The trusty old Spit - when exactly did this come into use in the UK? I ask because we've come across a few of these recently in Ireland in caves where we don't think anyone's been to since the early 70s and are wondering if these would have been placed during the original early 70's exploration or if someone else has been to these caves in the meantime...
"self-drilling" anchor sleeve (brand name "SPIT")
The ones I first remember using were from Troll. The hanger in the video looks like it could also have been a Troll design but there were probably other similar designs at the time. I still have a few of those hangers.
We were using 1/4" Parba bolts around 1970 when we were pushing Growling and Spectacle. If I remember rightly, they were very similar to spits, but I am happy to be corrected.
The hangers were made by Troll, but the threaded sleeve were still Spits. Correct?
AFAIK red spot, or red eye bolts refer to a spit anchor placed through a patch of old red oversuit material, leaving a red circle round the spit to make it easier to find. This technique is described in Dave Elliot's "SRT" book, published in 1986 on p66.Various red eye spits can still be found in various caves of the Peak and elsewhere.There may be another meaning to red spot bolts that I am unaware of...
Was the idea that by making them more visible that people would be less inclined to miss them and place their own bolts, or was there some some additional factors behind using the fabric?
Am I right in thinking that some / all?? of the red eye spits are 10mm rather than the usual 8mm ?
I believe the spits are 12mm, whilst the bolts that fit are 8.
Going back even further, does anyone remember spending hours (literally) with a lump hammer and a fat star drill, making the large hole needed for a three quarter inch diameter (or even one inch) Rawlbolt? You might literally devote a whole trip just to inserting one belay at a pitch head.
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