Spur fit , sharpening and adjustment
Proper fit of climbing spurs is essential as incorrectly fitted spurs can be hard to use successfully and can be uncomfortable or painful to wear .
Basic climbing spurs are constructed using a combination of parts that generally include stirrups , shanks , lower and upper tightening straps , pads and gaffs ( all of these parts are generally replaceable ). Some climbing spurs are adjustable whilst others are a fixed length . Some even have fixed gaffs . It is important to select spurs with gaffs that are appropriate to the trees that will generally be accessed :
Tree gaffs ( longer ) can be used on any thick- , rough- or thin-barked tree .
Pole gaffs ( shorter ) should only be used on thin-barked trees as they may not penetrate through thick bark to bite safely into timber .
Adjust spurs according to the manufacturer ’ s recommendations ; usually the pads should fit as high on the shin as possible without rubbing against the knee in any position , or so that the adjustable top pad sits ‘ two fingers-widths ’ below the knee .
It is important to consider suitable footwear to match the climbing spurs as the pressure on the feet and arch will increase the longer the spurs are in use . Steel shanks or reinforced soles and a robust heel may help the spurs to remain in the desired position on the foot . Gear suppliers can help with adjustments and may also recommend suitable boots .
Sharpening gaffs
Ensure gaffs are correctly sharpened by using a spur sharpness test ; blunt gaffs will struggle to bite into anything but the softest timber .
A simple test to see if gaffs need sharpening is to hold the gaff flat against a section of wood and push the climbing spur straight down . Correctly sharpened gaffs should quickly dig into wood and stop : blunt gaffs will skip or skid along the surface or tear up peels of bark . Some manufacturers supply gaff gauges or gaff sharpening guides to examine correct sharpening angle .
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