Slayer Posted February 9, 2003 Share Posted February 9, 2003 I realize that gripper strengths vary but where does the Super elite rank? Anybody that owns one are they harder or easier then most fours? Is there a big jump between the elite and the super elite? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HandsofStone Posted February 9, 2003 Share Posted February 9, 2003 From what I've gathered, I believe the Super Elite ranks as being as strong if not a little stronger than CoC #4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Browne Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Slayer, The following are the findings I came up with based on my grippers. In no way do I claim this as a scientific or proven means to verify strengths on all the various level of grippers in the hands of the board members. Call it my crude way of rating my own grippers if you will. I have a PDA SOS calibrated at 502 inch pounds. This gripper was used as my control to compare my grippers. Using a micrometer I measured the spring diameter of each gripper. The PDA spring is 0.295 in. rated at 502 ip. Also, IMO how far the springs are set into the handle has a bearing on the difficulty as well. I do not know the IPs of my other grippers, so rating these grippers are based on feel to the 502 and each other. My #3s are right at 0.285 in.diameter visually they appear very close in spring depth with one with a slightly lower spring. They are easier than the PDA 502. The Elite has a diameter of 0.302 in. and a deep set spring. Hard mama this one is. Harder than the 502. The SE is 0.315 in. diameter with I deem a high set spring but harder than the Elite but only miniscule. I have a single stamped 4 (late 2001) with a spring of 0.320 with a nominal set spring depth. I can cheat close this one for a negative crush using all I got to do so. The double stamped 4 has a spring diameter of 0.315 and the spring is set deep. The bottom of the coils are actually a little lower than the top of the handles. All can say about this one is "Fu-ged-about-it". It is a brick So in this Gripper horse race.................. double 4 to ..win single 4 to ...place SE to ..........show My guess is the Elites, SEs and 4s all dwell in the middle to high 500 ip neighborhood. Based on my PDA 502 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amaury Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Interesting coz i want to find a gripper in between my #2 and my #3 (as everybody does when already able to close the #2 and not the #3) and the various #2s i've tested (5 including mine) are not enough different (and that's an understatement). So i would find it a bit risky to buy another #2. Moreover i like the idea of having just one #2 and one #3 ! Well there are still those new BBMs...?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griparn Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Amaury, I would buy a new #3 if I was you. I did this and I think I got an perfect gripper inbetween my #2 and old #3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2strong Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 The double stamped 4 has a spring diameter of 0.315 and thespring is set deep. The bottom of the coils are actually a little lower than the top of the handles. All can say about this one is "Fu-ged-about-it". It is a brick This sounds like the one I got ( I can't even close it between my legs ! ). I have : - 1 #4 this gripper is insane Like zcor's gripper the coil is set well below the handles. - 4 #3 grippers and they are similar in strength ( one of them is tougher than the 3 others, but not by much ). - 3 #2 two are similar in strength, and one is slightly tougher. - 1 #1 - 1 #T My conclusion ( at least for my grippers ) is that they all are pretty similar in strength, and they measure the same ( handle width & coil setting ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sybersnott Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 (edited) Hate to disappoint you boys, but really all it comes down to is SPRING STRENGTH. How tough is the spring? Certain factors will play a part to be sure (handle length, handle depth into spring, how tightly the spring is wound, etc.)... but usually it comes down to the strength of the spring. I bought two #3's from IronMind at the same time, and the difference between the two was remarkable. Nowadays, buying a #3 from IronMind and getting exactly what you want is a crapshoot. My suggestion is to order directly through Tetting. He'll build a gripper to your specs, and it will be want you want. Here's his address: Warren Tetting 1063 West 7th Street Saint Paul, MN 55102 Edited February 10, 2003 by Sybersnott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearcat 74 Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Hate to disappoint you boys, but really all it comes down to is SPRING STRENGTH. How tough is the spring? Nowadays, buying a #3 from IronMind and getting exactly what you want is a crapshoot. Well, if it all comes down to spring strength, Tetting can't do shit about it either. You are right, IM's grippers are pretty much exact, except for springs. If it was so easy to produce exact grippers everybody would be making them, so far 1 company has been successful. Another company, I forget it's initials tried and failed. Tetting was dropped by IM for a reason, it had something to do with precision...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Browne Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 I think spring strength is directly rated to its` wire diameter. From what I understand in the wire industry the same bundle of wire that is labeled a specific diameter, can vary by the 1000ths or even 100 thousandths by each piece. I interpret it this way. Let`s say a tech who builds grippers grabs a bundle of wire of 20 pieces labeled 0.285 inch diameter. 15 are true to the 0.285 but 5 will vary plus or minus a 1000th or 2. The 5 that are varied will be weaker or stronger than the true even though they are stamped on the handle with the same #. I guess that goes without saying eh I compare this to my days of playing competitive softball when your bat sponsor would give you 3 bats. All high tech bats. The bats are the same weight,color, name, same alloy everything the same. But out of my 3 bats there was always the one with more pop and durability. Happened every time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sybersnott Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Tetting's control is in making the gripper as wide or as narrow as you want; he doesn't build the springs, but rather bends them to the customer's wants - hence the handles being as close/wide as you want. I'm not up on why Tetting was let go by IronMind. Precision could be one of many factors. And the word, "precision"... is this a word known by Strossen... even today? Is this is the same guy who said of the grippers, "... just have fun with them...". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearcat 74 Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Yup, same guy. There aren't many IM grippers, new grippers that are way off in spread, skew, or depth. I think he was let go because the handles were falling off his grippers, or something minor like that. There have been several people get Tettings from one company that the handles were loose, rattling, or in other ways sucky. I have 3 Tettings in my basement right now, not a one of them is close in any aspect, so is that the precison he's known for? I'm not argueing for or against, IM gets a bad rap over grippers, if you want a precise gripper, go buy a $100 spring and get it made, aside from that use the $19.95 jobbers and have fun with them. The way I see it, grippers vary, it gives them a personality all their own. If you can't close one, a little bit of work will take you farther than a lot of pissing and moaning........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sybersnott Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Heath, I'm not knocking the way IronMind builds or sells their grippers. If that is what you're reading into it, then let me apologize. The grippers are a product, and we as a group know much more about that product than the average Joe Blow. I was suggesting an alternative. My Tettings are great and I'm glad I ordered them; they've helped me a lot. Also, my recommendation of Tetting should not be misconstrued as some sort of an endorsement... because it isn't. "You pays you money and yous take your chances". What I should say about the grippers, is like that line in the movie, "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get". 'Nuff said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearcat 74 Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Ok, now I see what your saying.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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