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Found an old piton - question

Original Post
Daniel Kay · · Boulder, CO · Joined Sep 2014 · Points: 142

I pulled this seven, eight-inch Lost Arrow piton out of the bottom of a crack in Eldo today. Just sitting there.

Obviously it’s seen better days. My curiousity is: I’ve never seen a piton with a little notch in it like this one has. It feels smooth, like it was machined that way. There is no irregularity in the metal which would indicate it corroded Or was damaged. I can’t think of any advantage it would confer-but I am far from an expert on pitons!
Just curious if any of you old timers who actually climbed with these things could shed some light.
Gregger Man · · Broomfield, CO · Joined Aug 2004 · Points: 1,819

That is a heavy nut tool. 

ClimbBaja · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 0

That's a Chouinard "Long Dong" Lost Arrow.  Some were machined with the notch to use as a nut removal tool.
Edit: "Super Long Dong" aka: "Nut Cracker" nut tool, specifically made for the purpose. 

Matt Lavender · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 0

Piton/nut tool - yes, it was really a thing for a brief time.

Daniel Kay · · Boulder, CO · Joined Sep 2014 · Points: 142

I guess if you’re carrying all that iron already, there’s no reason to bring an additional nut tool!

awesome, very helpful, thanks guys   

Nick Goldsmith · · NEK · Joined Aug 2009 · Points: 440

I had one BINTD  pounded it in somewhere... can't remember where....  sure it was truck though. 

Sawyer W · · NH · Joined May 2018 · Points: 0

Honestly? That thing looks pretty mint.

Allen Sanderson · · On the road to perdition · Joined Jul 2007 · Points: 1,100

A very nice find and as said above "Super long dong" a later version. Does it have U.S.A. on the reverse??

https://books.google.com/books?id=CRhPDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA10&lpg=PA10&dq=Chouinard+%22Long+Dong%22+Lost+Arrow&source=bl&ots=OXNCgQrb3p&sig=ACfU3U1SnKq5r0JAJSiK3W0S1D3oSMPEmQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi8kMbPpPbpAhWRbc0KHX1cDKMQ6AEwAnoECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=Chouinard%20%22Long%20Dong%22%20Lost%20Arrow&f=false

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

General Climbing
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