British Nail Breaking Champs 1955

[David Horne]

I have been doing a little bit of research today and have added the 1955 British Nail Breaking Champs results to the past grip results and bending section of my site.

http://www.davidhorne-gripmaster.com/pastbendingconts.html

I will try and get more of these early results listed as I go through the Health & Strength mags from this period.

David

[AP]

Any records of what they managed to do? That is pretty cool!

[David Horne]

Yes. The winner Harold Cope broke a 6" nail in 6.2 sec, and five nails in 1min 33.5 sec.

I know that in the past in Britain there used to be various strength grades of nails, so I'm not sure what was used here. Possibly something with a high carbon count so that it would snap quickly.

David

[David Horne]

Check my article on strongmen on film, and you'll see there is a video of him on the British Pathe site you can view.

http://www.davidhorne-gripmaster.com/historyarticles1.html

David

[Cunny]

Cool!

How many have entered this year?

[David Horne]

In 1955 it was a title match between Harold Cope and Brian Allkin.

[AP]

Check my article on strongmen on film, and you'll see there is a video of him on the British Pathe site you can view.

http://www.davidhorne-gripmaster.com/historyarticles1.html

David

These are awesome films, thanks for sharing the info!

Cope bends and breaks those nails using reverse style, cool.

[David Horne]

Just checked my year of Health & Strength mags of 1954 and no mention of any bending comp that year or Harold. I'll check 1953, and after that go forward from 1955, where I know he's mentioned quite a lot.

David

[gazza]

There have been some fantastic nail benders in the UK over the years Ben Reid,Harold Cope,Ronnie Tate,Barry Anderson,Arnold Dyson,Bill Jelly,Geoff Morris,Graham Brown,Peter Lindop to name a few some were specialists others were all round stronmen,some were strandpullers etc neverless the UK has a great history of nail bending .

I personally think that the nails that Ben Reid etc were better quality than the shit they call British nails today not a single British nail even comes close to the US equivalents yet at one time we had the greatest steel factories in the world Henry Diston a tool maker in Sheffield regarded as the finest tool makers in the world took his craft to the US and formed Henry Diston who made the finest Saws in the World later becomeing Diston and Son then Diston and Sons his patents for Saw metal was later bought by the swedish company Sandvick i have 5 old Diston Saws and you can bend thetip of the saw right back to the handle and let it go were it will return with noproblems do that on a modern saw and it will stay bent includeing the Sandvick saws the Steel process that Diston used for his swas and tools was unique and like aot of things has sadly been lost like the Blacksmiths there jobs have now been largely replaced by a forge but the quality aint any better the same with steel it used to be made with proper iron oar now its a mixture of all sorts of crap thats why the steel/bars vary so much.

[David Horne]

Gazza,

Over theyears I have been lucky enough to have met in person most of those guys;

Ben Read - came to our bending champs in 2002 after being in touch for many years, he has a nice way about himself and his show. I have various stuff that Ben has sent me.

Ronnie Tait - I have know for about 15 years, and although as deaf as post now, I still chat (shout) on the phone to him . I visited Ronnie in his home in Edinburgh quite a few years ago, and broke all his nails, but failed totally with his Lever event. Then me and my boys had a great meal with Ronnie and his wife (who unfortunately has since died). I have a few biographical books sent by Ronnie.

Barry Anderson - has competed in quite a few of the early Grip Champs, and would always sit and chat with my dad as these were theold boys in the comp. He's doing a lot of finger lifting now, and was on TV a few years ago.

Bill Jelley -I was lucky to have met Bil before he died, and he gave me a signed Goerner postcard. Jelley was actually one of the bodies placed on the plank when Goerner did the plank feat on a visit to England. Bill could bend and snap a 6" nail into 3 pieces.

Geoff Morris - I have a booklet by Morris and Lindop on bending.

Peter Lindop - I met up with Peter at my one and only strandpulling comp, where he failed me on a British record haha. We had known each other for quite a few years, and he sent me his booklet.

I went through a few more years of Health & Strength mags last nightwith some very interesting stuff found.

David