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Version A
Version B
Version C
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[ Top | Version B | Version C | Return to Hooks ]
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I started Version A in the late 1960s, but never finished it.
Version A is 150 mm. tall, 45 mm. wide, 13 mm. thick, and weighs 172 g.
While still in grade school, I started to make a copy of a Peck Hook using a hacksaw, file, and drill press. I stopped when I got this far. Its embarrassing to look at, but it works.
[ Top | Version A | Version C | Return to Hooks ]
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I started Version B in 2004, but stopped when I made an error.
Version B is 180 mm. tall, 46 mm. wide, 13 mm. thick, and weighs 154 g.
Embarrassed by Version A, I resolved to make a satisfactory version quickly after getting my own milling machine. I rushed to complete this before going on a trip, and made a careless mistake by making the spine 1/2-in (12.7 mm.) wide instead of 5/8-in (16 mm.). The result is aesthetically unbalanced, so I quit before finishing the top. I must hang my head in shame.
[ Top | Version A | Version B | Return to Hooks ]
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I made Version C in 2005.
Version C is 239 mm. tall, 68 mm. wide, 26 mm. thick, and weighs 473 g.
Embarrassed
even more by Version B than A, I finally took a picture of
a real Peck descender (from Alan Blackshaw, Mountaineering,
from Hill Walking to Alpine Climbing, 1968, provided to
me by Stéphane Pennequin), used the rope for scale, and
made a better copy from 25 mm. 6061-T6 plate, using a milling
machine and files. At least this time I made
one realistically portrays the main features of the
original; however, I did not get the size right because I assumed that the ropes in the picture were larger than they actually were. Compare this version to the real Peck descender that I acquired in 2012. My Version C is 1/3 larger than the original.
The Peck descender works by having the rope wrap around a vertical
shaft. I prefer to have two or three wraps, since one does not
provide enough friction. Like most vertical
spools and similar devices like Patten’s
Hook, the Peck induces a lot of spin on free-hanging rappels.
[ Top | Version A | Version B | Version C ]
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