Talon Hook Evolution
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- A test sample given to Barry Ward when he worked with A5 in Flagstaff Arizona.
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- Produced by Peregrine Mountain Products
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- The Talons original design with its point of sale information
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- Original Instructions
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- The current Black Diamond Talon in the foreground and an original in the background
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- Top: Original Talon design Bottom: Current Black Diamond design
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- The #19 test sample on top of a current Black Diamond Talon shows how the depth of the hook has changed
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- The #19 test sample on top of a current Black Diamond Talon shows how the depth of the hook has changed
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- Comparing the depth of the three versions
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- Current BD medium point graphics
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- Current BD wide graphics
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- Current BD pointed graphic
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- #19 stamped on the Barry Ward Test Sample
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- Peregrine Mountain Products Logo
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- Detail of the sling hole of the Original Talon
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- Close up showing the attachment of the tunnel on the original slinging point
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- Profile
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- comparing the wide hook
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- profile of the medium hooks
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- comparing the medium hook
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- comparing the pointed hook
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- Top: Original Bottom: #19 test sample
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- comparing the pointed hooks on the Original (R) and the #19 Test Sample (L)
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- Comparing the pointed hooks Top: #19 Test Sample Bottom: Original
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- #19 test sample
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- Original Talon
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- Detail of the original pointed hook
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- L to R: Original Talon #19 Test Sample Current Black Diamond Talon
Vertical Archaeology would like to thank Talon designer Andrew McLean for very kindly donating one of his personal original Talon hooks to our archive. We would also like to thank Barry Ward for passing on his unique #19 test sample Talon and taking the time to give us a bit of its backstory.
I am currently working on an article about the history of the Talon and will add it as soon as its ready.
I have an even earlier one from Andrew, he initially approached A5 with the design, but we already had too many hardware products, as we were focussing on making portaledges mostly. It is smaller than the production versions, and has a silver finish. I will try to send it to you sometime for your collection. (ps. I was glad to see Andrew got a great design job at BD soon after, he has contributed a lot of good ideas).