One of the best reasons to attend an Ice Fest is the opportunity to wonder around the Ice Fest headquarters check out the latest and greatest from the leading manufacturers in the ice climbing industry. One spot you may want to check out is the Dry Ice Tools booth. They may just have the single most interesting item at Ice Fest- the Kronos Ice Tool.
Furnace Industries is very proud to release the KRONOS, the world’s first ‘T’ rated, CE certified technical ice climbing tool made from wood. After extensive prototyping, testing and retesting, micro adjustments with input from pro climbers, and an industry standard safety certification, the KRONOS is here.
Why use Wood?
With wood, hands stay wamer when climbing in cold conditions. The wood ‘dampens’ the strike of the ice ax into the ice while simultaneously increasing senstivity. Add to these unique qualities CE Certified, ‘T’ rated performance and an aesthetic beauty like no other ice tool ever made to make the most original ice ax on the market.
The Shaft
The KRONOS uses a non-impregnated, densified beech wood laminate developed for a wide range of extreme industrial applications including motor sports, aerospace, and for neutron shielding in the nuclear industry. The grade specially produced for the these industries is constructed to the highest density possible using thin veneers producing a dense, stable, high strength laminated board with excellent wear resistance. The KRONOS shaft is CNC machined in two parts allowing us to machine ‘islands’ inside the handle halves that fit into spaces of the custom designed pick. The halves are bonded together using Aerodux 185, a 2 part epoxy adhesive used in the aeronautical industry for, among other things, bonding the wings to light aircraft.
The Pick/Spike
The pick islands dovetail into the pick to transfer the energy from the pick strikes directly into the shaft rather than through the stainless steel hardware. There is a 0.3mm gap between the islands where the pick is inserted. This clearance means that the pick is held in place by the islands and wood shaft, distributing forces evenly and avoiding stress hotspots. This key engineering gives the KRONOS it’s unique feel. KRONOS picks and spikes are CNC plasma cut from 4mm tool-grade steel, hand finished, and heat treated for strength and durability. They are then individually inspected.
The guys from Dry Ice Tools will be set up at our headquarters, the American Legion Hall, all week with the Kronos and many other unique items! Be sure to stop by and check them out.