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New To Bending?


EricMilfeld

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1) How tough is this nail I just bent?

Steel strength varies considerably. Many different factors, other than thickness and length, influence the strength of nails, bolts, and rods. Cold rolled steel, with all other factors being equal, is harder than hot rolled steel. But it's entirely possible that a particular piece of HRS (hot rolled steel) is tougher than a piece of CRS (cold rolled steel) of the same dimensions, due to these factors. So, in order to get an accurate idea of how strong a particular bolt is it would be necessary to know the bolt's thickness, length, grade, general type (fully threaded carriage or partially threaded hex head), and brand. With nails you would need to know the size or penny designation, type (common or spiral), and brand. But keep in mind that even with these specifics known there is still much room for variance among nails, due to variances from batch to batch. This variance in strength is much less pronounced with bolts.

2) What's a graded bolt?

Bolts are graded according to their strength using a numbering system, with a higher number indicating greater strength than a lower number. Commonly available grades are the grade 2, grade 5, and grade 8 bolts. Keep in mind that there is much room for strength variance among bolts sold with a grade 2 rating. The grade 5 and grade 8 ratings are fairly consistent in terms of strength.

3) What's the cheapest source for steel?

A local supplier which specializes in steel would be your best bet for steel stock (round or square bars of steel typically sold in 10 to 20 foot lengths). These specialty stores can be several times cheaper than the general hardware stores. Likewise, a store which specializes in fasteners will generally have the most competitive prices for nails and bolts.

4) How do I wrap a nail to protect my hands?

If you'll be applying more than a very modest amount of pressure on the ends of the nail it's critically important to select a puncture resistant material with which to wrap the nail. Materials like ballistic nylon and Cordura, though very durable, make for a very tedious and difficult wrapping procedure. For this reason, many prefer to use a supple leather. Try and avoid shop rags and hand towels, as they rip and puncture quite easily.

With your wrapping material of choice, select two pieces approximately 4 inches in width, with which to wrap each individual end of the nail. It's important to wrap the nail as tightly as possible. Do this by rolling up the nail in the wraps like you would roll up a tortilla. Another option is to first roll up your wraps and then insert the nail through the wraps. Be sure and position the nail in the wraps so that atleast 1 1/2 inches of wrap overhangs the nail's ends. Wrap it thickly enough to minimize pain to your palms and fingers, yet not so thick as to prevent a nice tight, secure grip on the nail. A wrapped nail should measure somewhere in the neighborhood of 1 inch in diameter.

5) What are some common bending stocks and their dimensions?

Iron Mind's Nails

White - 3/16"x6"

Green - 3/16"x5"

Yellow - 1/4"x7"

Blue - 1/4"x6"

Red - 5/16" x 7"

Fat Bastard Barbell's Certifications

Certified Bastard - 5/16"x7"

Certified Big Bastard - 5/16"x6.5"

Certified Huge Bastard - 5/16"x6"

Certified Grand Bastard - 5/16"x5.5"

Certified Magnificent Bastard - 5/16"x5"

Certified Insane Bastard - 5/16"x4.5"

Certified King of All Bastards - 3/8"x7"

Certified Mother of All Bastards - 7/16"x7"

Note: These same Bastard titles apply for the more difficult 5/16" hexagonal steel (Hexabastard), as well as the most difficult 5/16" stainless steel (Shiny Bastard).

PRICELESS POSTS

By Gamidon

As for new benders there are a couple of things an experienced bender can help you with. I am best when I can see you bend but here are a few tips:

1) Read Benders Website and get your wrists ready to bend, this is the most overlooked step. Bend easy bars for volume and sledge lever or something to strengthen your wrists. Get Erics Ebook for bending if you are an overhand bender.

2) Take a bar that you can do pretty easily and experiment with them. Change your hand position, angle you are bending, hieght you hold the nail when you start, etc and see where you feel the strongest. This is almost always a position where your arms elbows and wrists are in a line and no big angles away from your body. Find where you are strong and then start step 3.

3) Practice practice practice people move up bars before they have their form down. They change their form when the bar is different (example 6" vs 7" bars) you got to have your form down and you have to be confident in your form.

4) Become explosive. This is THE most important thing in my opinion. Practive with a bar you can get pretty easy and EXPLODE into it. Practice hitting the bar harder and harder untill you feel like you will bend it to completion in a one second hit.

5) Overcome your fear. You have to learn to unload into it without fear. This sounds funny to new benders, but overcoming your natural fear is a very important mental aspect of bending. Taking a bar and unloading on it is very difficult if you are worrying about tearing your muscles from the bone or breaking your wrist. The reality is in order to get a "True" max attempt you must be exploding into the bar. Most people I see starting off start generating force into the bar and then increasing it, then quiting when they dont feel movement. This is never going to get you to bend at your peak.

6) Find someone to look at your form who knows what he is doing and see if they can help you out.

7) Cheat kink a bar to varying degrees and work on finishing them. Continue to work yourself back to a straight bar. This is a great way to de-mystify the piece of steel. Some times when you look at a bar you figure it cannot be bent. By bending pieces that are already bent you learn that you can bend it. Sometimes I take a bar a newer bender is going to bend and I DESTROY it. I make it look real easy. Then the person grabbing that type of bar will realize that it can be done and maybe the problem is in his head.

8) Work you form some more, increase your wrist strength some more. I am still doing this and I preach it to others who bend with me. Continue to take easier bars and work on exploding into them, this can never be said enough. You will develop the peak force you need to bend a bar when you explode into it, and then once the bar starts moving, momentum and heating will help you finish it.

9) Mental, Mental, Mental it is hard to believe but let me assure you bending is mental. I was once told by Steve McGranahan after missing a bar and complaining how tough it was, "Its just steel bend it". From this I took away, that he was underimpressed with my complaints. Just bend the thing and shut up....

I dont care if you are under or overhand, Dave is one of the most explosive bender I have seen. I have watched him underhand reds and he just unloads into them.

Bending Article by Greg Amidon and Dave Morton

http://www.DIESELCREW.com/articles/gregdavebend.pdf

World's Strongest Man Contests Bending Results

http://www.brutestrength.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=624

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One thing I would like to see is the combined FBBC and IM

progression carts with the stock used and the "Title" for each

step up the ladder. This would be helpful to me and maybe other people that haven't started bending yet but would like to know "the ladder".

Maybe a preparation for

bending workout...novice routine to prepare someone who has

never bent before for the stress involved.

Sledge work etc...

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  • 4 weeks later...

This was great information and your E-book breathed life into the topics of proper wrapping and bending technique. My question to you Sage of Steel is on your IM & FBBC list of diameters and lengths which bars are hot rolled and which are cold rolled?

Because on the 22 Jan 05 I couldn't bend a 1/4" x 7" past the 30 degree line. (stock from a hardware store here in Alaska)

I went out bought some long lengths of 1/4 both round and square and last night I went on a bender! Ha Ha and started with a 1/4" x 8" then 7", 6" and 5". So feeling like something wasn't right here I grabbed up the 1/4" square and again bent 7", 6" and 5" pieces. Now these were supposed to all be hot rolled stock, but I went back to the hardware 1/4" x 7" stock and probably on 2-3 degrees more with a fairly good try.

Am I supposed to be using all cold rolled stock in all these lengths or what.

P.S. Pardon my ignorance I have only bend bending a little over a week now. Most guys probably know the answers to my simple questions. Thank you in advance for time, efforts and guidance.

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GatorGrip - The IronMind Nails and FBBC Bars are all Cold Rolled Steel. Even thought the IronMind Red and the FBBC 5/16" x 7" bars are the same size, and both cold rolled steel, the FBBC bar is considerably tougher. Just like grippers, steel varies.

Greg

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GatorGrip -  The IronMind Nails and FBBC Bars are all Cold Rolled Steel.  Even thought the IronMind Red and the FBBC 5/16" x 7" bars are the same size, and both cold rolled steel, the FBBC bar is considerably tougher.  Just like grippers, steel varies.

Greg

Thanks for the 411 on this subject and I read on Eric Godfrey's (aka: Bender) that I should go out and buy Hot Rolled Steel to bend and all this time it was it was Cold Rolled Steel. Well I guess you have got to start somewhere so I'll be trying to get my technique down on this HR stock. For a few hours I thought damn John Brookfield watch out the Gator is coming for yah. Just kidding the man is the "Saint of Steel" he seems to use his powers for good and not evil. Again thanks for your guidance and congratulations on your great Red Nail Conquering, one I hope to join the ranks of this elite accomplishment only managed by the few and diligent. ;)

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  • 1 month later...

Where do you guys get your leather pading from?

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Where do you guys get your leather pading from?

you can get some leather strips from michaels or a craft shop..........dan and franky got me onto the leather and i made huge pr's my first day.........@1-1/4" diameter should do it

happy bending,

burner

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For leather, craft stores charge you 8+ bucks for a few pieces. Try going to a used-clothing store and buy an old torn up thick leather jacket for 5 bucks. Cut out a few dozen pieces, feel good about saving money.

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  • 1 month later...

these r great tips. i'm definitely going to try out some leather padding.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here is a list of steel and a rating. As always ratings really mean nothing because they are nearly impossible to do perfectly so take EVERY rating of bar bending numbers and grippers poundages for what they are: a relative measurement of the implement that guy had at that time in history. The bar you bend can be same type and size and be easier or harder.

http://home.insight.rr.com/strongman/yields.html

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I have that chart, read it many times, but can't find the rating for 5/16 zinc coated HRS. Strongman only has 1/4 zinc-coated.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Does anyone know how much leather you can use when bending for bastard certs?

Also, the gripboard certs for G5 bolts, can that be done with leather? If so, how much?

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  • 1 month later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Traditionally, what is the learning curve for new benders? Is it best to start with the Ironmind sets? Or should you just go up and down your local hardware store and find some pieces you think you should bend? Any advice for a newbie besides whats up on top? :help

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Traditionally, what is the learning curve for new benders?  Is it best to start with the Ironmind sets?  Or should you just go up and down your local hardware store and find some pieces you think you should bend?  Any advice for a newbie besides whats up on top?    :help

Buy a 3' or 4' bar that is 3/16" in diameter from a place like Lowe's or Home Depot (or any local hardware store). Start out by cutting it to lengths of 6 and 1/2", then 6" and bend several of these. It will probably be hot rolled steel, but I think CRS is also available from these types of stores (some of it is marked as such). At 3/16" I don't think the difference between HRS and CRS is too substantial.

I invested in a pair of bolt cutters and have not regretted it. A hack saw will work of course, but be careful.

Once you can bend 5" lengths of 3/16 stock, then you will be ready to try 3/16 square stock. It's tempting to jump to 1/4" round stock, but it is substantially harder than 3/16 square, in my opinion.

After I had worked with 1/4" round HRS for a while (not very long really), I ordered both a package of Ironmind yellow nails and blue nails. I am glad I skipped buying the more expensive variety bag from Ironmind (a big one-time investment just to find out your level).

I was able to bend a 6" length of 1/4" round cold-rolled steel before I could bend the Ironmind blue (which I have done once), so my conclusion is that Ironmind stock is slightly harder than CRS steel that you will find in a hardware store of the same dimensions.

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Traditionally, what is the learning curve for new benders?  Is it best to start with the Ironmind sets?  Or should you just go up and down your local hardware store and find some pieces you think you should bend?  Any advice for a newbie besides whats up on top?    :help

Buy a 3' or 4' bar that is 3/16" in diameter from a place like Lowe's or Home Depot (or any local hardware store). Start out by cutting it to lengths of 6 and 1/2", then 6" and bend several of these. It will probably be hot rolled steel, but I think CRS is also available from these types of stores (some of it is marked as such). At 3/16" I don't think the difference between HRS and CRS is too substantial.

I invested in a pair of bolt cutters and have not regretted it. A hack saw will work of course, but be careful.

Once you can bend 5" lengths of 3/16 stock, then you will be ready to try 3/16 square stock. It's tempting to jump to 1/4" round stock, but it is substantially harder than 3/16 square, in my opinion.

After I had worked with 1/4" round HRS for a while (not very long really), I ordered both a package of Ironmind yellow nails and blue nails. I am glad I skipped buying the more expensive variety bag from Ironmind (a big one-time investment just to find out your level).

I was able to bend a 6" length of 1/4" round cold-rolled steel before I could bend the Ironmind blue (which I have done once), so my conclusion is that Ironmind stock is slightly harder than CRS steel that you will find in a hardware store of the same dimensions.

Thanks for the tips.

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  • 2 months later...

I started bending about 2 months ago and went to Home Depot and bought 3 sticks of 3/16 round and 3 sticks of 3/16 square and started with that I can now bend both in 5"lengths I can bend 1/4x7'' and I'm working on 1/4x6" what a difference an inch makes.....

GOOD LUCK

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  • 2 months later...

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