Too Much Padding?

[ObsceneJester]

Today I was messing around with some steel..

I was going after a 6.5" 1/4 Hexagonal piece of steel and got it in about 3 minutes in the leather pads that John Beatty sent me.. Well I had some steel that was leftover from when I went and got some from Lowes (1/4 square, 5/16 CRS) so I decided to try the square so I cut it to 7.5 inches and I didn't want to mess up the leather I got (because the edges were still sharp) I decided to put it in my Ironmind Pads and then wrap it up with the leather (so I didn't go through). Well I got that under 10 seconds.. I then decided to wrap up a piece of 1/4 Hexagonal 6.5" long again and try it to see and sure enough that folded very easily..

My question how much is to much? Is Ironmind Pads and leathers to much? I know there has been a debate, a very heated debate about DO style and padding and was wondering what is acceptable. I don't want to go the easy route but would love to know the guild lines on what is to much..

[ObsceneJester]

Update:

I just tried to bend a 7" piece of FBBC and I barely put a warp in it with the IMP and leathers..

[jaccord]

I think how much padding is a thing of preference per individual. When I use leather on 5/16" steel, it's usually about 1 1/8" in diameter. The leather gives me more cushion, and more leverage, than IM pads. But, if you wrap the steel too much, you also won't be able to exert the maximum force to the steel itself. I think it gets to a point where the wraps will absorb some of the force if they're wrapped too much. I perfer leather cause it's easier on my hands, but I also have been using the IM pads too, to help toughen up my hands.

[gripmaniac]

"How much is too much" is like asking how long a piece of string is!

I bend with a single wrap combo IM Pad & 10" & 8" piece of leather. For the crushdown I substitute the single leather piece with a couple of 4" & 6" pieces. I don't think that's too much . . . others may disagree.

Let's re-ignite this debate

Dave

[Cannon]

I wouldn't personally feel like I "dominated" a piece of steel unless my wraps were under 1", made from one type of material, and used from start to finish.

In training, I say absolutely anything goes and call it a PR.

For a cert, follow the rules.

Edited April 20, 2007 by Cannon

[Tim71]

I don't think there are any rules about the maximum size for padding. Someone else can clarify but I've read some of the old posts and I say use enough to not trash your hands.

I started with washcloths and dishtowels. I then went to super thin leather that was rolled pretty thin. I then went to a super thick wrap while testing and accidently discovered I guess what's called the folding thing and that got me the grade 5. I then got disgusted with the inconsistancy and went back to thin wraps and bumped up to 5/16 hot rolled and china 70d nails but with way too much healing time. I was practically a spectator who only occasionally got to bend. A few weeks ago I was sick of not bending so I tried my old thick wraps that have been trimmed to nothing and put another layer of leather on top of that in order to protect my injured fingers and I've been bending consistantly ever since.

My new philosophy for myself and myself only is I allow a common sense ammount of leather for the particular bend. I just got some new tough 60d nails for instance and I used my thin wraps to test them. I'm personally not going to wrap a 3/16 bar into 1.5 inch pads with chalk and rubber bands and let the guys at work try it that way. Now a 5/16 inch and higher bar to me is impressive no matter what the wrap. You still have to be able to get it past the kink. Any advantage leverage wise that a thicker wrap has is almost all in the kink. Now, if I'm trying to cert on a FBBC bar then I'll use whatever because why hinder myself and possibly waste a good sealed bar? I can go back later and try to trim my wraps down.

Plus, a thick wrap if wraped poorly is nothing but a hinderance. Someone on this board gave me some of the best advice ever a few months ago when they said your fingers should hurt after wrapping the bar/nail. You should get a good finger workout wrapping the nail. I didn't immediately follow the advice but when I finally did it made sense.

In my opinion, don't worry, you're not cheating or anything because believe me if it was that simple then the best benders would get some thick wraps and take out the MOAB like nothing. Plus, everybody's hands are different sizes, shapes etc.

I don't mind pain. Believe me I just experienced a ton about an hour ago with my toughest wrench ever but the injuries and healing time just got plain old.

I like the rules the way they are. Variety is the spice of life.

Tim

[ObsceneJester]

Tim I have to say I do enjoy your post

I have seen many people wrap it with thick wraps and almost none..

I know IM wants only the Ironmind pads and I do like them but ever since I've tried leather I prefer it. I did bend that 6.5" 1/4 Hexagonal in about 3 mins using just leather pads.. then like I said I wrapped up another piece and blew threw it like it was nothing.. I even decided to do a 6" 1/4 hex in it.. The wrap came out to be 1 1/8 inch.. but my question is when is to much?

John Beatty certs are to use leather/IM pads and I've seen some on Youtube from fellow benders who have the 2 layer wrap up and was wondering if that should be consider ok or if there was kind of a 'invisible' line that you don't past that new benders (including) myself should know of..

I'd like to know what everyone else thinks as well.. I know Bending has no really set limits (other then no pipes and making sure that the bends are either braced or unbraced) I just think that since I've read articles on this topic there has never been a set idea on it and I think it should sorta have one..

I really don't want to go to BBB or GGC or some other well known event with above average wraps.. I guess what I'm asking is what is the standard?

[dimmers]

I agree with Tim in that you should use as much padding as necessary to get the best out of your bending sessions as you will gain the most strength this way.

On the flip side of this the more padding you use (especially with leather) when bending DO does give you an advantage. It's only since i got my IM pads that i've really started to get tougher hands and am able to use smaller leather wraps. I think that leather wraps on or over 1.5" really do give you an advantage when it comes to the kink! the leather becomes so thick and rigid that you might as well have some piping on the ends of the steel (in my personal opinion that is

Anyway, just use whatever you feel comfortable with cos it's so much more fun taking down the big steel. and if you want to cert on that IM red, then obviously you'll have to go through a bit of pain to get there as that's the nature of the DO style i suppose.

Me personally, i don't think i'd cert on any bar until i could use a fairly small wrap (leather something under an inch/ or the IM pads) that didn't really give any leverage on the kink. It's such a good feeling when you finally get that bar moving with smaller wraps. As some of the big names have shown in the recent past it is possible to do big steel with small wraps - don't need to metnion any names here as we all know who i'm talking about

Edited April 20, 2007 by youdimmers

[liam.mccaffrey]

there is no denying that I get a significant advantage when double wrapping my normal 7/8" diameter leather wrap with another layer of leather up to 1.4"

past about 30 deg i take the extra layer off, but before i get im working on reducing the diameter to eventually do all of my bend with the 7/8" diameter leather.

for example

last night, in small leather i did a couple of 280lb 60D's, a couple of easy 70D's, a couple of 5/16"x7" CRS, a couple of 6" x 1/4" diamond G5's

i then did in the bigger wraps a 6.25" x 5/16" CRS, and put a 30degree kink in a 7" x 5/16" Hex. I may be able to do more with the hex but i was really tired.

It all about hand toughness for me, ive been bending for 2 months and whilst i have a good strength base, I still have sissy hands and cant kink the harder stuff without more padding. It will come though

[dimmers]

there is no denying that I get a significant advantage when double wrapping my normal 7/8" diameter leather wrap with another layer of leather up to 1.4"

past about 30 deg i take the extra layer off, but before i get im working on reducing the diameter to eventually do all of my bend with the 7/8" diameter leather.

for example

last night, in small leather i did a couple of 280lb 60D's, a couple of easy 70D's, a couple of 5/16"x7" CRS, a couple of 6" x 1/4" diamond G5's

i then did in the bigger wraps a 6.25" x 5/16" CRS, and put a 30degree kink in a 7" x 5/16" Hex. I may be able to do more with the hex but i was really tired.

It all about hand toughness for me, ive been bending for 2 months and whilst i have a good strength base, I still have sissy hands and cant kink the harder stuff without more padding. It will come though

looks like you could be a force to be reckoned with in the future mate! good bends there!

[Booyah!!!]

Tim T said it well!!! It makes it an even playing field for all.

[Tim71]

Obscene Jester,

Actually your wraps don't sound overly large. I've heard many thicker wraps. Of course wrapped around 5/16 they'd be slightly thicker but still very acceptable. Even a little thicker wouldn't get you throwed out. I've hear Ben say he's used like up to 1 and 3/8 or something like that. He's still got to be extremely strong to crush a 11/32 drill rod believe me. Wraps dont' do that part for you.

You're fine I'd say.

Tim