Starting to bend. Where to buy cheap stuff?

[Blacksmith513]

1 hour ago, Sino_ said:

Yeah there are a few here I think.

One cool thing a guy did here. I think it was on Discovery or something. Can't remember where he was from. Perhaps several people have done this. But anyway it was to forge an original Viking sword called the "Ulfberth" I believe. Pretty cool project.

Yeah sledge workouts I gotta do. Do you mostly do static holds with those or more like dynamic movements or both?

great documentary. That guys a real craftsman. 

Right now i'm just doing levering, pronation and supination plus swinging when weather is fine. All depends on your goals.

[Mike Sharkey]

Bang for the buck in bending stock is 60D's if your strength level is there. The spiral 60D's are very doable for even a beginner. If not the IM yellow nails are reasonably priced, and you can scale up by decreasing the wrap size. Bend a yellow in a single rolled IMP and you will be ready for 60D's in normal wraps. 

Edited March 26, 2023 by Mike Sharkey

[Blacksmith513]

On 3/26/2023 at 1:01 AM, Mike Sharkey said:

Bang for the buck in bending stock is 60D's if your strength level is there. The spiral 60D's are very doable for even a beginner. If not the IM yellow nails are reasonably priced, and you can scale up by decreasing the wrap size. Bend a yellow in a single rolled IMP and you will be ready for 60D's in normal wraps. 

yeah, i've even had a few 60d spirals be a little challenging in 1 IMP. Not often but there's been a couple. Cant go wrong with dull 60ds from HD and the spirals. Its the bright 60ds can be really tough.

[jakethesnake]

In my experience, you can get good at bending without doing a tremendous amount of bends. If you do 5-10 bends a week at ~1.50 dollar a bend, that's less than the cost of a gym membership. For no cost at all you can improve your weighted pull-up and wrist levering strength, both of which will likely result in you having better success at bending.

My opinion: don't cut costs on the stuff you are actually bending, just bend a little less of it. Meanwhile focus on getting really strong in lats and wrists. 

[Sino_]

On 3/28/2023 at 6:19 PM, jakethesnake said:

In my experience, you can get good at bending without doing a tremendous amount of bends. If you do 5-10 bends a week at ~1.50 dollar a bend, that's less than the cost of a gym membership. For no cost at all you can improve your weighted pull-up and wrist levering strength, both of which will likely result in you having better success at bending.

My opinion: don't cut costs on the stuff you are actually bending, just bend a little less of it. Meanwhile focus on getting really strong in lats and wrists. 

Hmm interesting.

Pullups with towels might be good perhaps? What do you guy's think about towel-squeezing? I use the exercise from John Brookfield with the wet towel like once a week. I like that one. Gets a good pump in the forearms it feels like. But kind of hard to measure progress. I measure time and also wetness of the towel after with an electronic device.

What nails do you buy that cost 1,50 per piece? Someone else here also mentioned that you could do some other form of exercise with the already bent nails, right? Some other exercise so they don't have to be discarded right away.

Edited April 8, 2023 by Sino_

[Sino_]

On 3/26/2023 at 7:01 AM, Mike Sharkey said:

Bang for the buck in bending stock is 60D's if your strength level is there. The spiral 60D's are very doable for even a beginner. If not the IM yellow nails are reasonably priced, and you can scale up by decreasing the wrap size. Bend a yellow in a single rolled IMP and you will be ready for 60D's in normal wraps. 

Where do you buy those? I live in Scandinavia. Would be interesting to buy some 60d and start bending. Also what sort of protection do you use between the hands and your nail and where do you buy those? We have a quite cheap store here called Biltema that is good for a lot of cheap stuff. Maybe the other scandinavian in here could tell me where to find 60d's? He was helpful at the start of this thread, or if it was one of my other threads.

Edited April 8, 2023 by Sino_

[Sino_]

I found this stuff close to where I live at a construction site. 

Do you think that rusty stuff could work as bending material?

 

 

[Blacksmith513]

29 minutes ago, Sino_ said:

I found this stuff close to where I live at a construction site. 

Do you think that rusty stuff could work as bending material?

 

 

As long as you didn’t steal it Lol. That’s wire mesh for concrete pads. Might be good for snapping but shouldn’t take much strength to bend.

[Sino_]

12 minutes ago, Blacksmith513 said:

As long as you didn’t steal it Lol. That’s wire mesh for concrete pads. Might be good for snapping but shouldn’t take much strength to bend.

Ah great. No they have put it where the trash bin is on that house building site. And I have asked them so that is all right  

Do you think that might be good stuff for bending? For example if you cut it up with an angle grinder.

That thicker stuff going through the wood might be good stuff perhaps?

Edited April 8, 2023 by Sino_

[Sino_]

38 minutes ago, Sino_ said:

Ah great. No they have put it where the trash bin is on that house building site. And I have asked them so that is all right  

Do you think that might be good stuff for bending? For example if you cut it up with an angle grinder.

That thicker stuff going through the wood might be good stuff perhaps?

I sawed of this stuff. The small ones were weak but this stuff is better stuff. Check it out. What do you think.

[Mike Sharkey]

53 minutes ago, Sino_ said:

I sawed of this stuff. The small ones were weak but this stuff is better stuff. Check it out. What do you think.

I would definitely not bend these! You will most likely snap a piece and that is quite dangerous before you know what you are doing. 

For technical advice see the pinned threads at the top of this forum. 

Eat Chalk Get Big has a very decent beginning box for benders. 

https://eatchalkgetbig.square.site/product/beginnerbox/1

I prefer cordura wraps though like the Iron Mind Pads

https://www.ironmind-store.com/IronMind-Hand-Pads-pair/productinfo/1236-C/

FBBC also has a beginner box

http://www.fatbastardbarbellco.com/BENDERSBAG.html

I'm not sure about European suppliers but they definitely exist. Maybe @David_wigren can chime in

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Fist of Fury]

The rebar will not snap. The other type I don't know because I don't know what it is.

[Sino_]

On 4/8/2023 at 5:45 PM, Fist of Fury said:

The rebar will not snap. The other type I don't know because I don't know what it is.

Yeah I don't think they are the snapping kind. More kind of bendable or what to say. Like they can bend basically. But I don't think they snap. Now, they are quite tough though. Perhaps I could save them for when I am stronger.

[Sino_]

On 4/8/2023 at 5:13 PM, Mike Sharkey said:

 

I'm not sure about European suppliers but they definitely exist. Maybe @David_wigren can chime in

 

Yeah would be nice to hear where he buys his protection wrap for bending. @David_wigren

[bruce1337]

45 minutes ago, Sino_ said:

Yeah would be nice to hear where he buys his protection wrap for bending. @David_wigren

Us Swedes usually make our own wraps because shipping and taxes are so expensive. But @Horrido has a very good selection of bending stock and wraps. And shipping is from Germany so the prices are pretty good. 

https://www.horrido-bending.com/

Any hardware store will sell decking nails around 5-7mm in thickness with varying lengths. Bauhaus in Sweden is a good place for cheap bending stock.

Conrad.se also has an extensive stock of steel nails and bolts to bend.

But the best for your money is to find a local steel supplier and buy large rods in bulk and cut them yourself. 

Edited April 10, 2023 by bruce1337