York Barbell Company

["D"]

I took a trip up to the York Barbell Museum and Weightlifting Hall of Fame on Saturday. Let me just say, for anyone who has not been there to check it out, put it on your "to do" list next time you're in PA.

I had no idea Bob Hoffman, the founder, was so involved. He truely does deserve the title of "The father of weightlifting".

Anyway, the place is awesome. I've never seen such high quality equipment like they had on display. Everything from 12' high squatting racks, to professional grade lifting platforms, to the famous barbells and dumbbells of strongmen at the turn of the century.

Even the fitness store was nice, offering some great books, journals, periodicals and even Ironmind grippers.

Mark Chilliat (sp?), Hall of Fame powerlifter, is an employee there in addition to a really nice guy. He took me downstairs to show me the 200lb dumbbell with a 2" grip he had made at the factory, lifted it and allowed me to try. It proved to be more then I could handle [no pun intended]. With such a large grip, the bell just rolled out of my hand, I couldn't hold on to it. I did however lift the Schafferon (sp?) dumbbell which had a ~2" grip but obviously not as much weight. [speaking of, does anyone know how much it weighs?]

All in all it was a great day. I left with a better knowledge of the history of weightlifting, powerlifting, bodybuilding and strongman competitions as well as a few books to add to my collection.

[Roark]

'D',

Please give more details. When I visited the Schaffron

(have seen various spellings) was secured in a cabinet and

no one was allowed to try it. The handle width is only

3.75" if memory serves-was that not a problem?

I also urged friends who worked there to get it weighed

but management did not respond.

Are they dismantling their Hall of Fame areas?

Thanks.

["D"]

Yes, it had been bolted down but someone had ripped it out. The plate and bolts hung freely from the bell. I actually think that the grip length helped me in lifting it because my hand mashed up against the inside of the bell [or lip to be more specific].

It didn't look like they were dismantling anything to me, but it was my first time there so I have nothing to compare it to. There were pictures of bodybuilding and powerlifting hall of famers but I don't recall anything from weightlifting or strongman, though there was plenty of info provided on their profiles, feats and acomplishments.

They also had a demonstration/competition stage equiped with pull out bleachers and chairs set up for an audience. The employee gym was really nice too. I was impressed to see a chalk bucket/station yet the equipment was virtually spotless.

The store actually had a lot of ironmind products. Back issues of MILO as well as books that I've never seen anywhere but the ironmind website. I picked up myself a copy of "Sons of Sampson" and read an article about Manfred Hoeberl and was suprised to see your name mentioned in there Joe. Having just read your article on cyberpump the day before, I thought that was pretty cool. [speaking of, that article helped me to understand the basis of rule #5 which initially I though served no real purpose. I understand now.]

[Sybersnott]

Please tell me you got some pics of your trip, and that you'll be posting them here.

["D"]

Actually, I meant to because I thought they would have the Inch and if I could lift it, I would need a pic for rule #5. As it turns out though, I forgot the camera and they didn't have the Inch anyway, not to mention my camera is not digital. Don't worry though, I plan on making the trip again (it's less than an hour away) with a friend of mine sometime soon, I'll be sure to get some pictures then.

[dyoder16]

I've been meaning to make the trip myself, it's only about 2 hours away from me. I just haven't gotten around to it yet. A friend of mine actually worked there for a year or two and he always tried to get me to come down. I just never had time. He was a welder/fabricator. He said it was a great place to work and if he hadn't of gotten the offer he did from somewhere else (Harley-Davidson of York)he'd still be there.

dyoder16

[Roark]

A word to the prudent:

York recently laid off about 40 employees- including some

with significant longevity with the company.

Planning to visit? Sooner the better.

[mobsterone]

Actually, I meant to because I thought they would have the Inch and if I could lift it, I would need a pic for rule #5. As it turns out though, I forgot the camera and they didn't have the Inch anyway, not to mention my camera is not digital. Don't worry though, I plan on making the trip again (it's less than an hour away) with a friend of mine sometime soon, I'll be sure to get some pictures then.

Kim Wood, father of John - long of tooth and deep of pocket he he - has 'The Inch' for which he paid $5,000.00 to Dave 'Darth Vader' Prowse.

[Roark]

Steve,

I happen to know what Kim paid for the original, and

though it is not my place to reveal it, the figure you gave

is far from accurate. Very far.

[terminator]

This is hardly the place to reveal details of someone else's transactions, regardless of correctness or incorrectness.

[Roark]

A visit to the York Barbell Hall of Fame, if you live within

driving distance is a worthy effort.

Jan Dellinger is no longer with the company, so you will not receive his knowledge and quarter of a century experience, including sharing an office with John Grimek,

but the artifacts are worth a look and some photos.

Instead, we find the mentality which referred to the great,

monster bell of Warren Linclon Travis, as 'that piece of

junk'. Don't you just love it!

But I have a hunch that time's a burnin', so better hurry and see all the junk before it becomes such.

[The Mac]

Terminator,

I have heard of that $5,000 figure quoted many times in many different places - whether it is accurate or not it is hardly a major revelation. Besides, regardless of how much was actually paid, I should think that the worth of the original Inch 172-lber, as a historical artefact, would be of public interest.

[Roark]

Chris,

I will not argue about it, but the $5,000 is not close to

what Kim told me personally, and frankly, I think Kim

should know what he paid for it, plus as we are friends,

I trust his word.

Rumors start over these matters and repeating an error

does not drag it closer to the truth, but farther from it.

Anyway, I'm happy Kim has it because he treasures it;

he collects for history, not for value, and the bell couldn't

be in better hands.

Our friendship was in danger for that brief moment when he caught me trotting to my car with the Inch in one hand

and another of his bells in the other hand- I lied and said

I was going to clean them up and then return them

[The Mac]

Joe,

Wasn't trying to argue - if Mr Wood wants to keep the price he paid for it private then that is obviously fine - it is a personal transaction and none of our business if he chooses not to reveal it.

All I was trying to say was that the $5,000 was a widely reported figure, and if no-one steps forward to correct it then that may well be what will go down in "history", and that the actual price (if ever revealed) would be of interest to some people here (me at least).

As for the bell being in good hands - I couldn't agree more!

[Tom Black]

Joe, I’ve been to the museum many times but I never thought to ask whether there were archived items that York owns that were not on display, for instance, other pieces of steel bent or other dumbbells. Thinking of the new dumbbell that Mark had made makes me think these items might exist. Do you know if they have additional items not on display? I spoke with Mark at length the last time I was there, when we talked about grip feats his eyes lit up, certainly he would not have been the one who referred to the Travis dumbbell as a piece of junk. If they ever want to sell it (and the Cyr bell) they would look good in my basement.

“D” You mention that Marks dumbbell had a 2” grip, do you mean 2” or are you not being precise and it was more “Inch” sized at 2.47” or 2.5”. How does the handle compare between this new dumbbell and the Saffron dumbbell? I consider 2” quite small by thick bar standards, and think that 200-pounds lifted on a 2” would be easier than 172 on a 2.47” bar, so if you couldn’t lift the 2” x 200-pound dumbbell you probably couldn’t lift the Inch.

I remember when the Inch was offered for sale, and $5000 was the quoted price, whether it actually sold for that was not disclosed at that time as I remember. I saw this on Brooks Kubik's old discussion board.

[Roark]

Tom,

York some months ago acquired one of the concrete

barbells they sold during WWII (when rationing of metal

was enforced). When I was last there, Jan Dellinger showed it to me in a storage room with some other items.

At that time , the plan was to restore the barbell and put it on display, but I'm not sure that plan was ;cemented'

Grimek told me that the way the concrete dumbells were

tested was to toss some out of a second story window onto the ground below.

By the way, anyone planning on visiting York may want to

drop by Adamstown, PA also where the Good barbell is on

display outside at a spring water company!

[mobsterone]

I'm sorry Joe feels the way he does but as others have said and I was led to believe (by committee members of the OH foundation) that that was the figure quoted and was told it wasn't a secret (indeed why would it be?). It may well have included shipping and taxes. Who knows? I might email Kim and ask him why the confusion or I might not. Accuracy and truth

[kimwood]

Kim Wood, father of John - long of tooth and deep of pocket he he - has 'The Inch' for which he paid $5,000.00 to Dave 'Darth Vader' Prowse.

Steve, you forget that I am also sharp of the tooth.

[mobsterone]

Very true - you definitely speak your mind!! I had the pleasure of talking to, listening to and learning from Kim some time back. Now as to the $5k??

[terminator]

I thought Mr. Wood meant that he can bite very hard when necessary. I believe most would concur with that assessment.

["D"]

“D” You mention that Marks dumbbell had a 2” grip, do you mean 2” or are you not being precise and it was more “Inch” sized at 2.47” or 2.5”. How does the handle compare between this new dumbbell and the Saffron dumbbell? I consider 2” quite small by thick bar standards, and think that 200-pounds lifted on a 2” would be easier than 172 on a 2.47” bar, so if you couldn’t lift the 2” x 200-pound dumbbell you probably couldn’t lift the Inch.

Mark said, "It's about two inches." As far as how it compares to the Schafferon, I'd say it was about the same roughly, just alot heavier. Mark also mentioned being impressed by someone who he said weighed about 180lbs who came in and slammed the #3 shut that they have on display by the register. Does anybody know who that might be? That #3 felt harder then the one I have, but that could be because I'm sorta detrained from my shoulder injury.

Yeah, I know Tom, I probably can't lift the Inch. Thanks for pointing that out. BTW, I just saw your website for the first time yesterday, pretty cool!

-Dan

[mobsterone]

I thought Mr. Wood meant that he can bite very hard when necessary. I believe most would concur with that assessment.

Whats to bite?

[Dan Cenidoza]

Here it is Jedd, January 27, a week after I dislocated my shoulder. Now that I think about it, maybe that wasn't enough time to actually become detrained, maybe it was the shoulder sling just making me feel weak

[Roark]

If the Harry Schaffron dumbell is the bell under discussion here- I do not know its weight- neither does the staff at York, who refused to unstrap it and weigh it.

The handle diameter is 2.42" but the hand space length is only 3.75" and there are some sharp corners on the inside of the spheres- not easy to grasp.

On page 4 of the ironhistory.com gallery there is a photo of this bell.

[Gripper42004]

Hey "D" it was me, I closed it in front Mark C. & I was 160lbs.

"GOD IS THE REAL POWER"