Review: Ivanko OBXS-20kg-29mm Stainless Steel Powerbar

[CYMlift]

Thanks for the review and congrats! This raw bar and the polished version of the bar are at the top of my wanted list.

It's somewhat surprising to me that they went with a finer knurl on this power bar instead of the others. The knurl on my black oxide bars is fairly aggressive. My bars were bought used and I'm not sure of their age or how they compare to the new bars. The Ivanko bars that I've used at commercial gyms were probably pretty old also.

I looked closely at the photos on Ivanko's ******** but would still like to get a better look. Ivanko's photos were at an angle and a bit out of focus because of the depth. Do you have a point-and-shoot or digital SLR camera that has a macro button (flower icon) and a flash? If so, could take a close up shot straight on with a flash and the macro button enabled?

something like this: http://www.garage-gyms.com/wp-conten...c-wl-knurl.jpg

I can crop and edit the photo if you post up the raw image.

Thanks, I have been looking at this bar for a bit. if you do tend to take the plunge per se, talk to Jeff at BW products since it seems he can get some better deals on the bars than the price listed.

I have a point and shoot and SLR digital camera. I have tried to take better pic's of the knurl like you suggested with the macro button, but my camera does not quite focus that close. I think is more due to my lens which is a 18-200 VSR lens (I have a Nikon D80). my iPhone 5 seems to be able to get closer shots, but not has close as the garage gym's photos.
I think another poster had somewhat closer shots of their bar's knurling using a magnifying glass. I will try to get my hands on one and try to see if that would help enlarge the knurling a bit so I can take a better shot with the camera for you.

It is surprising to me at least how this bar's knurling really is finer than the westside bar's. even with the knurling pic's I posted above can show the knurling points of the westside bar, while the OBXS knurling doesn't quite stand out as much. the OBXS seems grippy, just not rough (which I guess is a good thing). = )

[morebarbell]

I messed with the photos on the Ironcompany website and tried to standardize the images so that the size of the knurl could be compared on this bar and one of my black oxide bars. They're not scaled exactly but the scale is roughly the same. The photo is so blury though. It does look a LOT finer. It's good to hear that it's grippy.

Photo from Ironcompany:


Scaled and compared to one of my obx-20kg bars


Photo from Ivankobarbell.com


The color from the heat treat looks cool

[CYMlift]

I messed with the photos on the Ironcompany website and tried to standardize the images so that the size of the knurl could be compared on this bar and one of my black oxide bars. They're not scaled exactly but the scale is roughly the same. The photo is so blury though. It does look a LOT finer. It's good to hear that it's grippy.

Photo from Ironcompany:


Scaled and compared to one of my obx-20kg bars


Photo from Ivankobarbell.com


The color from the heat treat looks cool

Nice pics of the knurling. I will try to get a better photo but you are right that the knurling is finer, like the rogue bar, but more grippy than the rogue. Your OBX bar knurling looks more like my west side bar. That bars knurling is rough. From the looks of your obx knurling, I think the OBXS will be less rough then your obx

The heat treated look is cool, I thought the bar would look like that, but unfortunately it does not.

[morebarbell]

Nice pics of the knurling. I will try to get a better photo but you are right that the knurling is finer, like the rogue bar, but more grippy than the rogue. Your OBX bar knurling looks more like my west side bar. That bars knurling is rough. From the looks of your obx knurling, I think the OBXS will be less rough then your obx

The heat treated look is cool, I thought the bar would look like that, but unfortunately it does not.

Thanks. I suppose the color varies a bit from bar to bar. From what I've heard it wears away also. They did a raw version of a shorty bar previously and the photos looked like the color was a deeper purple. The color doesn't matter, of course, but I thought it looked cool. Supposedly they will be doing similar limited runs of raw versions of other bar(s) as well but they didn't specify which one(s).

[CYMlift]

Hey MB,

Here are some closer up pics of the OBXS knurling. sorry I am not great at photography. I used a magnifying glass and then zoomed in and took the pic. flash does not work so well, so had to just increase the iso. It seems to show the knurling alittle more than my prior pics. I just think this knurling for this RAW bar is finer per se so it does not really come out as well in pics as the bars with rougher type knurling. the more I use the bar, it seems to grip, but the knurling really is finer and I think it would be one of those type of bars that will unlikely tear up the hands if used like the WPB or TPB.

hopefully these pics will help you. OBXS knurling1.jpgOBXS knurling2.jpg

I couldn't attach the original pics since they were too big (4+ MB) so had to snip them. if you want the original images, PM me your email and I can send them to you.

[judgecrandall]

Hey MB,

Here are some closer up pics of the OBXS knurling. sorry I am not great at photography. I used a magnifying glass and then zoomed in and took the pic. flash does not work so well, so had to just increase the iso. It seems to show the knurling alittle more than my prior pics. I just think this knurling for this RAW bar is finer per se so it does not really come out as well in pics as the bars with rougher type knurling. the more I use the bar, it seems to grip, but the knurling really is finer and I think it would be one of those type of bars that will unlikely tear up the hands if used like the WPB or TPB.

hopefully these pics will help you. Attachment 7382841Attachment 7382851

I couldn't attach the original pics since they were too big (4+ MB) so had to snip them. if you want the original images, PM me your email and I can send them to you.

Embedded.

[CYMlift]

Embedded.

Thank you JC for embedding the pics.

[morebarbell]

Hey MB,

Here are some closer up pics of the OBXS knurling. sorry I am not great at photography. I used a magnifying glass and then zoomed in and took the pic. flash does not work so well, so had to just increase the iso. It seems to show the knurling alittle more than my prior pics. I just think this knurling for this RAW bar is finer per se so it does not really come out as well in pics as the bars with rougher type knurling. the more I use the bar, it seems to grip, but the knurling really is finer and I think it would be one of those type of bars that will unlikely tear up the hands if used like the WPB or TPB.

hopefully these pics will help you. Attachment 7382841Attachment 7382851

I couldn't attach the original pics since they were too big (4+ MB) so had to snip them. if you want the original images, PM me your email and I can send them to you.

Thanks for taking the photos! After eyeballing all the photos, I think I have a better idea of what to expect.

[Rockfella]

Congrats! That is one good bar.