Starting to bend. Where to buy cheap stuff?

[Sino_]

So I am a noob to bending but I would like to start trying to train for a bit. Can I get a hold of equipment somehow that is a bit cheaper than the competition stuff? 

I am new to this so I wonder how other people with small amounts of money start out doing this? Just buying regular nails/spikes in hardware stores or something like that?

Or how can I get started with this without ruining my already small wallet?

When buying nails and after they have been bent, are these nails now wasted? And do I then need to buy new ones? Or how does that work? Are there nails I can buy that can be bent multiple times without spoiling?

Maybe there are some other cheap materials people use to get the strength to bend? Also I wonder what types of gloves, towels(if any) should be used between the hands and nails.

Also, a recommendation for a thread from a veteran that recommends training programs, volumes, tips and progressions would be much appreciated.

Thanks

 

 

Edited February 24, 2023 by Sino_

[climber511]

I'm sure some more knowledgeable people will respond but what I found was going to an actual steel retailer and buying lengths of stock as long as I could fit in my van.  Then take it home and cut it to the lengths you want to bend.  Buy a good pair of bolt cutters - angle grinder - chop saw etc.  When starting I'd buy some leather pads - Iron Mind pads later on maybe.  Depending how strong you are 3/16 square, 1/4" hot roll or cold roll round will probably get you started.  Once you can do 1/4" round x 6" you can buy 60d nails - start with spirals maybe.  About the only thing you can do with bent stock is "snap" it like David Horne does.  I think most people just throw all the bent stuff in a bucket.  Good Luck

[DevilErik]

Eatchalkgetbig has a beginner bending kit start there.

[Blacksmith513]

Bending isn’t cheap. Best thing to do is find a supplier buy bulk. It’s important support guys like Cannon and EatChalkGetBig, David Horne and others though. I’ll make a more helpful post later when I’m home.

 

 

Edited February 24, 2023 by Blacksmith513

[Lennix]

40 minutes ago, Sino_ said:

So I am a noob to bending but I would like to start trying to train for a bit. Can I get a hold of equipment somehow that is a bit cheaper than the competition stuff? 

I am new to this so I wonder how other people with small amounts of money start out doing this? Just buying regular nails/spikes in hardware stores or something like that?

Or how can I get started with this without ruining my already small wallet?

When buying nails and after they have been bent, are these nails now wasted? And do I then need to buy new ones? Or how does that work? Are there nails I can buy that can be bent multiple times without spoiling?

Maybe there are some other cheap materials people use to get the strength to bend? Also I wonder what types of gloves, towels(if any) should be used between the hands and nails.

Also, a recommendation for a thread from a veteran that recommends training programs, volumes, tips and progressions would be much appreciated.

Thanks

 

 

Your closest hardware store will have what you need. 

5mm nails 6mm nails 7mm nails 8mm hotrolled steel 8mm Rebar 8mm Coldrolled steel in that order  

So for example, 2m 8mm Rebar in Sweden is 3 dollar and I get minimum 11 bends out of it. 

You dont throw away the bend nail, you safe it for snapping and get a good workout with that aswell

Edited February 24, 2023 by Lennix

[Blacksmith513]

1 minute ago, Lennix said:

Your closest hardware store will have what you need. 

5mm nails 6mm nails 7mm nails 8mm hotrolled steel 8mm Rebar 8mm Coldrolled steel in that order  

So for example, 2m 8mm Rebar in Sweden is 3 dollar and I get minimum 11 bends out of it. 

You dont throw away the bend nail, you safe it for snapping and get a good workout with that aswell

Yes, snapping is such a great workout. Even just easier nails.

[Sino_]

9 hours ago, Lennix said:

Your closest hardware store will have what you need. 

5mm nails 6mm nails 7mm nails 8mm hotrolled steel 8mm Rebar 8mm Coldrolled steel in that order  

So for example, 2m 8mm Rebar in Sweden is 3 dollar and I get minimum 11 bends out of it. 

You dont throw away the bend nail, you safe it for snapping and get a good workout with that aswell

So you are a "Svenne"?  Where do you buy most of your nails? Biltema perhaps?

[Blacksmith513]

1 hour ago, Sino_ said:

So you are a "Svenne"?  Where do you buy most of your nails? Biltema perhaps?

I'm still new to bending myself there are many here who know way more  than me. Since you're in Europe id buy David Hornes beginner steel bending kit, if I where you. It comes with 3 nails, 2 bars for braced bending and 5 small nails for snapping, plus suedes... Also you could buy from Horrido. 

I've only ever bent with suedes and Ironmind Pads. I like them both for different reasons. Buying the Ironmind pads made me appreciate suedes so much more.But the IM made my hands much tougher. 

If you feel like spending a few bucks i love the Wrist Developer, great for warming up the muscles used for reverse bending. You can save on stock by using it for warm ups. Plus it builds great strength. 

Many great benders here. Just look around a little.

[Lennix]

7 hours ago, Sino_ said:

So you are a "Svenne"?  Where do you buy most of your nails? Biltema perhaps?

8mm rebar on biltema is great. 

6 and 7mm "trådspik" from bauhaus (online order) 

8mm HRS and 10MM HRS on hornbach 

7mm nail 7.6mm nail 8.8mm nail on Conrad also trådspik. 

8.8 bolts can be found at bolist 

Montano has everything but is not cheap. 

Leatherpads and certbolts from Horrido :) GL! 

[Lennix]

5 hours ago, Blacksmith513 said:

I'm still new to bending myself there are many here who know way more  than me. Since you're in Europe id buy David Hornes beginner steel bending kit, if I where you. It comes with 3 nails, 2 bars for braced bending and 5 small nails for snapping, plus suedes... Also you could buy from Horrido. 

I've only ever bent with suedes and Ironmind Pads. I like them both for different reasons. Buying the Ironmind pads made me appreciate suedes so much more.But the IM made my hands much tougher. 

If you feel like spending a few bucks i love the Wrist Developer, great for warming up the muscles used for reverse bending. You can save on stock by using it for warm ups. Plus it builds great strength. 

Many great benders here. Just look around a little.

Just FYI since Brexit shipping to Sweden insanely expensive shipping + import taxes + handling fees 

[Fist of Fury]

Not to be negative or anything but to be completely honest. If you have very limited amount of money, starting to bend steel is probably not the best choice. It's not cheap. Of course there's a lot of way more expensive hobbies one can have. But steel bending is not going to help your economy, that's for sure. It's fairly expensive and you get absolutely no money back from it.

If you buy stainless steel you should recycle everything becasue you can get paid for doing so. Keep that in mind.

I recommend buying 5.5 and 6 mm nails to try first. Try all different styles of bending. Every style is different and all styles are not for everyone. So just buy something cheap and easy to start with, try and see what you like. 

Good set of leathers is best to use as pads. Don't ask me where you can find that for cheap because I don't know.

The best (for the least amount of money) that I have found are the leathers horrido-bending.com sells. Those are like 10€ a pair plus shipping from Germany. So it's not cheap, but they do last a good while.

 

[David_wigren]

David Horne is currently the best source for rated stock. But with shipping and tax it gets relatively expensive. I’d get some bars and bolts for certs but for bulk I’d go with Lennix’s advice. The wraps from David Horne is on the smaller size so for sturdier wraps I’d go with Horrido. The bolts from Horrido can vary though unfortunately. Stay away from Ironmind. Ironmind is unreasonable expensive, their wraps are garbage and their stock vary more than any other. A red nail could be as low as 380lbs or up to 520lbs on the Krahling. You simply won’t know what you’re bending when you’re bending a red nail. 
 

Another unfortunate issue with stock from David Horne and the UK is that the post times to Sweden is often really slow. I often have to wait around 6-8 weeks before I get my package. Which has been a big problem whenever I want to attend any of the steel shredder comps. Because I usually don’t get my package until the comp is almost over. Like for Steel Shredder 11 I literally received the package the same day as the comp ended. And I’m still waiting for my medal to arrive, almost 8 weeks after Horne sent the package.

But with that said. The stock is reliable and good for measuring your progress. But if you want to get started soon, I’d go to Bauhaus or Conrad and get some nails. 

Edited February 26, 2023 by David_wigren

[bruce1337]

On 2/25/2023 at 7:08 AM, Lennix said:

8mm rebar on biltema is great. 

6 and 7mm "trådspik" from bauhaus (online order) 

8mm HRS and 10MM HRS on hornbach 

7mm nail 7.6mm nail 8.8mm nail on Conrad also trådspik. 

8.8 bolts can be found at bolist 

Montano has everything but is not cheap. 

Leatherpads and certbolts from Horrido GL! 

Montano is cheap if you can pick up the steel yourself and not have to pay shipping.

[Lucasraymond]

On 2/25/2023 at 1:10 AM, Lennix said:

Just FYI since Brexit shipping to Sweden insanely expensive shipping + import taxes + handling fees 

Yeah i just noticed that when shipping a package there as it was higher than everywhere else in europe

[Blacksmith513]

On 2/25/2023 at 1:10 AM, Lennix said:

Just FYI since Brexit shipping to Sweden insanely expensive shipping + import taxes + handling fees 

had no idea, that blows...... Living in the US, I don't run into that problem too much.

 

@Sino_ whats your workout history look like? Bending is pretty physically demanding. My friend is trying to get into it, but decided to join a gym and get overall stronger first. Jedd Johnson recommends using a sledge for a month or two to condition the tissue and tendons... Most of the guys who've posted here are very good benders.. Look up some of their videos..

Don Cummings is another good one to watch, as is David Horne, Devin Hoover, Londonjoseph, Bulldog Marty, Matek.... Not me yet... But the only advice I can really give you is don't over do it.. You'll get some sort of tendon issue or injury that will set you back. 

[Sino_]

8 hours ago, Blacksmith513 said:

had no idea, that blows...... Living in the US, I don't run into that problem too much.

 

@Sino_ whats your workout history look like? Bending is pretty physically demanding. My friend is trying to get into it, but decided to join a gym and get overall stronger first. Jedd Johnson recommends using a sledge for a month or two to condition the tissue and tendons... Most of the guys who've posted here are very good benders.. Look up some of their videos..

Don Cummings is another good one to watch, as is David Horne, Devin Hoover, Londonjoseph, Bulldog Marty, Matek.... Not me yet... But the only advice I can really give you is don't over do it.. You'll get some sort of tendon issue or injury that will set you back. 

I have had a lot of tough jobs(mechanical trucker and so on) and lifted a lot of traditional meathead gym weight lifting in the past, but not the last few years since I have done other stuff and I am quite small(81 kilos). Done some martial arts. So my wrists are quite tough. I am not really very strong in my crushing grip but my wrists I think are quite strong. I can close the coc2 on the left hand and on the right I plateau right around one millimeter from the close.

By the way are you a real blacksmith? Or do you just like that name?  

Edited February 27, 2023 by Sino_

[Blacksmith513]

1 hour ago, Sino_ said:

I have had a lot of tough jobs(mechanical trucker and so on) and lifted a lot of traditional meathead gym weight lifting in the past, but not the last few years since I have done other stuff and I am quite small(81 kilos). Done some martial arts. So my wrists are quite tough. I am not really very strong in my crushing grip but my wrists I think are quite strong. I can close the coc2 on the left hand and on the right I plateau right around one millimeter from the close.

By the way are you a real blacksmith? Or do you just like that name?  

You should be good to go with that background.I don't think size plays as much a factor with bending, we are the same size and theres many people smaller than us that are good benders. 

 

Its a hobby. I wish I could be but its pretty a hard market to get into, but i've got some ideas in the making, as a side thing.  Its really fun, give it a go sometime.  Your grip gets a good workout.

[devinhoo]

@Tom Flesher did a pretty good write up about what to buy at the hardware store. I still reference it all the time.

https://www.reddit.com/r/GripTraining/comments/g7fmt6/im_at_the_hardware_store_what_can_i_bend_a_guide/

 

Plenty of places to get wraps too. I would recommend against using gloves or towels. 

https://www.reddit.com/r/SteelBending/wiki/index/#wiki_places_to_buy_wraps

Edited February 27, 2023 by devinhoo

[Sino_]

22 hours ago, Blacksmith513 said:

 

 

Its a hobby. I wish I could be but its pretty a hard market to get into, but i've got some ideas in the making, as a side thing.  Its really fun, give it a go sometime.  Your grip gets a good workout.

Yeah I wonder what type of exercises smiths do that are building their grips the most. They are, like many mechanics, known for their grips right. 

It seems mechanics or guys who screw a lot on things build a lot of their grips from that screwing-motion. You know stuck big bolts, clamping pliers together and so on. 

I am not sure I have found any grip training equipment that uses the kind of screwing pinch grip that many mechanics use. But maybe smeone else knows of a machine/barbell/equipment like that?

Maybe I will go with smith-exercises and cheaper stuff and increase overall in strength in those and regular grip training before going over to bending. Seems to be a bit expensive yeah. Probably best to wait a while first.

Edited February 28, 2023 by Sino_

[Blacksmith513]

14 minutes ago, Sino_ said:

Yeah I wonder what type of exercises smiths do that are building their grips the most. They are, like many mechanics, known for their grips right. 

It seems mechanics or guys who screw a lot on things build a lot of their grips from that screwing-motion. You know stuck big bolts, clamping pliers together and so on. 

I am not sure I have found any grip training equipment that uses the kind of screwing pinch grip that many mechanics use. But maybe smeone else knows of a machine/barbell/equipment like that?

Maybe I will go with smith-exercises and cheaper stuff and increase overall in strength in those and regular grip training before going over to bending. Seems to be a bit expensive yeah. Probably best to wait a while first.

If you want to bend, bend.. Yeah it can get expensive but so are gym memberships or a night out with friends or just about anything... If you shop smart you can probably be pretty frugal about it.

I doubt most blacksmiths in the day worked out. Although there was an  old time strongman Joe Price https://www.britishpathe.com/asset/64517/     and a few others now that i think about. Its really more of an endurance based activity, but depending on what your forging it can get you pretty strong. Those dudes what where forging ship anchors where probably very tough.

 

[Fist of Fury]

9 hours ago, Sino_ said:

Yeah I wonder what type of exercises smiths do that are building their grips the most. They are, like many mechanics, known for their grips right. 

It seems mechanics or guys who screw a lot on things build a lot of their grips from that screwing-motion. You know stuck big bolts, clamping pliers together and so on. 

I am not sure I have found any grip training equipment that uses the kind of screwing pinch grip that many mechanics use. But maybe smeone else knows of a machine/barbell/equipment like that?

Maybe I will go with smith-exercises and cheaper stuff and increase overall in strength in those and regular grip training before going over to bending. Seems to be a bit expensive yeah. Probably best to wait a while first.

It can be explained with simply one word: Hammer.

[bruce1337]

1 hour ago, Fist of Fury said:

It can be explained with simply one word: Hammer.

I second this.

A single hammer is the most versatile wrist training tool out there.

[Sino_]

14 minutes ago, bruce1337 said:

I second this.

A single hammer is the most versatile wrist training tool out there.

Yeah. Like a smaller sledgehammer they often seem to use when they can be seen working on youtube and so on.

Now I went quite a bit off topic from bending but I find this subject interesting. 

I guess probably many of those small micro-hits when busting up steel and iron with a smaller sledgehammer will probably work your wrist a lot. Forcing it to be in place every time the hammer falls on the iron/steel. Makes sense that this would over a long time with lots of volume make tendons, bones and muscles of the forearm and hand stronger, right.

That old video with John Brookfield he does some wrist training with a weight plate and a long broomstick. This should probably emulate the hammer,sledgehammer-work a lot don't you think? Like just keeping the wrist in place kind of.

Chopping wood also comes to mind when thinking about hitting objects where the actual hit should exert force on your wrists and hands when you hit the object that is being targeted. 

This is off topic, but do you do any hammer work yourself and if so in what way?

Edited March 1, 2023 by Sino_

[Blacksmith513]

1 hour ago, Sino_ said:

Yeah. Like a smaller sledgehammer they often seem to use when they can be seen working on youtube and so on.

Now I went quite a bit off topic from bending but I find this subject interesting. 

I guess probably many of those small micro-hits when busting up steel and iron with a smaller sledgehammer will probably work your wrist a lot. Forcing it to be in place every time the hammer falls on the iron/steel. Makes sense that this would over a long time with lots of volume make tendons, bones and muscles of the forearm and hand stronger, right.

That old video with John Brookfield he does some wrist training with a weight plate and a long broomstick. This should probably emulate the hammer,sledgehammer-work a lot don't you think? Like just keeping the wrist in place kind of.

Chopping wood also comes to mind when thinking about hitting objects where the actual hit should exert force on your wrists and hands when you hit the object that is being targeted. 

This is off topic, but do you do any hammer work yourself and if so in what way?

I will say, i didn't do any smithing for over a year due to, weddings, eye surgery and a few things.. Since levering and bending, i've been able to hit harder and more accurate.  Also, seen some great carry over to doing construction. 

That being said, nothing you can do in the gym can replicate quite the same conditions as forging, its hot, smoky and you only have a short window of time to work before the steel cools down. So you gotta move, you must hammer with purpose and accuracy.  Also, can't forget about the tong hand. Its doing much more than just holding the steel.  Using my hand crank blower leaves my shoulder a little sore the next day sometimes. 

 It will also only get you so strong... But if you want "blacksmith" muscles you gotta do some forging.  In the meantime, get a sledge, do some levering, reverse levering, pronation and supination stuff and a tire to strike.. You could also get a 3 or 4lbs hammer to strike the tire with like you would an anvil.   There are so many things you can do with a sledgehammer. 

If you live in Europe you are in luck, from what i've read over there in many countries there are still working blacksmiths... Make friends with one.   After your done bending steel, you can forge with it.

 

 

 

[Sino_]

10 hours ago, Blacksmith513 said:

I will say, i didn't do any smithing for over a year due to, weddings, eye surgery and a few things.. Since levering and bending, i've been able to hit harder and more accurate.  Also, seen some great carry over to doing construction. 

That being said, nothing you can do in the gym can replicate quite the same conditions as forging, its hot, smoky and you only have a short window of time to work before the steel cools down. So you gotta move, you must hammer with purpose and accuracy.  Also, can't forget about the tong hand. Its doing much more than just holding the steel.  Using my hand crank blower leaves my shoulder a little sore the next day sometimes. 

 It will also only get you so strong... But if you want "blacksmith" muscles you gotta do some forging.  In the meantime, get a sledge, do some levering, reverse levering, pronation and supination stuff and a tire to strike.. You could also get a 3 or 4lbs hammer to strike the tire with like you would an anvil.   There are so many things you can do with a sledgehammer. 

If you live in Europe you are in luck, from what i've read over there in many countries there are still working blacksmiths... Make friends with one.   After your done bending steel, you can forge with it.

 

 

 

Yeah there are a few here I think.

One cool thing a guy did here. I think it was on Discovery or something. Can't remember where he was from. Perhaps several people have done this. But anyway it was to forge an original Viking sword called the "Ulfberth" I believe. Pretty cool project.

Yeah sledge workouts I gotta do. Do you mostly do static holds with those or more like dynamic movements or both?

Edited March 1, 2023 by Sino_