My Ten (more or less) Most Wanted List

Please email me if you can help me acquire any of these items for the collection.

• Jumar Combi - limited production around 1977. This ascender was far ahead of its time, with features like replaceable teeth on a plastic cam. There was also a pulley attachment. I ordered a Jumar Combi from Ian Ellis of Speleoshoppe in 1978, but it hasn't arrived yet (this has become a standing joke between us, since he has a pair and constantly teases me with them).
  
• While I'm at it, there were some very early Jumars with "Z"-shaped teeth instead of the conical teeth used on all later models except the Combi. Does anyone have any of these that they'd be willing to donate or trade?
  
  
• Peck Hook - this is an old rappelling device used by climbers. I finally made a copy using the photo as a guide, but I would much like to have an original. Does any one in the UK or elsewhere have one that they would be willing to part with?
  

• The classic movie "Godzilla versus Gigan" (Godzilla versus Gigan, Toho Co., Ltd., available on New World Video) shows a Jumar look-alike being used by the good guys in a successful escape from the Godzilla tower where they were being held captive by the cockroach space aliens. Their escape technique is shear nonsense, but I was immediately intrigued by the ascender. It appeared to be very similar to a Jumar, but the casting differs in several respects. For many years I wondered if it really existed, but in March 2008, Carlo Bellestrero sent me a page from an early 1970s Snell Sport Chamonix catalog that showed that this is a Japanese copy of the Jumar. It is a perfect match to the one shown in the movie. According to the catalog, the ascender weighs 310 g. (versus 250 g. for the Jumar). Can any of my European friends find one for me?
  

• Pierre Allain decrocheur with pulley - I have the version without the pulley. I know that I have a picture of one with the pulley somewhere in my files, but although I've spent many hours searching, I cannot find it. When I do, I'll post it here.
  
• Speaking of Pierre Allain, Stéphane Pennequin sent me a photo of a 1947 design that I had never seen. I would love to acquire one! Here it is:

• Radeberger Haken: A large German descender primarily used in elevator rescue, since it is too large for sport use. There are at least two versions, an older cast aluminum one and a more recent steel one. The steel version is apparently still available in Germany, I have not been able to find one (unfortunately, I don't read German). Can someone help me find either or both versions?
  
  
• VersAscender: Available a few years ago in Arizona but apparently never put into wide production. I talked to the developer and he wasn't able to provide one. In a misguided attempt at pseudo-science, one of the local cavers here drop tested one to destruction, a favor that I should be tempted to return....
  
• Hobbs Hook - There are at least three variations to the Hobbs Hook. I have the basic model, but would like to get the other two - particularly the rope locking model. The picture shows the rope locking model, which has a modified frame and two springs that fit over the frame and force the brake bar upwards. The fire-fighting model appears identical to the rope locking model except that it has no springs.
  
  
• Old handled Clog ascenders: similar to my handled version A, but with cams like my handleless versions A & B.
  
• Coe descenders by Pentincton Engineering: Tom Martin shows two versions in Rappelling (2nd ed., p. 6-83). These are similar to my Sewickley Descender. I can make copies, but would prefer to get some originals.
  
  
  
• My Hugh Banner ascenders have excellent safeties, but their web site shows a version with Clog Expedition/CMI Expedition style safeties.

• This device sold on the German eBay site in late 2005. Unfortunately, the auction ended before I became aware of it, so I was not able to bid. According to the seller, the device is 120 mm. high and 75 mm. wide, and weighs 0.7 kg. Apparently it is an antique descender that appears to be made out of bronze.
  
• Although I have quite a few variations of the Salewa Sticht Plate, I do not any of the three variations illustrated on the instructions that came with the first one that I acquired. Two of these also appear on a page from the early 1970s Snell Sport Chamonix catalog that Carlo Bellestrero sent me, so I assume that these are 1970-1972 vintage designs:

Thank you...

to the following for sending me items, most of which were previously on this list:

• To John Sharples for arrainging a trade with the Newcastle Ramblers Bushwalking Club for a Hopf Device.
  
• To Daniel Veelik for sending me a gold-anodized original pattern Russ Anderson Figure Eight to replace the one that I lost while caving.
  
• Stéphane Pennequin donated one of the early versions of the Pierre Allain hook that does not have the recessed lettered area on the shank.For those who do not know Stéphane, he is the world's premier collector of climbing nuts.

• Adam Noble for spotting the Rappel Rescue Systems Pro-Pak webbing descender that Alan Shelby had on eBay.
  
  

• ...to an anonymous contributer, who provided a Rocky Mountain Rescue Group Belay Plate.
  
• To Doug Miles for sending me a Rollgliss 100 andTWO more different versions of the Rollgliss 200 descender.
  
  
• To Jay Kennedy for sending me TWO different versions of the Rollgliss 200 descender.
  
• To Dirk Stoffels of NSW Australia for sending me an Interalp/Camp Job.
  
• To Chuck Rozner for sending me an original unfinished Russ Anderson Figure Eight.
  
• To Adam Noble, for finding an Atlas Safety Equipment Company Descent-Master on ebay.com, and to Ann Dunn for having it for sale.
• To John Klewicki for having a second version of the Atlas Safety Equipment Company Descent-Master, and to the viewers of this site that decided not to bid against me.