Finally killed a Red Nail!

[Squeezus]

So, last night I decided that it was time to take another swing at the Red Nail. It’d been a month at least since I wobbled one and I have gotten a lot stronger since then so why not?

I warmed up with a 1/4” x 7” CRS, then some O1 Drill rod at the same size, then a grade 8 at the same size. Everything was looking great.

Then I decided to hit a 5/16” x 7” grade 2 bolt...and it ate my lunch. I barely wobbled it with everything I had. I’ve bent 3 or 4 of these before and rated a few and they are supposed to be easier than a red nail. Wtf was happening?

Rather than keep dumping energy into this bolt, I decided to rest a minute and go after the red nail.

Fighting seeds of doubt, I laid into the nail with everything I had and felt it start to move. The second it started to kink I knew I had it. I held the hit as long as I could and it was well within the zone where I am strongest, it was done. I bent my first red nail in well under a minute. Now, I just have to do it without rubber bands on my wraps, which I think won’t be an issue at all.

Now, back to that G2 bolt. I was pissed. How dare it be metallurgically dissimilar to its fellow “307A LB” head stamps? So, I did like any reasonable meat head who had just accomplished a goal safely. I picked that bastard up and torqued on it until I burst a blood vessel in my eye. It had a hard spot and started bending off center and stopped cold in the position you can see in the picture. I managed to escape with no hand tears, but I’m feeling it today. Rest assured, I’ll be coming back for revenge.

 

 

[bencrush]

@SqueezusHell yeah man!!!  That is awesome.  First Red Nail is something you'll never ever forget. 

[Horrido]

Nice to see your first red going down!

[Buccos1]

Congrats!  That was a massive first hit.  Nice work!

[robertmiller67]

Awesome bending Gil! 
well done brother!  
 

Cert time!?