1940s to 1960s Austrian Pitons
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- Ring Angle and Stubai carabiner for scale
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- The welding was very well done
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- Detail of the welded striking surface and the ring
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- Detail of the rounded tip
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- Detail of the welded striking surface
These pitons are all stamped “MADE IN AUSTRIA” and have no other manufacturing marks. My guess is the majority were probably made by Stubai for military use or for sale by other companies like REI. The design and finish on these pitons lack the attention to detail found on better pitons of the same era.
The notable exception to this lack of polish is the one inch ring angle in this collection. The welding and overall construction are very nice, I am not sure of its history (other than point of origin) but I have found a similar looking piton in early 1960s gear catalogs by Matterhorn Equipment and Eiger Equipment. I’ve wondered if the welding was done at a later date by the end retailers to strengthen the piton and provide the climber with a more durable piece of gear. If anyone knows please comment and contribute to the history of this equipment.