Chipped my climbing spike on a hidden staple in an oak tree

I was climbing a big old red oak in Portland last week and hit a buried staple with my gaff. Chipped the spike pretty bad. It got me thinking, do you all sharpen your spikes to keep them biting well, or do you just replace them when they get dull? I found a study from the Arborist News in 2021 saying sharp spikes cause less bark damage, but I always heard dull ones are safer. What side are you on?

2 comments

2 Comments

grayjohnson24d ago

Honestly I think that study from Arborist News was talking about the overall angle and shape more than just sharpness. A sharp spike that's properly shaped for the tree will slice through the bark cleaner than a dull one that tears it up. But there's a big difference between a sharp spike and a needle point. I've been running a slightly duller tip on my left spike for years cause I climb a lot of thin barked trees like beech. Never had a problem with skipping.

the_shane23d ago

Duller tip on the left side, that's a pro move right there.