Bending Safety

[ChimpGrip]

How do you bend and reduce chance of nerve injury in your hand? I read that improper technique can cause that

Also, what should I be bending now since my bending strength has dramatically gone down (I've been focusing on big lifts and gripper work since july) and have not had a bending training session since June.

Lastly, when one says a nail or bolt is calibrated at let's say 200 lbs, this may be a dumb question but does that mean that's how much it takes to bend it? Out of curiosity, what's the strongest metal/bolt/nail/round or whatever ever caliberated?

[Tim71]

Eric calibrated a 12mm by 8 inch bolt for me years ago at 1010 pounds.

Hard to say what you should be bending because of not knowing where your strength currently is. I'd do some volume work with something that is a moderately easy bend to get back into it. I'd do single pads to toughen your hands back up as well.

The poundages you see are how much it takes to bend a said nail or bar to 30 degrees. Now of course the hands apply pressure differently than a calibration setup but all in all, it's a great way to gauge where a bend lies. Also, you can only compare same length steel to same length steel. A 400 pound bar at 7 inches is way tougher to bend than a 400 pound bar at 6 inches.

Hope this helps.

[ChimpGrip]

I will go to the store and get some weaker stuff and practice. I'm not too sharp on identifying bolts based on their measurements like 5/16 for example.

Has anyone ever caliberated the long grade 9 bolts before? I read they're supposed to be 20% stronger than grade 8

[JoshW]

Ive impaled my right hand with a nail when I first started and have nerve damage in my left hand and have bent sparingly since then. I just had to learn not to push it too hard.

If it calibrates at 200lbs then that's how much force it takes to bend, tim pretty much covered that

bend safely!

[EJ Livesey]

How do you bend and reduce chance of nerve injury in your hand? I read that improper technique can cause that

Also, what should I be bending now since my bending strength has dramatically gone down (I've been focusing on big lifts and gripper work since july) and have not had a bending training session since June.

Lastly, when one says a nail or bolt is calibrated at let's say 200 lbs, this may be a dumb question but does that mean that's how much it takes to bend it? Out of curiosity, what's the strongest metal/bolt/nail/round or whatever ever caliberated?

1). If it hurts, stop. You know your body. The injuries won't spring up out of nowhere.

2). Bend what you can, it's trial and error. Only you know your body.

3). List of recorded calibrations. http://az-grip.com/calibration.php

Has anyone ever caliberated the long grade 9 bolts before? I read they're supposed to be 20% stronger than grade 8

Grade 9 Don't worry about them. And 20% is a bogus figure because we aren't testing yield or tensile strength. Pay no attention to these claims as we are not using bolts as suggested. Go by Aaron's chart. Edited October 6, 2014 by EJ Livesey

[Tim71]

Yes, in the calibration thread (original one) Eric calibrated an F911 grade 9 bolt and it hit 535 pounds. They are truly the nastiest piece of 1/4 inch steel I've ever tackled. Very springy.

The old L9 grade 9 bolts are no longer made in sizes long enough to bend. Eric calibrated on of those and I believe it hit 490 which some of the premium grade 8 bolts are hitting that these days. The only grade 9 bolts I know of now are the Lawson and F911. Porteous fastener makes a grade 9 but they are too short to bend as well.

You can buy the F911 at allenfasteners.com in the longer sizes. Be prepared they are pricey but a very fun and challenging bend.

[Autolupus]

Yes, in the calibration thread (original one) Eric calibrated an F911 grade 9 bolt and it hit 535 pounds. They are truly the nastiest piece of 1/4 inch steel I've ever tackled. Very springy.

The old L9 grade 9 bolts are no longer made in sizes long enough to bend. Eric calibrated on of those and I believe it hit 490 which some of the premium grade 8 bolts are hitting that these days. The only grade 9 bolts I know of now are the Lawson and F911. Porteous fastener makes a grade 9 but they are too short to bend as well.

You can buy the F911 at allenfasteners.com in the longer sizes. Be prepared they are pricey but a very fun and challenging bend.

http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?showtopic=18218

[acromegaman]

Wow! I didn't realize that Gary Hunt is Gazza

[Tim71]

Sure is. He was something else.

[robertmiller67]

Get info guys & thanks for posting!

Question for the veterans... EJ, Tim or Tommy, etc.

Ive started back bending over the last month & actually bent some 3/8" crs in dbl leathers... sore as heck!

Anyway do you guys generally explode into a bar or do you rather build up pressure slower then bend 100% over a course of a few seconds? I certed the Red nail last year & haven't bent much in the last year or so as I was concentrating on grip training. Think I came back too fast as my hands weren't ready for the pain in singles @ 5/16" stock.

Thanks again for yer input!

[Tim71]

There are far better benders than me but I don't really explode especially in double leathers because I don't want anything to shift and risk an injury. Now, in my videos it may look like I'm exploding but I'm definately using a gradual approach to hammering that initial hit. At least in my opinion.

I like to breath, then kind of tighten everything up then unload onto the bar.

3/8 CRS is outstanding to bend in any wraps.

[robertmiller67]

Thanks for the input Tim.. that sounds exactly how I bend. I gradually build up pressure then go 100%!

Btw, yer too modest Tim. I heard yer one of the best unbraced benders around brother.. Old-School!

Thanks again bud!

[EJ Livesey]

Get info guys & thanks for posting!

Question for the veterans... EJ, Tim or Tommy, etc.

Ive started back bending over the last month & actually bent some 3/8" crs in dbl leathers... sore as heck!

Anyway do you guys generally explode into a bar or do you rather build up pressure slower then bend 100% over a course of a few seconds? I certed the Red nail last year & haven't bent much in the last year or so as I was concentrating on grip training. Think I came back too fast as my hands weren't ready for the pain in singles @ 5/16" stock.

Thanks again for yer input!

Slow and steady pressure.

Side note: there have only been a handful of guys that have bent 3/8" CRS in any wraps. This is a world class bend. And you're doing it after a month back to bending? I can believe HRS but not CRS. Please post a video. It's possible you have gotten mismarked steel. I got a piece of 3/8 from Chez that was market HRS, it wasn't. It was harder than any KOAB I tried, it was serious CRS.

[ChimpGrip]

On that list, that 303 stainless steel round rated at 1220 lbs, that's crazy.

I'm going back to bending nails to get back Into it. My goal is to bend a grade 8 bolt I have. Is this something that could take 2+ years? I don't want to get seriously hurt or drive something through my hand

[EJ Livesey]

My goal is to bend a grade 8 bolt I have. Is this something that could take 2+ years? I don't want to get seriously hurt or drive something through my hand

This is something only you can answer. We don't know how long it will take. We don't know what size it is either. 1/4x6 a few months for me. 5/16x7 a few months after I broke the 650lb barrier.

Too many variables:

How hard will you push? What is your diet like? Are you focusing only on bending? Are you willing to be in pain everyday for months? What is your best bend right now?

[robertmiller67]

Thanks again guys for the input.. really appreciated!

- EJ, I'll post a vid my friend... it was maked as CRS. It was in thick leathers no doubt though... I know I'm a relatively unknown as a rarely post on here. I was bending very infrequently like maybe 1-2 times a month up until a month ago.

I've bent a prekinked Gold-Nail as well from around the 90-deg mark. Took me a long time but I got it. Like I said my background is powerlifting & armwrestling for the last 8-years... I now mainly train grip but I've started focusing on bending again over the last month or so. I'm not on you or Tommys level by no means but I'm working on it!

Thanks again!

[ChimpGrip]

My goal is to bend a grade 8 bolt I have. Is this something that could take 2+ years? I don't want to get seriously hurt or drive something through my hand

This is something only you can answer. We don't know how long it will take. We don't know what size it is either. 1/4x6 a few months for me. 5/16x7 a few months after I broke the 650lb barrier.

Too many variables:

How hard will you push? What is your diet like? Are you focusing only on bending? Are you willing to be in pain everyday for months? What is your best bend right now?

I will have to measure it for dimensions. I threw away the plastic pack that had all that Information on it when I first got it.

My diet has been off and on between good and sloppy. I need to cut out the high sodium stuff (like hot wings-I always crave those). I am not currently focused on just bending. I am still working hard to get really strong at lifts like overhead press, squat, and all that. Also, I'm still into training with grippers too. I'm willing to be in pain as long as its good pain. I'm not going to try to work through a possible injury, I mean wouldn't that be a dumb thing to do? I see where you're coming from with dealing with pain, especially with bending, but as some others on here have said you have to listen to your body. Best bend, probably this long steel hex bolt being bent to 30 degrees.