climb up. Also there are long and short (pole climbing) gaffs, longer are better(more usefull) for general tree work. My advice would be to buy a new set of gaffs, and then you could even sharpen the older ones matching the angle etc.

 

Goodluck

[swinny]

i'm not too bad at spiking, sometimes even in the dry they do not seem to dig in properly..... it may be my positioning etc it only happens now and again.

 

these are not razor sharp etc little bit rounded to the end... can you sharpen them again with them being steel?

[dangerous brian]

Yes they should be as sharp as you can get em also try walking up the tree in a charley chaplin stylry,keep your strop quite tight dont lie back keep your weight over the point of the spike and just walk up the tree shouldnt have much probs on a syc,just let your spikes do the work and relax,simples.

[swinny]

might be that your not getting them to hit the tree at the right angle, or thewy could just be really blunt. try to improve your technique first before looking at the equipment too much.

 

it could be that im too close to the tree and upright, i do think they need a tickle up to get them sharper maybe...

[armchairarborist]

flat file on the two angles, dont file the largest flat face (back), spike angle gauges are available if you struggle, watch your rope with sharp ones though..

[swinny]

flat file on the two angles, dont file the largest flat face (back), spike angle gauges are available if you struggle, watch your rope with sharp ones though..

 

i'll give it a go tomorrow, but it may be the best idea to buy some new ones, and that goes for the rest of the gear seem's as its secondhand, for piece of mind....??

[burrell_]

the bloke that learned me how to spike on the phone said the most important thing to remember is dont hug the tree (no huging he called it ) and keep a nice angle to the trunk at all time (dont force the spike into the tree as most the time ur weight should dig the spike into the trunk) oh and sharpe spikes is a must

hope that helps u out mate

all the best martin