Bashlin Pole Climbers Lineman, Arborist, Logger | Circa hotsell 1940s | Vintage Leather and Steel | Vintage Climbing Gear

hotsell You just don't find a pair of these every day! This took my family a while to identify and we didn't Google it until we thought we knew what they are. Having worked for the “phone company” 25 years, I should have known.

These weird items are a pair of lineman's pole climbing spikes. From what I have found online, these were probably made in the 1940s. They are heavy duty; made of steel and leather. The leather shows its age and is cracked in spots, but by no means rotten. They are in very good condition considering the duties they had back in the day and the time they have been stored in my mom's attic. The steel part and 5 gauge gaffs could withstand just about anything; of that I am sure.

These were manufactured by Bashlin in Grove City, PA. This company is still around and a supplier of these same tools to this day. A set of these bad boys today would set a pole climber back about $500 or more. I am sure there are more than a few retirees out there that would appreciate these in their “man cave”. These are a very cool nod to the days before bucket trucks. If you wanted to get to the top, you had to climb!