Caring for my olympic bar?

[Ankiel84]

I've recently put together a home gym. I ended up going with the Jesup bar as I didn't have the money for a TPB. My question is this: Is there some sort of regular maintenance a bar needs? I have noticed that there is already some oxidation on some parts of it. Does anyone oil their bar or do anything about this? I'm sure it's mainly aesthetic, but I want to keep my stuff in good shape.

[AtTheWall]

yeah don't leave weights on it for long periods (months) or it will bend permanently

[hellzlegend]

i don't do anything with my barbell. But it's a crappy china bar.

[Keetman]

OP, I clean the chalk off of mine with simple green and a rag after every use. Every couple of weeks I put a light coat of oil on it and rub it in real good so it doesn't accumulate. Occasionally I'll take the sleeves off, clean everything, and lube that up too.

i don't do anything with my barbell. But it's a crappy china bar.
I would get http://www.roguefitness.com/store/rogue_beater.php#645 this over the jesup. This is cheaper and has a warranty but that's just me.
my dream bar:

He already bought a bar from Jesup's. He wasn't looking for suggestion for a bar or for your dream bar.......he wants to know what we do to maintain them.

[Ankiel84]

OP, I clean the chalk off of mine with simple green and a rag after every use. Every couple of weeks I put a light coat of oil on it and rub it in real good so it doesn't accumulate. Occasionally I'll take the sleeves off, clean everything, and lube that up too.






He already bought a bar from Jesup's. He wasn't looking for suggestion for a bar or for your dream bar.......he wants to know what we do to maintain them.

Thanks Keet. Good to have someone actually READ what I posted and respond appropriately.

[hellzlegend]

OP, I clean the chalk off of mine with simple green and a rag after every use. Every couple of weeks I put a light coat of oil on it and rub it in real good so it doesn't accumulate. Occasionally I'll take the sleeves off, clean everything, and lube that up too.






He already bought a bar from Jesup's. He wasn't looking for suggestion for a bar or for your dream bar.......he wants to know what we do to maintain them.

Oh didn't read well. Kind of sleepy from overload on homework.

[jfindon]

I don't do anything to mine either. Never even cleaned the chalk off, no rust yet. While I protect it from slamming it down on the metal rack (I hate metal on metal, all racks should have sliding safeties with rubber), I don't care for it any other way.

[JumpSmash]

i don't do anything with my barbell. But it's a crappy china bar.

ditto and I just started using chalk, but the parts where the bar is racked is starting to look bad.

still waiting on a good deal for a nice bar.

[Keetman]

I just started using the chalk, I like it, but I do not like the dust everywhere so I wipe it down frequently. My wife and kids use the gym too, well the kids use it for a place to park their toys when I'm not there, but others are in there and I don't want the chalk getting out of control. Before I didn't really do anything either, although it was my plan to relube the sleeve occasionally since with the York bars this is easily accomplished.

I also like to keep the area somewhat clean so it all fits in. I guess its just what you want your gym & equipment to look like. Yet another reason why its cool to be the gym owner .

[dparty82]

I also wipe my machines and bars down every couple months with a warm soapy wash cloth. I also vacuum like a girl too so the floors stay nice and clean.

[animalfan]

i need to wipe down my stuff and vacuum. maybe i'll do that after the guy picks up his new leg press this weekend.

[Essexlad]

Keet, I don't recomend oil because it attracts dust and fine particles such as chalk. this can cause the chalk to stick and cause friction. the chrome on a bar should be treated the same as the crome portions of a fire engine and waxed with a guality auto wax and polished clean.

Sorry, how is friction a bad thing on a barbell? The oil is purely a rust preventative, not primarily to get it looking all neat and shiny. It doesn't matter if it attracts chalk if you're regularly cleaning it off, which you probably should be on finely knurled bars.

[boxertim]

i use baby wipes after each workout with chalk.....then i dry it off with my shirt.


tim

[Keetman]

Keet, I don't recomend oil because it attracts dust and fine particles such as chalk. this can cause the chalk to stick and cause friction. the chrome on a bar should be treated the same as the crome portions of a fire engine and waxed with a guality auto wax and polished clean.

lol.

I really don't see me spending an extra hour in the gym waxing and polishing my bars.

Sorry, how is friction a bad thing on a barbell? The oil is purely a rust preventative, not primarily to get it looking all neat and shiny. It doesn't matter if it attracts chalk if you're regularly cleaning it off, which you probably should be on finely knurled bars.

This.

I take simple green and a shop towel after EVERY workout and get the chalk off the bar. I'm not sure if I'm perfect and I doubt that I am, but when I'm done I can't see any chalk so I'm happy. Every couple weeks or so I take a small amount of regular household lubricating oil (3in1) and work it into the crevices really good with the towel, then I wipe it down so there's no obvious accumulation of oil on there. By the time I work out again the bar is not slippery or messy. I don't know what you mean by causing friction.

The goal is to keep small pockets of rust from forming in the hard to get bottoms of the knurling, not to keep the bar looking like a parade truck.

[buffbrown21]

I can tell you what not to do....DO NOT use Naval Jelly to clean the rust off.

[captmorganm6]

I can tell you what not to do....DO NOT use Naval Jelly to clean the rust off.

Buff,did you ever try the vinegar trick I showed ya?

[buffbrown21]

Buff,did you ever try the vinegar trick I showed ya?

Man, I havent touched that thing since my last attempt. I will though.