Objects Database

Sticht plate

Accession Number

827.2010.1

Object Name

Sticht plate

Created

15/04/2010

Creator

Hermione Cooper

Accession Date

15/04/2010

Brief Description

Sticht plate - circular disc with two large holes and attached spring.Small hole with white cord looped through.

Materials

aluminium alloy

Dimensions

6.5(diameter) x 4.5 (h) cms.

Number Of Objects

1

Inscription Description

On plate incription reads "9-11mm SU*** DOPPELSEILBREMSE DBPa SALEWA MADE IN W. GERMANY"

Colour

silver

Maker

Salewa

Object Production Place

W Germany

Provenance

For over a hundred years mountaineers had been wrapping ropes around their waists, hitching them over their shoulders and twisting them around their bodies to get some friction in order to hold a fall, until the late 1960's when a German climber called Franz Sticht came along and created the 'Sticht Plate' which was basically a metal or aluminium plate that created the friction when used in conjunction with a karabiner. The following 50 years or so have seen hundreds of 'refinements' of Franz Sticht's original design with the two main objectives being to create a device that can deal with a variety of rope diameters and one that can also be safely used as an abseil device.
More recently there has been a request for 'hands free' devices which, when rigged correctly, will 'jam' should a fall occur, without any input from the belayer. Lightness and simplicity has also been a criteria.
NB A bit like vacuum cleaners have come to be known as 'Hoovers' whatever their make or model, belay devices of all makes, shapes and sizes are often called 'sticht plates'

Another 'Sticht plate', this one designed to take a 9mm and an 11mm rope. The spring was incorporated to stop the plate jamming up against the karabiner when 'loaded'. This particular plate belonged to Mick Tighe's guiding Compnay, Nevis Guides.

Acquisition Date

15/04/2010

Condition Check Date

15/04/2010

Rules

Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007

Modified

15/04/2010

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