Guest woody36 Posted April 11, 2001 Share Posted April 11, 2001 Tom, What is the shortest length of steel you would try bend over your knee/leg. The reason i ask is i cut a 12inch piece off an 8mm /1m bar,now the initial bend is okay but there isnt enough steel to wrap around the leg and i dont have the strength to carry the bend on with my hands.I bent the other piece round my neck which was a waste because it was too thin a gauge. thanks in advance Tom Woody. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Black Posted April 12, 2001 Share Posted April 12, 2001 As you have observed, 12-inches is about as short as you can go. I bend the 12"x3/8" spikes off to the side. This is what I refer to the bracing technique. I place my right (dominant) hand on my left thigh, and extend the nail out. I then use my left hand to push down. The technique looks very similar to the way Dennis Rodgers in ripping the phone book on the GripPage. I tried the 12” nail over my thigh but since I can bend them in the more difficult manner off to the side I would rather practice that technique. I think 10” is too short to bend over your leg. Practice the 60-pennies in your hands with no bracing or brace them against your abs (I believe this is John Brookfield’s technique). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest woody36 Posted April 12, 2001 Share Posted April 12, 2001 Tom, As always thanks for the reply,i bought some 3/8 bar today and i am going to have a go at bending a piece,any suggestions on what would be a good length to start with. My girlfriend is also showing an interest,she says if i dont stop taking her to DIY stores she is going to wrap a big piece of steel right round my neck. Thanks again. Woody. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest woody36 Posted April 12, 2001 Share Posted April 12, 2001 Tom, I couldnt wait,i bent the 1m by 3/8 bar round my neck it seems more natural than using my leg. the bend was at the 14 1/2 inch point on the bar, this was easy so i the longer end and bent it again at a point 10 1/2 inches from the end. I finished both bends in my hands crushing style and now have a nice S shaped bar of which i am very proud. sorry i couldnt wait for your reply. all the best. Woody. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Black Posted April 13, 2001 Share Posted April 13, 2001 My reply was going to be, go ahead and bend it anyway you can! What I do when I get a new long piece of steel is “test” it by starting at the end and working my way towards the middle. It sounds like you did this. At the point I feel a little give I know I can bend it. Be careful doing this behind your head. Also keep in mind there’s a big difference between 3/8”, 7/16” and ½” stock, so if you try another thickness don’t cut it too short, otherwise, you’ll have a straight paperweight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest woody36 Posted April 13, 2001 Share Posted April 13, 2001 Tom, thanks, i asked a question about square 1/4inch steel about a week or so ago whether it was easier or harder to bend.At the time i couldnt bend it,i put a slight curve in it but no more.Today i gave it another go and am glad to say i bent it into a U shape. Tom this week you have inspired me,keep it up. Woody. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Black Posted April 13, 2001 Share Posted April 13, 2001 Sounds like a good bend. Was that the piece you cut 10"? Is it hot rolled or cold rolled steel? I used to bend 12"x1/4" square cold rolled, zinc plated steel and it was tough. It probably would be easier now because it has been awhile. The pieces were overpriced and I would rather bend the cheaper round stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest woody36 Posted April 13, 2001 Share Posted April 13, 2001 Tom, I was looking at the Southern Tier Muscle site and was struck by a picture of a lady called Marta Farra scrolling a sizeable piece of steel round her forearm and lifting an elephant strong lady.Theres also Madame Montagna who it says could tear 110 playing cards in 5 seconds and then again into quarters, i feel humbled. for anyone who hasnt seen this site its exellent www.geocities.com/count_iblis.geo/strong.html Woody. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest woody36 Posted April 13, 2001 Share Posted April 13, 2001 Tom, regarding the bar i am pretty sure it was HRS i practically gave birth trying to bend it.I would have to build up to CRS,at the moment i just cannot pass any thing without wandering if i can bend it. The feeling of achievement when youve made a successful bend is out of this world,im still on a high. all the best. Woody. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryduty Posted April 13, 2001 Share Posted April 13, 2001 Woody, congrats on your recent bends! You're making good progress! I believe that the web site that you wanted to provide was: http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Villa/4527/fit.html Strongman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest woody36 Posted April 13, 2001 Share Posted April 13, 2001 Strongman, Glad to hear from you again,spot on with the website mine was the long winded approach to it. Speaking of steel i notice you have a picture of your 1/2 inch bar bend on your website,have you had a go at any other bends recently. hope your family and your training partner are all doing fine,all the best. Woody. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryduty Posted April 14, 2001 Share Posted April 14, 2001 Thanks Woody! The 1/2" steel bar on my web site was bent by bracing. I bought some rebar (reinforced steel) and will be cutting and then bending that shortly - I want to try out two new completely different techniques that doesn't use any bracing - not sure if I'll be successful or not, yet. But, I'll let you know how it goes. If I remember, I'll try and videotape it. So, if I can actually bend the rebar this way, then there might be some who'd be interested in viewing it. Last week my training partner u-shaped 36" of 5/8" zinc coated steel - he did brace it, though. This bar of steel was unusually "springy" - he'd bend it 6 inches and it would spring back almost 5 inches! Even so, he still managed to u-shape the thing! And just a couple of days ago, he bent 36" of rebar as a "warm up" and then proceeded to U-shape 24" of 1/2" hot rolled steel - again by bracing them. He was exhausted and out of breath when done! He had cut 12" off of a 36" piece to have the 24" bar to tackle and offered to let me have the remaining 12" bar to bend - Ha! Don't see that happening anytime soon! For now, it'll just have to remain like Tom Black says, a straight paperweight! Hmmm, seems like most of my big advances usually come down to progressive increases in strength combined with greatly improved techniques! Keep up the great work, Woody! Stongman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest woody36 Posted April 14, 2001 Share Posted April 14, 2001 Strongman, thanks for getting back to me, you and your training partner both sound to be doing extremely well especially with the big steel. Your friend and the springy steel remind me i tried to bend a ring spanner earlier this week,i have no idea what they are made of but the more i tried to bend it the more it seemed to fight to keep its original shape. I could be wrong but isnt 5/8 steel what gave Capes and Kazmaier so much trouble in strongest man? regards the video... please get yourself and your traing partner on tape and with any luck i will see you in action on the grippage. As always Strongman a pleasure to hear from you again much appreciated. Woody. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Piche Posted April 14, 2001 Share Posted April 14, 2001 "I could be wrong but isnt 5/8 steel what gave Capes and Kazmaier so much trouble in strongest man?" I don't think you are wrong at all. And, don't they use 4 foot bars in the WSM? If so, didn't Kaz nearly ripped his arms off doing a 4 foot 5/8" incher? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryduty Posted April 14, 2001 Share Posted April 14, 2001 It's true that Kaz injured himself (tore a pec muscle) bending a steel bar, but it was cold rolled steel (much harder to bend) and not the easier to bend hot rolled steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest woody36 Posted April 14, 2001 Share Posted April 14, 2001 Strongman, HRS or CRS thats still a big piece of steel, I think it was the pec tear that finished Kazmaiers powerlifting career if i am not mistaken. I wish they had a Masters (Strongest Man) like they do with the Olympia and we could watch all the greats of the past battle it out again,although i suspect in the case of Mr Kazmaier he would give the current crop of stars a run for their money. Woody. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1stCoC Posted April 14, 2001 Share Posted April 14, 2001 The only time I was involved with bending I saw Mr Brookfield bend a 10 " adjustable Sears wrench into a U. Aso a huge bridge spike fell along with a amazing 43 60 penny nails bent and dropped into a milk bottle in one minute. I felt bending was more a function of the pecs, delts and technique than a feat of grip strength. Prompted by By John to bend a 60 penny spike I held it at arms legth away from my body and sweat blood till the thing bent......Brookfield said he was amazed to see it done in such a way.....I was sore for days! Believe me Brookfield was truly a real grip king and a great guy as well! RS.621 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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