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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Dec 15, 2010 - 10:01am PT
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Theron and all--
You guys are AMAZING!!!!!
Thanks so much for your great efforts!!!!
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Ihateplastic
Trad climber
It ain't El Cap, Oregon
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Dec 15, 2010 - 10:32am PT
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Based on the results of my Cray® Super Computer and the latest sat photos from NORAD it now appears we have 38 hammers left for sale.
I want to repeat that so everyone has full knowledge...
38 hammers left for sale.
38 hammers left for sale.
38 hammers left for sale.
38 hammers left for sale.
38 hammers left for sale.
38 hammers left for sale.
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John Mac
Trad climber
Littleton, CO
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Dec 15, 2010 - 10:53am PT
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Amazing dedication to quality control!
We are very fortunate to have a group of people so willing to go above and beyond what is the norm these days. No need to apologize for the lack of communication. We all know these are not simple things to sort out.
Thank you for all your hard work and dedication.
I can't think of a better Christmas gift for myself than a D5 Hammer.
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Ihateplastic
Trad climber
It ain't El Cap, Oregon
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Dec 15, 2010 - 11:09am PT
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Fattrad... what about me??? I handled the money! Don't I get a thank you? I am so alone...
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Dec 15, 2010 - 12:14pm PT
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we just screwed up going with the serial number idea.
Well, include the "D5" stamp too, then.
Any stress riser will be bait for that residual stress seeking a weak spot. That includes the raw material.
Kinda considered mag particle inspection, but, really, those cracks seem to be obvious.
Really appreciate the extra concern and details.
Great stuff, you guys!
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crøtch
climber
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Dec 15, 2010 - 02:09pm PT
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Maybe to be safe, you could hold back from selling the last 5 or 10 units to have a small reserve in the unlikely event that one of us discovers a crack in a delivered hammer? Would be nice to be able to exchange for a freshy if that happens.
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 15, 2010 - 02:56pm PT
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Crotch, that's a thought, though we are trying to vet what we have as good before shipping any.
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Wayno
Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
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Dec 15, 2010 - 03:28pm PT
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I was scared that I wouldn't get one in time. Not any more, the Xmas bonus came through. Thanks fellers.
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MTucker
Ice climber
Arizona
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Dec 15, 2010 - 04:05pm PT
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So the Yellow A5 hammers have serial numbers.
What about that round of hammers?
At what point in the process were they stamped?
Any blems or loss on that run of heads?
That would be some good info to hear from J. M.
After all the machine work, of course, you'll have to get them heat treated properly. Have you decided if you are going with 4130 or 4340? The first A5 hammer batch (red handles) was 4130, the second (yellow handles) was 4340. Both have pluses and minuses in terms of a finished product, but to be safe, the more expensive 4340 is probably better because you have more latitude for a good hard heat treatment in the end.
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matty
Trad climber
los arbor
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Dec 15, 2010 - 04:24pm PT
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Get em while you can. I just ordered two! This whole project turned out to be so cool.
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 15, 2010 - 04:56pm PT
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So the Yellow A5 hammers have serial numbers. What about that round of hammers? At what point in the process were they stamped?
Just emailed John for details on that. I recall seeing one of these at some point and I believe they weren't as large or deep as we did, but will verify that with John.
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deuce4
climber
Hobart, Australia
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Dec 15, 2010 - 05:21pm PT
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let's see...
First batch: I started work on these while I was still living in Yosemite, in the dirt, with a postbox at the lodge, living part-time in a tent in Camp 4, and part-time (in the winter, when the rangers kindly had a blind eye to some of the rules) in my '71 VW van in the Camp 4 parking lot.
Then I moved to Flagstaff and got the first batch of heads from the forgers. Bought a mill for Steve Byrne at the Wired Bliss shop, then set about milling and grinding and sanding the heads. Then I got the handles and tangs organized (the local libraries Thomas Registers were well used back then), and assembled the hammers at the apartment I was living in at the time (I lost my damage deposit when I moved out of that apartment). At the same time I was organizing a mail order business, with what later became A5. My first "catalogs" were xeroxed affairs, and among other hard to get items, I sold a hand grinder, 1/4" bolt gear, and of course the big wall spoons.
The first batch of hammers (approx. 500, maybe 550) were made of 4130, a Chrome Moly steel I had studied extensively during my college engineering. I bought a hardness tester--a simple center punch which was used to punch the metal, then using a calibrated loupe, and tested all the climbing gear I could get a hold of, as well as hardware store forged hammers. The handles on these rigs was a reddish brown color, and they were not stamped with a serial number. They had the hole through the handle and 6mm cord for leashes. They initially sold for $68.50.
They sold briskly at first, but soon after, Chouinard (before it was Black Diamond) started selling a cast wall hammer, and sales dwindled to about 50 per year. It took a long time to sell the first batch.
Somewhere around 1995 or 1996 I started a second batch of 250. The steel was 4340 and they had the yellow handle and were serial numbered.
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deuce4
climber
Hobart, Australia
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Dec 15, 2010 - 05:30pm PT
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Here's some old ads--
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Dec 15, 2010 - 05:54pm PT
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The steel was 4340 and they had the yellow handle and were serial numbered.
Do you recall if you numbered them before or after heat treat?
Edit to add: standard 4340 or aircraft quality? Probably not VAR.
Cheers!
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 15, 2010 - 05:58pm PT
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John, cool! Thanks for posting up. Those ads are great as is the dirtbag-to-riches story (well, ok, maybe not quite rich...)
In his email to me John said he thought he used a 3/32" lettering stamp for the yellow series, whereas Theron used a 8/32 (1/4)" stamp on the D5's. John also thought he may have stamped them after heat treat as well (definitely the way to go if so).
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T Moses
Big Wall climber
Paso Robles
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Dec 15, 2010 - 11:49pm PT
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No report from the metalurgist today. Shipping is HELL around Christmas i guess. I will post up pics and info when I get them. Tomorrow I am really hoping.
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T Moses
Big Wall climber
Paso Robles
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Dec 16, 2010 - 03:07pm PT
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I got a verbal OK through the heat treater that the heads are OK. The cracks happened during heat treat and they are not poping up after the fact. The crystaline structure is good meaning the metal is OK and the heat treat is correct. The stampings are to blame and he recommends not doing that again. He is typing up a written report now and I should have a faxed copy this afternoon some time. I'll let you guys know more as it comes availible.
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 16, 2010 - 04:11pm PT
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Alrighty then - good to know! We're back to it then after a brief QC intermission. Sorry for the delay, but we have been committed to only shipping hammers we can all depend on and which live up to the reputation John and A5 established for them. In the end we've lost a few to a hard and fast learning curve, but c'est la vie. Go team D5!
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kev
climber
A pile of dirt.
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Dec 16, 2010 - 04:54pm PT
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SO I'm not sure if you guys have shipped yet or not but you might want to consider holding off on shipping until after the holidays since many of us will be traveling soon :)
Thanks, Moses, Simon, et al!
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Prod
Trad climber
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Dec 16, 2010 - 04:59pm PT
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you might want to consider holding off on shipping until after the holidays since many of us will be traveling soon
-1 for that.
Prod.
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