bubba29 Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 To all the gripper aficionados. I am interested in filing a gripper to increase my end ROM. How do you decide which gripper to file? I own grippers from a Trainer up to a CoC 3. I am millimeters away from closing my GHP 6 which is my hardest gripper behind my 3. Question is if I were to file a gripper down, what percentage of my max should I use to decide which one to file? Also if you have decent pics of filed grippers share them. I would like to share it with my buddy who will grind it down for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anwnate Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 To all the gripper aficionados. I am interested in filing a gripper to increase my end ROM. How do you decide which gripper to file? I own grippers from a Trainer up to a CoC 3. I am millimeters away from closing my GHP 6 which is my hardest gripper behind my 3. Question is if I were to file a gripper down, what percentage of my max should I use to decide which one to file? Also if you have decent pics of filed grippers share them. I would like to share it with my buddy who will grind it down for me. I'm not sure what you mean exactly. I used filing to "bridge the gap" on my 1, 2, 2.5 (also a slightly filed #3). In other words, as soon as I could close the 1, I started filing it to start my transition to the 2, rinse and repeat. I had filed on both ends until I read somewhere that could lead to pinching on the close (never happened to me though). I spent 6 full months working with a filed #2 before I got my first #2.5 close...that day I started filing the #2.5. Some people don't like filing, so they will buy a ton of grippers or a Vulcan etc. I think that it was helpful for me and my progress, but I feel that I have progressed beyond that and can get really great workouts, just by working with the next level gripper up. BTW...I wouldn't have your buddy grind it for you. The beauty of filing is that you (personally) can take just a smidge off each workout and that way still manage those closes. Most flat files cost very little and can make quick work on a gripper. Here's a pic of my #2.5. I still remember my first unfiled close of this sucker...how unyielding it once seemed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macaz Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 All grippers you can close should be filed. File them just a little. If you can close it then file it some more. File only one side so you don't pinch your skin. Also round the edges a bit. If you have a gripper you love don't file it. I have a few that i should have filed but just could not. Just my opinion... grippers made by Warren Tetting and Wade Gillingham should not be filed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chez Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I have never filed a gripper and never will. They are too dam pretty. They are like my children. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anwnate Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I have never filed a gripper and never will. They are too dam pretty. They are like my children. If so...it's a good thing you're going to be a lawyer, cause child support is gonna be a killer ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anwnate Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I have never filed a gripper and never will. They are too dam pretty. They are like my children. Child abuse! (Sorry Chez...you keep lofting them up like that...someone's gonna take a swing. ) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cannon Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I believe you should only file a gripper you can close or practically hold shut AFTER it's filed. This is one of the prettiest filed grippers I've seen: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba29 Posted November 7, 2012 Author Share Posted November 7, 2012 thx for the feedback thus far. i thought about IMing some of you but thought this could be a resource for someone in the future. this may seem ridiculously obvious but how do you go about filing the handle? i have a steel file. do i just start taking a bit off the inside edge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cannon Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Yep, a steel file with an aggressive cut will work. Takes a little elbow grease. One of the hardest things is to get the right angle so the gripper still closes nice and you're actually taking advantage of the material you removed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba29 Posted November 7, 2012 Author Share Posted November 7, 2012 Yep, a steel file with an aggressive cut will work. Takes a little elbow grease. One of the hardest things is to get the right angle so the gripper still closes nice and you're actually taking advantage of the material you removed. is there a resource or tutorial for this somewhere. i am from ohio but might as well be from missouri. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acorn Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 If you have a vice it will be easier to get a good clean angle that will line up with the other handle when closed. I can tell you how I do it anyway. I typically use a vise if I can and a hose clamp choker to bring the handles close together. Wrap the tops of the handles in some electrical tape, or duc-tape to protect the knurling before putting on the hose clamp choker. If you have a vise use it to help in putting on the choker. I use a bit of bending leather or wood between the handles and the vise jaws. Once the choker is on and set with the handles closer than parallel but still with plenty of room to move a file through, take the chokered gripper out of the vice and reposition. Position it so that the bottom handle, ie the one you are going to file is parallel to the vice jaws. Mount the gripper in the vice, once again with a bit of leather or wood to save the knurling. Also position the gripper such that the top handle would be parallel to the ground if the gripper was closed. This will give you a nice horizontal plane to work with while filing the bottom handle. It may take a little practice to get the alignment right so the the filed flat lines up nicely with the other handle so feel free to take the gripper out of the vice and test close in the choker throughout the process to make sure you are on track. If you follow all this it should be a piece of cake to get nice BTR filed grippers if that is what you want. - Aaron 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniel reinard Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Chez, quit being a wuss. File em up! I have a filed 2 and 2.5, and a 3 soon. I also have an unaltered 2, 2.5, and 3. File one you claim as the working gripper right under the goal gripper. I used a bench grinder to take the big meat out and then cleaned it up with a file to make it flush on closing. BTW Matt, that filed gripper looks pretty but also never used. Kind of reminds of a sports car that someone never drives. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chez Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I have never filed a gripper and never will. They are too dam pretty. They are like my children. Child abuse! (Sorry Chez...you keep lofting them up like that...someone's gonna take a swing. ) That gripper is my red headed step child 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acorn Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 If you have a vice it will be easier to get a good clean angle that will line up with the other handle when closed. I can tell you how I do it anyway. I typically use a vise if I can and a hose clamp choker to bring the handles close together. Wrap the tops of the handles in some electrical tape, or duc-tape to protect the knurling before putting on the hose clamp choker. If you have a vise use it to help in putting on the choker. I use a bit of bending leather or wood between the handles and the vise jaws. Once the choker is on and set with the handles closer than parallel but still with plenty of room to move a file through, take the chokered gripper out of the vice and reposition. Position it so that the bottom handle, ie the one you are going to file is parallel to the vice jaws. Mount the gripper in the vice, once again with a bit of leather or wood to save the knurling. Also position the gripper such that the top handle would be parallel to the ground if the gripper was closed. This will give you a nice horizontal plane to work with while filing the bottom handle. It may take a little practice to get the alignment right so the the filed flat lines up nicely with the other handle so feel free to take the gripper out of the vice and test close in the choker throughout the process to make sure you are on track. If you follow all this it should be a piece of cake to get nice BTR filed grippers if that is what you want. - Aaron Btw I've started making smooth secondary handles for my own adjustables so I can file without concern while keeping the original handle intact. The lack of knurling finger side also does not chew my fingers up quite so much when doing volume. That in addition to another mod I'm really digging on. - Aaron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bwwm Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 +1 for filing. My #1, #2, and soon my #2.5 will be filed (as soon as I can CCS it). If you do use a bench grinder, you may have to clean/redress the wheel, as the aluminum melts into the pores. Or just use a junky wheel you don't care about (that's what I do). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba29 Posted November 8, 2012 Author Share Posted November 8, 2012 thx for all the replies. very helpful stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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