Whilst the debate on the safety of protection on ice has been going on for years, progress has been steadily made in the manufacturing of screws and their efficiency. Grivel had the final word in the debate with its 360° screw and the aim of fixing protection where and when we want to rather than only where the shape of the ice let us. So the debate is now over: yes - protection on ice is safe if it’s placed correctly and it can be placed quickly and efficiently.
Give yourself a 360° and you’ll be amazed by its efficiency: really easy to get a bite, quick and smooth to screw right in. It’s due to the four blades sharpened in two different directions: the four blades “slice” the ice and their bevelled underside pushes the crushed ice into the tube.
Naturally with time the blades’ lose their edge, becoming rounded and our screw will need some maintenance if it’s going to carry on amazing us! This is done with a fine file, never with a grindstone and always using the utmost of care. Some alpinists have learnt how to do it regularly just like skiers who keeps the edges on their skis sharp. You can really feel the difference! But I can assure you it isn’t fun doing it!
So Grivel has worked on it and produced an automatic machine that restores the tip of the blades to their original state: just like new! Compact, easy to use, it restores the tip’s bite to its original efficiency. Anybody who uses it will be delighted!