Each climb can mean a beating for your Crampons. However, there are ways to ensure they stay in great working order. Here are some tips on how to care for your Crampons.
Before you go out, you should take some time to inspect your Crampon, to ensure they are ready for use. Sharpen the teeth of your crampons with a file. Ensure when doing this that you are going with the direction of the teeth. When you are looking to file the teeth do not use a grinding wheel. A grinding wheel will warm up the metal and change its chemical structure which could weaken the teeth allowing them to break. File the points as sharp as possible to maintain a straight line from the frame to the tip. And, take a look at them overall, is there any bent tips? Carefully try to bend them back if possible.
Sharpening is important, especially if you do a lot of climbing on rocks. The rocks will easily wear down the points making them less effective. Any sort of mixed terrain will dull the points rather quickly, so you need to stay on top of this to have the crampons work as they should.
Inspect the Crampons
Inspecting your bindings will ensure you have a successful hiking trip. Be sure to look for any loose screws or rivets and tighten when needed. Check for worn straps or belts and replace them as needed. This doesn’t happen often, but it is good to stay on top of it. Check the boot to Crampon interface, does the boot seat well in the Crampon? Adjust as needed. And, take a look at the bails of the Crampon, do they fit the boot well, if not, do the needed adjustments. Always carry supplies to fix your Crampon with you. Things such as the straps, baling wire, and a wrench are important.
Always keep your Crampon inside a protective case. This ensures that they will stay sharp and not harm you or someone else. Sharp crampons are perfect for walking on ice, however, they can certainly wreak havoc on your car’s interior. Having a nice box for them to be stored will protect both you and your property. This case should be protected as well, as the sharp blades can really ruin just about anything in their path. Be sure your blades are protected by getting a hard case that can endure the blades and not harm them.
Protect your Crampons
And, when you are done with them, be sure to dry them off completely and coat with a protective spray. This will keep them from dulling or getting rusted and unusable. This can be something as simple as WD40.
Now that you know how to care for your crampons, go out and have some fun! These are great for walking on ice and help keep you vertical. Just be sure to sharpen them often and check for any bent blades. They are a rather crude device, but hey, they work great, which is why they have been the same for years!
