VINTAGE ICE AXE US AMES WW2 ARMY WOOD HANDLED ICE AXE 10th Mountain Division (Â)

	Item #: HW44AB-Sold VINTAGE ICE AXE US AMES WW2 ARMY WOOD HANDLED ICE AXE 10th Mountain Division By Â [ SOLD ] Add to wish list Click Here For Related Selections
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US AMES Army WW II Ice Axe This ice axe was made specifically for the legendary 10th Mountain Division during WW II. The axe measures 36' in overall length, with a 13" head. Over the years it has retained the steel ring and leather wrist leash which is often missing. The steel cup above the spike is marked U.S. AMES. These axes are becoming very difficult to find. A great historical and collector's item. Very Good Condition. The WWII 10th Mountain Division was formed in 1943 and sent to Italy when the US Army realized it needed an elite winter-warfare force to fight in the Italian mountains. They needed ice axes and AMES provided them, however, AMES primarily provided the US Army with shovels during WW II. USA Postage on this ice axe $25. Foreign $75 airmail. This will be added after you place your order. Ice Axes From Wikipedia: The antecedent of the ice axe was the alpenstock, a long wooden pole with an iron spike tip, used by shepherds for travel on snowfields and glaciers in the Alps since the Middle Ages. On August 8, 1786, Jacques Balmat and Michel-Gabriel Paccard made the first ascent of Mont Blanc. Balmat, a chamois hunter and crystal collector, had experience with high mountain travel, and Paccard had made previous attempts to climb the peak. Illustrations show Balmat carrying two separate tools that would later be merged into the ice axe � an alpenstock (or baton) and a small axe that could be used to chop steps on icy slopes. According to the earliest manufacturer of ice axes, Grivel, these two tools were merged to create the first true ice axe around 1840. Early ice axes had a vertical adze, with the cutting edge aligned with the direction of the shaft, as in a conventional axe. This design lasted until at least 1860, but eventually the adze was rotated to the current position, perpendicular to the direction of the shaft. The Italian Alpine Club published a book in 1889 entitled Fiorio e Ratti � The dangers of mountaineering and rules to avoid them, which recommended ice axes as among 'the inseparable companions of the mountaineer.' In the late 19th century, the typical ice axe shaft measured 120�130 cm (48' to 52') in length. British climber Oscar Eckenstein started the trend toward shorter ice axes with a lighter model measuring 85�86 cm (33 inches). Initially, this innovation was criticized by well known climbers of the era, including Martin Conway, a prominent member of the Alpine Club, who was the leader of an early expedition to the Baltoro region near K2 in 1892 of which Eckenstein was a member. Early ice axes had picks and adzes of about equal lengths. By the beginning of the 20th century, the pick lengthened to about twice the length of the adze. Improvements in crampon design (pioneered by Eckenstein in 1908) and ice climbing technique led to use of shorter, lighter ice axes appropriate to steeper ice climbs in the period between the world wars, especially after WW2. In 1978, the Safety Commission of the Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme (UIAA) established formal standards for ice axe safety and performance. This led to the replacement of the traditional wooden shaft by metal alloy or fiberglass shafts. Ergonomically curved handles became widespread in 1986. Use of modern aluminum alloys have led to a dramatic reduction in the weight of some ice axes. One model now on the market, the C.A.M.P. Corsa, weighs only 205 grams (8 ounces) with a 50 cm (20 inches) long shaft. One expert rated this lightweight ice axe as 'ideal for low angle glacier travel' but said he 'craved the solid and secure heft of a true steel mountain axe' in more demanding steep alpine conditions.
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