Sporthaus Schuster began life back in 1914 when August Schuster opened up an outdoor equipment shop in Munich, Germany. The shop sold a full range of gear including ice axes, crampons, ropes, skis, nailed boots, camping gear and pitons. Sporthaus Schuster also created their own brand, ASMU, using the initials of August Schuster and the first letters of Munich.

The ASMU ring piton we have here probably dates from the 1920s/30s and it’s interesting to note that the ring was originally for threading a rope through rather than clipping a karabiner into, since karabiners had been invented way back in 1910 there were very few around and the ones that were available were very weak. It was not uncommon, during that early period, for a lead climber to bang in a piton, untie from his rope, thread it through the ring and tie back on again. The leader would also carry rope slings with pitons already threaded on it.

Thanks to our pal, Art McCarthy, California, for sending this fine example of an early piton which had probably been imported to America from Germany in the 1930s.