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wiscoclimbiner
Oct 12, 2005, 5:38 PM
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Registered: Feb 16, 2004
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does any one own any climb high titanium screws? was thinking about picking a few up due to the fact that they are less then 15 bucks. just wondering if they are worth it
Ben
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jderekforrester
Oct 12, 2005, 5:43 PM
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Registered: Oct 15, 2002
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I was in the same position you were in while trying to buy screws 3 years ago. I purchased a couple of the titanium ones first, trying to save cash. While they do work, after using some of my friends nice BD screws, I was sold. I would save up and by the better screws. While using the titanium screws is possible and character building while pumped on lead, the benefits of the other screws far outweigh any increase in testicle size due to titanium usage.
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dotc
Oct 12, 2005, 5:52 PM
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Registered: Mar 24, 2004
Posts: 50
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I had a couple. They went dull and became almost impossible to place within one season. In my experience you are better off having only a couple of really good screws (ie. girvel 360 or BD Turbo E), than a whole rack full of dull/rusty cheap screws. Then again, one of the guys that I ice climb with regularly kicks my butt, and still climbs with snargs!
cheers,
Dotc
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drytooler
Oct 12, 2005, 5:57 PM
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Registered: Aug 31, 2005
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great screw love them specially whit a big custom made handle on them.
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euroford
Oct 12, 2005, 6:24 PM
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Registered: Aug 26, 2002
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they are exceptionally poor, here's another vote for saving your money and buying somethig better. bd, grivel or petzl.
climbing ice is scary, dangerous and pumpy enough as it is. you'll regrett purposfully making it needless harder, not to mention slower.
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jackscoldsweat
Oct 12, 2005, 6:27 PM
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Registered: Jun 18, 2003
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While they are more difficult to place , they have their place in the alpine. lighter for sure.
JCS
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euroford
Oct 12, 2005, 6:40 PM
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Registered: Aug 26, 2002
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in the alpine setting i would hate them even more. considering all the hardships alpinism can sadle you with the last thing i would do is create more problems with bunk screws.
only a fool would sacrafice that much reliability for the couple of grams those things would save you.
for alpine, instead of taking 6 lightweight titanium screw, take 4 good screws.
cheap russian titantium ice screws do have a place, the trash can.
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drytooler
Oct 12, 2005, 6:56 PM
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yo dude ever hurt from ushba? huh dream on......
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jackscoldsweat
Oct 12, 2005, 7:03 PM
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Registered: Jun 18, 2003
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Why not couple the steel with titanium’s? I don't mind having to drop 1 ti and 1 chromo at the belay. the rest are used on lead (i'm talking alpine).
nothing beats turbo express. NOTHING. you go ahead and carry your 4 screws. but i'd rather include a few titanium’s to my list of chromos when moving light and fast is important.
It's just like the camalot argument. just because they have a wider range doesn't mean you can carry less.
don't trash your titanium screws....mail them to me.
JCS
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drytooler
Oct 12, 2005, 7:12 PM
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Registered: Aug 31, 2005
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the new stubai screw's are definitely better the the turbo express. screw faster and easy-er then the BDexpress. the special manufactured made them have a prefect shape.
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wiscoclimbiner
Oct 12, 2005, 7:37 PM
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Registered: Feb 16, 2004
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thanks for all the information that you guys ahve throwen out there. please keep it coming
Ben
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drytooler
Oct 12, 2005, 7:41 PM
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http://www.vaude.de/hps/client/vaude/public/hxfront/index.hbs/outdoor/en
http://www.ushba.com/catalog/ice.html
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euroford
Oct 12, 2005, 8:19 PM
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Registered: Aug 26, 2002
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In reply to: yo dude ever hurt from ushba? huh dream on......
not to say you can't make a great screw from titanium, believe me i'm a lover of the miracle metal, but i think we are genericly reffering to the POS tin pot titanium screws that go for $20 or less.
i personally have no experience with Ushba's screws, they might be great, but i truly would be shocked and amazed if they are any better than current offerings by OP, BD, Grivel and Petzl. i personally own several of each of these brand screws (except grivel), they each have thier own special qualities but are IMO fairly equavalent, all are very good.
this does make me curious, why don't any of the major players make a Ti screw? Ti isn't special like it used to be, if they felt they had a compelling reason to choose it over SS than i honestly think they would.
if your on a budget, get some OP screws, they are a fantastic bargain. my personall favorite is the petzl, i also really like the bd's. no experience with the grivels, but allot of poeple really do like them.
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drytooler
Oct 12, 2005, 8:27 PM
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Registered: Aug 31, 2005
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good response :D
sorry for my English
i also have bd turbo ex pres grivel 360 and petzl laser(not laser sonic) and te work well but the titanium work real good also its just the design. The problem whit titanium is that its expensive hard to produce screws from. the old Russian are made from old submarine parts that's why te are cheap en scrappy..
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euroford
Oct 12, 2005, 8:57 PM
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Registered: Aug 26, 2002
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i do have the laser sonics, i think they are incredable. a good design executed very well. the finish is noticably better than the bd's, but i don't think in practice it makes much of a diffrence.
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weekendclimber
Oct 12, 2005, 9:37 PM
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Registered: Jul 11, 2002
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Most people that I've talked to about these cheap Ti screws and IMHO these are really screws that are leavers used for rapping off the top when a V-thread is not possible. I have several of these Russian made cheapy's and have heard rumors that they should not be trusted to hold a significant fall. Since they are inherently used for ice climbing, a significant fall would be just about any fall in this sport. Some newer Ti screws have started entering the market, and these screws should not be mistaken for the cheap Russian models. The newer screws are UIAA rated and can be considered just as good a SS model.
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theishofoz
Oct 12, 2005, 10:58 PM
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Registered: Jun 28, 2004
Posts: 217
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just go to the hardware store and buy a box of good size wood screws. screw in a few of them, tie them off short (like a piton) and keep going. it works for me :D better yet, carry your pin rack and just hammer those in :shock:
i am totally just kidding, i do not and never have ice climbed, do not take my word on anything thaty i just now posted
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stabla
Oct 12, 2005, 11:45 PM
Post #18 of 20
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Registered: Apr 29, 2005
Posts: 139
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The black diamond turbo express are soo amazingly easy to place. I used to climb high ones at mountaineering school was not a fan. Could'n't screw em fast enough.
yahtzee!
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toml
Oct 27, 2005, 5:45 PM
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Registered: Feb 6, 2004
Posts: 71
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I have a set of old Charlets, and a bunch of new BD Express, plus some really old stuff like ice pitons...
I also have both a nasty Russian Ti screw and a nicer Ushba.
The titanium screws are useless for waterfall ice climbing. The Ushba screw does go into soft plastic ice but I wouldn't want to be placing it on a steep cold ice pillar.
My 15 year old, resharpened-so-much-they're-now-14cm-instead-of-17cm Charlets go in better than the Ushba. It's generally easier to start the hole with a real screw, then put in the titanium screw once the hole is started. The Ushba goes in nicely if the hole is already started. Nasty Russian is a pain the whole way in.
That being said, if you're not climbing steep waterfall ice, they can be handy. In alpine ice they seem to go in just fine. I worry a bit about using them in crevasse rescue setups due to fear they won't bite and start quickly, but generally they've gone in well to any glacier ice I've tried (2 or 3 separate occasions, experimentally).
The nasty Russian ones (not Ushba) have poor safety records and I think break fairly easily.
If you're climbing lower angle alpine stuff, though, and won't be subjecting the screws to huge forces, fine.
Otherwise, stay away.
I haven't fallen on any screws.
I would consider buying more Ushba screws for bigger easy alpine stuff.
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cfnubbler
Oct 27, 2005, 6:19 PM
Post #20 of 20
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Registered: Oct 31, 2003
Posts: 628
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In reply to: Most people that I've talked to about these cheap Ti screws and IMHO these are really screws that are leavers used for rapping off the top when a V-thread is not possible.
Can you please describe a situation in which a screw placement (ti or otherwise) sufficiently reliable to rap from is possible, and a v-thread is not? Thanks.
-Nubbler
PS- The cheap ti screws are bunk. Poor machining, poor thread pitch, dull as a butter knife, difficult if not impossible to place one-handed on the lead on steep ice, etc. Save you money until you can buy real screws.
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