Objects Database

Cassin belay plate

Accession Number

830.2010.1

Object Name

Cassin belay plate

Created

15/04/2010

Creator

Hermione Cooper

Accession Date

15/04/2010

Brief Description

Circular metal plate with coiled metal spring attached. Two large holes and one small hole.

Materials

metal

Dimensions

6(diameter) x 5(d) cms

Number Of Objects

1

Colour

silver, black

Maker

Cassin

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'
Cassin continue the many variations on the original 'Sticht plate' though apart from being a bit rounder there's not much difference between this and the original, making one wonder if Franz Sticht had a patent. This is one of the many that Mick Tighe had on his rack at one time or another.

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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