Ice Screw Sharpening

A dull ice screw is downright dangerous!  Dull screws are a struggle to place, making ice climbing leads increasingly difficult and unnecessarily dangerous.  Griz Guides offers a diverse array of sharpening services for ice screws from ALL manufactures of ice climbing screws.    Please refer to the Ice Gear Sharpening PDF for rates and sharpening styles.  The newer Aluminum/Steel Black Diamond and Petzl Laser Light screws fall under the "UltraLight" sharpening service due to the special tooth design of the screw.  Restore your ice screws to 'better-than new' condition at a fraction of the cost of purchasing new ice screws.

*NOTE:  Although I sharpen Titanium screws, they are very costly and time intensive to sharpen, hence the much higher cost to restore the screw.

Custom Cut super Stubbies

On steep frozen slabs, devoid of rock protection, thin smears become difficult to protect.  A custom cut "Super Stubbie" can offer an option in good, clear, well-bonded ice.  Placed solo or in tandem, this type of protection could mean the difference on a heady, technical lead.  Typically cut from a 10cm screw that you provide, it can be cut down to any length.  10cm ice screws are NOT CE rated for a fall, so creating an even smaller screw from these screws maintains that non-certification.  Taking a perfectly good ice screw, I begin by cutting the entire tip off the screw and begin hand cutting a brand new set of highly aggressive teeth.  The pictures below show the creation process and different lengths I have designed.

Ice Tool Sharpening

Dull ice tool picks are a drag!  They make you work twice as hard, getting you twice as pumped and damage the ice for others who come after you.  The blunt tip of an ice pick just fractures and shatters the ice, instead of penetrating deeply into it.  Have them professionally tuned for more efficient climbing.

Crampon Sharpening

Rounded out crampon points skate and slide all over the ice, instead of "sticking" to it.  These are 2 of the 4 critical contact points you have with the ice, and the ones that takes the most weight.  Razor-sharp crampon points pierce the ice and offer you maximum purchase.  They afford safety not only on the steep vertical ice but the slabby and cauliflower features.  Hand sharpening all points on the crampon frame keeps you safe from slips and gives you an aggressive advantage.

I sharpen complete crampon sets, replaceable front points and comp/fruit boots.