Several years ago, Grivel "rediscovered" forging as a process for the manufacture of modern ice axes. Machines have taken the place of a blacksmith's gnarled and powerful hands but the results are the same; the steel fibres are uniformly aligned to provide the maximum possible strength in a particular thickness, the heads consist of one piece of steel (rather than a multiple piece, welded head) and these tools are aesthetically pleasing to look at and use.
The forged heads are made from a single piece of steel. We buy 3cm solid rod stock in an annealed state, which means that it has been heated and then cooled in a controlled manner that renders it soft enough to work. The steel is heated to a "cherry red" colour (850°C) and with a powerful hammer it is beaten to a thinner and wider shape; this is the first step in aligning the steel fibres along the correct axis. This pre-shaped piece is placed into a mould and drop forged with 500-ton press into an ice axe head: the second step in aligning the fibres. The process is so exact that the excess material surrounding the head does not exceed one millimetre in thickness.
Careful research, design and manufacturing mean nothing without the presence of high quality materials; namely steel. Grivel has chosen a Nickel Chromolybdenum steel. This particular steel was specifically developed for use in the aeronautics industry and the manufacture of field artillery. Each shipment of steel received at the Grivel factory is accompanied by a certificate guaranteeing that quality and composition specifications have been met.
The presence of Chrome increases durability, corrosion resistance and facilitates the tempering process. Nickel improves the steel's resilience, corrosion resistance and facilitates the heat treatment. Molybdenum's advantage is temperature related; it increases the resistance to high temperatures so the steel can be heated hotter for working with minimum risk. It also makes the steel much more resistant to fatigue, mainly in cold temperatures.