Bar Finish Preference?

[dumb.bell]

Which bar finish do you prefer?

Clear Zinc or Black Oxide?

Pros and Cons?

[twodog]

Which bar finish do you prefer?

Clear Zinc or Black Oxide?

Pros and Cons?

I prefer the B.O., mostly because of the feel.

[Cleveland33]

I don't think I have any left on either of mine.

Some chrome on the sleeves of one bar.

[keyboardworkout]

I like the tacky feel of black oxide.

Black oxide can also easily be touched up with cold blue solution.

[jprockjr]

black oxide or bare metal

[4MEandThem]

The finish doesn't mean much to me. The knurling,diameter and placement of the rings matter the most to me. If you ever get the opportunity to lift with a Ricky Crane Okie bar you'll be impressed. The most agressive but not sharp I have ever used. I have used the deadlift bar (awesome) and my gym has a different one on the bench. Very nice!

[dumb.bell]

Most of my bars are black oxide which I really like, but my Pendlay is zinc oxide and I was wondering if there are any advantages or any reasons why I wouldn't want black oxide. The new bar I'm thinking about purchasing (T-Grip) comes in both finishes.

I've always wondered about those Crane Okie deadlift bars. I will use my wife's 25mm bar for deadlifts occasionally and really like it for that lift. I know that the Okie deadlift bar is supposed to be 27mm which would probably be nice.

[boxertim]

i second knurling....but maybe that is becasuse all the bars i use are older and the finish is all beat up.

[AttyGuy]

I love the feel of bare metal in the morning. It feels like, victory!

Black oxide is cool too.

[Keetman]

I don't really care that much I guess, now that you pose the question and I have to think about it. I'm more interested in the quality of the bar.


I had a York BO bar and I liked it. I only got rid of it because I had a guy that was buying a lot of my stuff to start up a commercial gym, since I knew I wanted to get a Texas Power Bar...I figured I'd offer them to him to save me some hassle later. It was a good bar and the finish looked and felt good. I didn't have any issues with rust and I use chalk, I just cleaned it frequently and occasionally put a very light coat of oil on it....then work it in so it wasn't slippery for my next wo.

The new TPB I'm getting is a BO bar, but I'm getting it because its a fine bar with good knurling and characteristics for the type of lifting I primarily do. The cool BO finish is a bonus, but I don't think I'd get a bar based on aesthetics and I haven't seen enough different finishes to say one is better than the other.

I don't like chrome bars as they can flake, so I guess raw steel is my next favorite. The bar I'm using now is an old school York. I'm not sure what its finish is considered, but it is well worn and looks good. Old, worn...but not worn out bars just look good in a gym, imo. Rust...not so much...patina....hell yes.

[ProtienandIron]

Bare metal or rust for me because I'm hardcore!


....unfortunatly most of my barbells are shiney and chrome.

[Skidmarx]

I've got all 3 bars....bare, zinc, black oxide. They are all great. The bare metal requires a little more maintenance, ie stripping it down every couple of years...no big deal.

I'd like a black oxide bar with stainless sleeves.

[DrFeelgood127]

I'm with the Black Oxide camp, mostly because of how cool they look and how great if feels in my hands. I also have old Yorks that are patina'd out, and the bar I use most is a chrome Hampton, but given the choice of finish for the T-Grip, I'd pick black oxide.

[esrevenge]

I like some coating for aesthetics (all black) and easier to wipe down.

Uncoated bars I don't like that much, which is pretty much the B/R.

[ironwill2008]

Anything but chrome. Past that, no real preferrence.

[gp92089]

Bare Steel, love my B&R bar!