How does this piton work?

I saw this z piton for sale on MP. I’m unfamiliar with how it works as there is no eye to clip to or clean. The holes appear to be in a place that should end up in contact with the rock. I’m sure it will be obvious once it’s explained to me but can anyone enlighten me?

Thanks in advance. 

Look up, Leeper Z Nailer. 

Here is how they work: someone bought a shitload of these things and never once used them. Now they are selling them. You can buy them and never use them too!

Perfect. Thanks. 

They are supposed to be used in a stack with angles. The small holes are for keeper loops.

Craeg Dubhwrote:

They are supposed to be used in a stack with angles. The small holes are for keeper loops.

Not the same z-stackable, but I think it's similar to this:

https://verticalarchaeology.com/2016/05/03/leeper-anti-piton/

scott rourkewrote:

Look up, Leeper Z Nailer. 

Attention everyone: Please stop trying to figure out what piton this is when the exact piton brand and name was already posted above by Scott Rourke. 

https://rockclimbing.com/gear/Archive/Leeper_Z_Nailer_1766.html

Fail Fallingwrote:

Attention everyone: Please stop trying to figure out what piton this is when the exact piton brand and name was already posted above by Scott Rourke. 

https://rockclimbing.com/gear/Archive/Leeper_Z_Nailer_1766.html

From http://www.outdoorreview.com/product/product-archives/outdoor-equipment/climbing-mountaineering/aid-tools/ed-leaper/z-nailer-piton.html

Rex Pieper Review

I have a set of the original Leeper Zs and didn't think they could be improved upon. I was wrong. Leeper has outdone himself with the new Z Nailer. It incorporates a sling INTO the piton itself, so instead of using a tie off loop, you clip into the integral sling. This allows the load to be much closer to the rock (and in some cases, actually be inside the crack) than is possible with regular tie offs. Furthermore, clean stacking is also quite easy with the Z Nailers. I give them two thumbs up.

definitely Leeper "Z-Nailers". Looks like all one size. These might be unfinished or a different size / version, as the ones I have have an eyelet installed in them. 

Photo attached to clarify.

Here is photo above right of Leeper "Anti-Piton" for clarification

jc5462wrote:

definitely Leeper "Z-Nailers". Looks like all one size. These might be unfinished or a different size / version, as the ones I have have an eyelet installed in them. 

Photo attached to clarify.

Here is photo above right of Leeper "Anti-Piton" for clarification

Yours look like the ones that were intended to be placed like a chock/stopper, the name escapes me.  Vertical archaeology had pics and a description.  Ed got a lot of mileage out of the Z shape.

Edit: Z Nuts

I can't imagine why anyone would ever buy so many of those?  It must have been someone who hasn't really done much wall climbing because most wall climbers will never find themselves actually placing them or stacking pins.  Another one of those widgets people buy but probably won't ever place.

Mydanswrote:

I can't imagine why anyone would ever buy so many of those?  It must have been someone who hasn't really done much wall climbing because most wall climbers will never find themselves actually placing them or stacking pins.  Another one of those widgets people buy but probably won't ever place.

understanding history is hard. 

edit: nvm, I misread the post.

Fail Fallingwrote:

understanding history is hard. 

What do you mean by that?

I knew Ed Leeper back in the '70s when I also did hard nailing routes like Canary Pass, the 7th ascent of the Shield (still rurps and tied off blades) and the Wertogo with its 25' of marginal placements right off the deck. Leeper Z pins were outstanding for shallow flares because you could hold them in place with an angle and drive the angle in behind the Leeper spreading the tip size. If the rock allowed you could use an opposing angle for more tip spreading. You might tie off the assembly with a hero loop, but it was also wise to use a "keeper" thread thru the eyes with enough slack not to defeat the hero.

I have used a half dozen of those on a single pitch. I watched Ed manufacture a variety of Z pitons in a shack behind his place up the canyon from Boulder. So it appears that those things above are Ed's products though what he had in mind I am uncertain of. Ed also made a too thin bolt hanger with a too small eye that were also prone to rust. I still have a few for aid ladders I think.

But those things above are just weird.

Mydanswrote:

What do you mean by that?

guessing he means that people have been climbing walls since prior to 1990, shockingly as it may be...

Here's a couple updated pictures:

Christian Heschwrote:

guessing he means that people have been climbing walls since prior to 1990, shockingly as it may be...

Righto.

Christian Heschwrote:

guessing he means that people have been climbing walls since prior to 1990, shockingly as it may be...

Thanks for the history lesson but I am well aware  of big wall climbing history, gear, and techniques prior to 1990. I have several Z's of different sizes and have actually placed a few stacks on lead.  My point is that even when walls were still mostly nailing no one would carry 30 of them of the same size.  Ron O who has likely done more nailing than any 3 of you put together said above that he used maybe 6 in a pitch once. Ron even said he didn't think they looked right.  They were always a specialty piece even when they were current (70's and 80's) and there isn't any reason to own more than a couple in each size.  How many of you have ever placed more than 3 stacks in a single pitch?  I was mostly commenting on how non climbers (or climbers with limited experience) will see a pile of these and buy a ton of them not realizing they are no longer relevant.  

Mydanswrote:

Thanks for the history lesson but I am well aware  of big wall climbing history, gear, and techniques prior to 1990. I have several Z's of different sizes and have actually placed a few stacks on lead.  My point is that even when walls were still mostly nailing no one would carry 30 of them of the same size.  Ron O who has likely done more nailing than any 3 of you put together said above that he used maybe 6 in a pitch once. Ron even said he didn't think they looked right.  They were always a specialty piece even when they were current (70's and 80's) and there isn't any reason to own more than a couple in each size.  How many of you have ever placed more than 3 stacks in a single pitch?  I was mostly commenting on how non climbers (or climbers with limited experience) will see a pile of these and buy a ton of them not realizing they are no longer relevant.  

Fair enough. I realize I initially misread your post as saying that you thought that no one with bigwall experience would consider purchasing these. I missed the "so many of these" modifier.  

Though I think you'd be surprised how much nailing experience some of us young-ish bucks have. 

While I haven't used those Leeper z's for a long time, I have used them for pin stacking on desert aid routes. I remember doing a pin stack at the very end of the crux pitch on an early repeat of Zenyatta Entrada with Derek Hersey sometime around 1990, that was ridiculous but worked because of a Leeper z that bound a stack of 5-7 pins together. I used to always carry a couple of z pins on every desert aid route. 

Of course, many of those routes such a ZM now go clean, but I do remember being a move or two away from the anchor on kitty litter quality rock, and looking back at a traversing string of body weight tied off pins, wondering what I was going to do to get myself out of the situation I was in. The pitch was rated A4 at the time, (by Charlie Fowler) and that Leeper z, and then a toss of a Fish hook on an aider at the anchor slings saved me from the huge whip. If I remember correctly, this is the pitch that Linus from Moab took a 75 footer on soloing the route and nearly severed his rope. 

I have never used a Leeper z in Yosemite.