Bare Steel Barbells - How often do you oil?

[NHAngler]

With all of the options, I would love a stainless steel barbell and have my heart set on an Ohio Power Bar someday. Would be great if Rogue could make a stainless version. However, given the current finish options, I would likely go for the bare steel version. Just wondering how much upkeep it would be. My home gym is in my basement but run the de-humidifier down there year round and humidity is kept down.

[rlundregan]

Do you actually live in New Hampshire? I'm basing that on your handle. If so, and you are not right on the coast, you could probably get away with oiling it once or maybe twice per month. That might look more like twice per month in the spring/summer and once per month in the fall/winter.

I'm in SE PA (Reading), it's been pretty wet here for most of the spring season. My Duffalo bar is in my garage. I made the mistake of setting it on the floor (stall mats) for about 10 minutes about a month ago, and rust developed on the places where it rested on the ground. I probably need to oil mine about every 2 weeks or so.

[smokinHawk]

With all of the options, I would love a stainless steel barbell and have my heart set on an Ohio Power Bar someday. Would be great if Rogue could make a stainless version. However, given the current finish options, I would likely go for the bare steel version. Just wondering how much upkeep it would be. My home gym is in my basement but run the de-humidifier down there year round and humidity is kept down.

i am in ohio, lift in my basement with a dehumidifer. I clean them/oil once every 6 months. A few has some small spots, that is about it, otherwise they still look polished.

[thejosef]

I live in South Louisiana. I worked out in a non-air conditioned space for a few years with bare steel bars. I basically just kept a WD-40 soaked rag around and did a quick wipe (like 10 seconds) over the entire bar I used after a workout. I would do a more thorough cleaning with steel bristle brush about every 2 months. My bare steel bars still looked brand new when I sold them.

[Cleveland33]

Try a dry lubricant/protectant - they can go for a long time between applications.

[SwoleCPA]

I was much better when I first got my barbell and would use a brush to clean the chalk and then oil with 3-in-1 oil. Now I probably do it every few months. I've had my bar for about 2 years and there a few small spots but nothing to noticeable. I lift in a basement with a humidifier for those humid summer months.

[Synthetickiller]

I'm sort of in the same boat as thejosef. I'm in a "conditioned" space, but the rental I'm in is in no way sealed, so the humidity can get outrageous. I rarely oil mine (usually when I feel like it), so maybe once every month or 2. My raw Duffalo bar has a nice patina, but it the thickness of the rust is superficial. I could get it looking new if I took a wire wheel to it. I just don't care to invest the time.

There's nothing wrong with a raw bar. I really, really like it, but if I had the option to go stainless, I'd wait, unless I absolutely needed a bar now. I have a SS Iron Wolfe squat bar & the knurling is out of this world, since there's no coating.

I live in South Louisiana. I worked out in a non-air conditioned space for a few years with bare steel bars. I basically just kept a WD-40 soaked rag around and did a quick wipe (like 10 seconds) over the entire bar I used after a workout. I would do a more thorough cleaning with steel bristle brush about every 2 months. My bare steel bars still looked brand new when I sold them.

Hey man, how does that effect your workout?
I cannot remove the WD-40/3in1 residue without getting microfiber/paper towel lint all over the bar. I think this is why I've steered clear of cleaning it.

[chadsalt]

Hey man, how does that effect your workout?
I cannot remove the WD-40/3in1 residue without getting microfiber/paper towel lint all over the bar. I think this is why I've steered clear of cleaning it.

I use a red shop rag, does much better about not leaving itself behind. A little alcohol and sort wrap it around the knurl and pinch to get any extra oily spots.

Not that I clean mine very often.......

[turbolsxstang]

I'm in middle TN but my gym is inside my home were humidity is always low. Usually I just wipe it down with some 3 in 1 or wd40 after a workout when I remember to do it which is usually every few weeks or so. It has a few spots that could probably use some light wire brushing that ill get around to doing eventually.

[ironwill2008]

With all of the options, I would love a stainless steel barbell and have my heart set on an Ohio Power Bar someday. Would be great if Rogue could make a stainless version. However, given the current finish options, I would likely go for the bare steel version. Just wondering how much upkeep it would be. My home gym is in my basement but run the de-humidifier down there year round and humidity is kept down.

If surface rust doesn't make an appearance (and usual home humidity levels are pretty low), don't do anything to it except use it.

[thejosef]

Hey man, how does that effect your workout?
I cannot remove the WD-40/3in1 residue without getting microfiber/paper towel lint all over the bar. I think this is why I've steered clear of cleaning it.

Well, couple things.. my bars do not have the super aggressive knurling of your Iron Wolfe & Duffalo, so it doesn't shred my microfiber towels.. Other towels are a problem, but decent microfiber towels are fine. Also, I don't use 3-n-1 much as it's too oily.. only if a bar gets Really chalky in the knurl or starts gathering rust will I do an thorough cleaning with 3-n-1, but then I'll finish with WD-40. WD-40 is pretty lightweight and tends to evaporate mostly by the time of my next session. I keep one WD-40 soaked microfiber for cleaning, and one dry microfiber for wiping off the excess. All that being said, I'm moving mostly to stainless steel bars now, so my bar maintenance is basically zero lately.

So yeah, buy a bar with normal knurling man.

[Synthetickiller]

I use a red shop rag, does much better about not leaving itself behind. A little alcohol and sort wrap it around the knurl and pinch to get any extra oily spots.

Not that I clean mine very often.......

I have some. I never thought to use them! That's why I ask so many questions.
I'll give this a shot on Monday after I get through using my Duffalo bar for a while.

Thanks man!

Well, couple things.. my bars do not have the super aggressive knurling of your Iron Wolfe & Duffalo, so it doesn't shred my microfiber towels.. Other towels are a problem, but decent microfiber towels are fine. Also, I don't use 3-n-1 much as it's too oily.. only if a bar gets Really chalky in the knurl or starts gathering rust will I do an thorough cleaning with 3-n-1, but then I'll finish with WD-40. WD-40 is pretty lightweight and tends to evaporate mostly by the time of my next session. I keep one WD-40 soaked microfiber for cleaning, and one dry microfiber for wiping off the excess. All that being said, I'm moving mostly to stainless steel bars now, so my bar maintenance is basically zero lately.

So yeah, buy a bar with normal knurling man.

I have a rusty jug of WD40 on the side of the house. I'll have to bring it around.
I'll try the shop rag that Chad had mentioned. If It comes to using a wire wheel, I'll end up doing a before & after series of updates to the Duffalo bar thread. That won't happen till I'm moved in.

Yeah, I'm torn between SS & something like the cerakote coating that American BB uses. SS will probably win the war on functionality.

Normal? Me? Ha! I'm typically the black sheep of the group.

[TunaGill]

With all of the options, I would love a stainless steel barbell and have my heart set on an Ohio Power Bar someday. Would be great if Rogue could make a stainless version. However, given the current finish options, I would likely go for the bare steel version. Just wondering how much upkeep it would be. My home gym is in my basement but run the de-humidifier down there year round and humidity is kept down.

I'm not a big fan of oiling my bare steel bar.

The knurl is there for grip, and oiling it kind of defeats the purpose.

I wipe it with naptha every now and then.

But that's about it.

[CliveWarren]

I'm not a big fan of oiling my bare steel bar.

The knurl is there for grip, and oiling it kind of defeats the purpose.

I wipe it with naptha every now and then.

But that's about it.

Naptha? Have you ever smelled moth balls?

[BYOBB]

I cannot remove the WD-40/3in1 residue without getting microfiber/paper towel lint all over the bar. I think this is why I've steered clear of cleaning it.

If you want the overkill approach, use a brass-bristled brush (or something similarly tough) to get the chalk/rust out of the knurling.hen apply oil to a nylon-bristled grill brush and use that to get the oil into the knurling. Like chadsalt said, a shop rag works for the rest of the shaft and the sleeves.

[vhd16]

You can also use mineral oil. It just that it is laxative properties not that anybody here needs laxatives assuming ppl actually lift .😃

Vey cheap and avialable in Walmart in vitamins section.

[lsu777]

I'm in south louisiana About 20 from coast so humidity is worse case scenario. My Ohio bare steel is in non air conditioned garage but has spray foam and insulated doors. I honestly might run mine down once every month and mine has no rust and a beautiful patina. It sits in mechs monolift and never comes off except to move the mono. Maybe that's why, I dunno but I have zero rust. I used to rub them like others after every workout but just got annoyed with it feeling oily for the next workout so gave up on that.

[bobcat255]

If surface rust doesn't make an appearance (and usual home humidity levels are pretty low), don't do anything to it except use it.

That's kind of what I look for. Humidity isn't a problem, but usually my sweat is.

With all of the options, I would love a stainless steel barbell and have my heart set on an Ohio Power Bar someday. Would be great if Rogue could make a stainless version. However, given the current finish options, I would likely go for the bare steel version. Just wondering how much upkeep it would be. My home gym is in my basement but run the de-humidifier down there year round and humidity is kept down.

I start to see discolorations in the knurl where my hands hold onto the bar. I don't think much of it, since it only takes a minute, but I guess I oil that piece of knurl once per week or so? I maybe oil the whole bar once every few months or more? Use it 3x/wk.

The OPB has very deep knurl, so you need to use a nylon brush to spread the oil around. I just use a microfiber towel after to wipe off any excess oil, if any.

[matchsprint]

Be careful of a rag with oil or WD-40 on it. Tossed down somewhere, it can start spontaneous combustion, aka a fire.

As mentioned many times, WD-40 isn't a good rust preventive. If you need something, consider camellia oil. It's what Japanese sword makers use to protect the bare steel on their blades. An 8-ounce bottle from Woodcraft lasts forever, it's not bad for your eyes or mouth if you get it on your hands and touch your face. It's a much more effective rust preventive than WD-40 or 3-in-1. And whatever you use, rust develops faster in knurling when you have chalk on top of it to retain moisture and keep out air. The more you brush out the chalk, the better the bar survives. I just have a brass brush from Amazon that hangs on the rack and a bare bar gets scrubbed off quickly with every workout -- it takes less than 30 seconds -- and then there's basically no need for lubricant.

Never let the bar come in contact with concrete, because the pH of the concrete will accelerate rust.