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ASMU Pitons
​- page two -

ASMU pitons - page one
asmu pitons - page two

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Sporthaus Schuster 1953 catalog. Catalog images from Matthias Hofle

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Sporthaus Schuster 1954/1955 winter catalog. Click on catalog photo to link to entire catalog shown on the Vertical Archaeology website. The 1953 and 1954/1955 catalog makes me question when the actual round ASMU manufacturers logo was first put onto the climbing gear. Looking at this catalog I wonder why the artist wrote in single letters "ASMU" on the pitons. All of the items are ASMU so what is the need then to add the ASMU letters onto the drawings, unless that was the actual ASMU logo stamp previous to the round ASMU manufacturer logo stamp being created. I say this because I was able to obtain a set of ASMU crampons that have only the letters "ASMU" on them just like this catalog shows. If anybody has any ASMU pitons with just the letters ASMU on them without the round manufacturers logo on them, that will prove my theory correct. Please share! This catalog shows the full set pitons which were only available in one size, except for the "bugaboo" style piton shown as #5610 which was available in two sizes. The three ice pitons shown were each available in two sizes. 

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Its not that the crampons didn't receive the round ASMU manufacturers mark, because here is another set of crampons shown to the (right) of the exact same ASMU crampons from mrpiton.com that shows the round ASMU manufacturers logo. 
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mrpiton.com

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ASMU horizontal piton. From the photos shown in the 1953 Sporthaus Schuster catalogs, the Horizontal pitons shown as #5610 have the piton eye on the right side of the piton.  This piton was not bent but machined from a angle piece of steel.
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Two sizes of steel karabiners are offered to be used for the abseil brake bars.
Shown in the 1954/1955 Sporthaus Schuster catalog is the steel karabiner break bars used for the ASMU Abseilkarabiner rappel system #5618. Also locking karabiner #5617. The abseil karabiner is shaped so one side is slightly smaller than the other so the steel brake bar will lock against the karabiner body. The Karabiner gate is also smaller. 
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Magra-Karabiner shown as #5621


1955 Sporthaus Schuster catalog. This catalog shows the addition of the Pierre Allain karabiner shown as #3917. But here the artist didn't just write "Pierre Allain" on the karabiner drawing shown, it also includes all of the lettering the karabiner came with. I believe the P.Allain karabiner shown is the version that has a rounded tube serving as the catch for the gate. This is what makes me think the artist that drew these drawings, drew the logos exactly as they were shown on the products of that time.
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I created this ASMU piton length comparison chart in an attempt to figure out what pitons I have found and comparing it to what the manufacturer offered through the years. And yes, I am still confused with the many pitons I have in the museum which do not match up exactly with this chart created from the information from the catalogs. 
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Looking at the pitons a little closer I have found that there are two different manufacturer logo stamps. One has the mountain drawing lines within the round logo, and one does not. I am not sure with what years exactly line up with what manufacturer stamps that were put onto the pitons. 
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Sporthaus Schuster 1961 catalog. This catalog definitely shows the round ASMU manufacturers mark on the pitons. What I have noticed is that the photo shown as #U 8613c is not a spatula piton but a pointed horizontal piton. I believe that this is a mistake put into the catalog. In this 1961 catalog the piton lengths are listed in the blade length, not the overall length of the piton. There are no rounded tip horizontal pitons shown. There are no vertical pointed ice ring pitons shown. I am not sure why they sold those two different type ice pitons in the first place since they did the exact same thing anyways. At some time the manufacturer discontinued the horizontal ice piton but added the U 8618 awesome pound in screw piton with ring. 

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ASMU locking carabiner shown in the listings with #U 8604

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Shown in the 1961 catalog as #8613 a (also photo c)
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Round tip horizontal shown as #U 8613d
- Ashby Robertson collection -
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ASMU Spachtelhaken piton listed as #U 8613 c
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The catalog shows that the vertical piton #U 8613 b was only available in 12cm long.

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Pointed vertical pitons shown as #U 8613 b - other sizes made but not mentioned in the Sporthaus Schuster catalog, These pitons may be from the 1940s, or early 1950s.


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ASMU ring pitons shown as # U 8614 a.
​The longer piton has a thinner ring
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Two different ASMU Horizontal pitons. 1950s (left), and 1960s (right). The Horizontal piton shown in the 1961 Sporthaus Schuster catalog shows the piton eye is on the left side of the piton.
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ASMU horizontal (Bugaboo shape) shown as # U 8615
- Yosemite Climbing Association collection -

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In this photo is the two sizes of each, ASMU Eishaken #U 8616, and the ASMU Eisringhaken #U 8617.

(Photo right) -ASMU boot heel crampon. Has the round ASMU manufacturers logo stamp. 
​From: Matthias Hofle
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ASMU Eisschraube #U 8618
​- 1961 ASMU catalog. Available in one size.

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In the 1961 REI catalog it shows these two ice pitons and the text says they are Swiss. The catalog mentions that the ring version is available in two sizes. Hmmmm
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Sporthaus Schuster1964 catalog
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Sporthaus Schuster 1965 catalog

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Sporthaus Schuster 1967 summer catalog

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ASMU ice piton dagger with leather handle. Shown in the 1964 and 1967 Sporthaus Schuster catalogs as ASMU Eisstichel. The logo stamp does not have the mountain scene within it. Donated by Matthias Hofle.
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Sporthaus Schuster catalog covers, props: John Middendorf

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