Objects Database

Clog Cosmic Arrester

Accession Number

1002.2012.1

Object Name

Clog Cosmic Arrester

Created

29/08/2012

Creator

Hermione Cooper

Accession Date

29/08/2012

Brief Description

Two circular metal cosmic belay plates with two central holes in each

Materials

metal alloy

Dimensions

6(diametr)cms

Number Of Objects

2

Inscription Description

"CLOG WALES"

Colour

silver

Maker

Clog

Object Production Place

Wales

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'
Denny Moorhouse started Clog equipment back in 1966 and amongst many other things, created this belay plate, one of the first on the market, and hot on the heels of Franz Sticht's version. Interestingly, Denny started a new business, DMM (Denny Moorhouse Mountaineering) in 1980 and very quickly produced the DMM Betterbrake (see elsewhere in the collection) looking very much like the Cosmic Arrester.
These two Cosmics once belonged to Mick Tighe's Mountain Guiding Company, Nevis Guides.

Acquisition Method

Donated by Mick Tighe

Acquisition Date

29/08/2012

Condition Check Date

29/08/2012

Rules

Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007

Modified

29/08/2012

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