Vintage Iron Thread

[nissan11]

I made my best ever score today when I walked into a used sporting goods store to buy a lacrosse ball for mobility exercises and saw some milled plates stacked in a corner. The owner had just cleaned out a high school gym. I bought every milled plate I saw plus smaller unmarked cast plates I think to be york. There were some bigger cast york plates I did not buy that had york, the weight and USA stamped on the front but they looked to be newer and I could not justify spending even more money on plates for an already crowded home gym. There were also some interesting looking barbells the owner said came from the same gym that I could not identify and had no markings on them. I really should have taken some pics but the store was closing and I had to load all these in my truck. If any of these items sound interesting to anyone here I will go back Saturday and take some pictures. The store is about 20 minutes from my house and located in Pinehurst, NC.
Anyway, maybe one day I can complete these colored sets. Is the paint original, and in your opinions should I repaint them or leave them alone? Can anyone make a guess on when they were manufactured? I will be training with them. Thanks.

I am also attaching pics of my 'old' plate and bar collection which I have not added to in a long time until today.

[EricAtl]

I made my best ever score today when I walked into a used sporting goods store to buy a lacrosse ball for mobility exercises and saw some milled plates stacked in a corner. The owner had just cleaned out a high school gym. I bought every milled plate I saw plus smaller unmarked cast plates I think to be york. There were some bigger cast york plates I did not buy that had york, the weight and USA stamped on the front but they looked to be newer and I could not justify spending even more money on plates for an already crowded home gym. There were also some interesting looking barbells the owner said came from the same gym that I could not identify and had no markings on them. I really should have taken some pics but the store was closing and I had to load all these in my truck. If any of these items sound interesting to anyone here I will go back Saturday and take some pictures. The store is about 20 minutes from my house and located in Pinehurst, NC.
Anyway, maybe one day I can complete these colored sets. Is the paint original, and in your opinions should I repaint them or leave them alone? Can anyone make a guess on when they were manufactured? I will be training with them. Thanks.

I am also attaching pics of my 'old' plate and bar collection which I have not added to in a long time until today.

Nice bars!

[Sboarder1964]

Is the paint original, and in your opinions should I repaint them or leave them alone? Can anyone make a guess on when they were manufactured?

The 35s look like the USA stamped version (does it have "usa" on the hub?) so you can assume 90s, but the 25s and below look like the typical late 60s to late 80s milled era plates. I doubt the paint is original.

This is a great resource (with photos) for identifying york plates. The 35s are at the end - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...1UPTZUfnI/edit

[nissan11]

Yes, the 35's are stamped USA.

[nissan11]

I noticed the plates I just picked up are a smaller diameter than some other milled plates I have, which is frustrating when deadlifting. Why did York change the plate diameters?

[matrix563]

I noticed the plates I just picked up are a smaller diameter than some other milled plates I have, which is frustrating when deadlifting. Why did York change the plate diameters?

are the new ones milled? they look like the newer design york plates, they are smaller than the older plates. my cap plates are the same diameter as my rubber coated weider plates or id replace them with the newer york. the newer york are 17.5 inches, .5 inch shorter than my weider.

[nissan11]

are the new ones milled? they look like the newer design york plates, they are smaller than the older plates. my cap plates are the same diameter as my rubber coated weider plates or id replace them with the newer york. the newer york are 17.5 inches, .5 inch shorter than my weider.

Yes the 45s, 35s and 25s are all milled. The 45s measure a hair under 17.25" in diameter.

[Sboarder1964]

I noticed the plates I just picked up are a smaller diameter than some other milled plates I have, which is frustrating when deadlifting. Why did York change the plate diameters?

That's covered in the document I just posted dude. It might be advisable to read more and post less. Page 29.

[nissan11]

I read the document and see no explanation for why they changed the diameter of the 45's.
I also don't like your attitude, buster.

[AttyGuy]

Hmm..... If only we had a thread devoted to York Barbell Co.

The change to 45s came in the 1990's the style of plate you have are likely from 1994 or more recent. The story I heard was related to powerlifting competitions and one of York's lifters at the time, but the story was told second hand to me.

[nissan11]

Hmm..... If only we had a thread devoted to York Barbell Co.

The change to 45s came in the 1990's the style of plate you have are likely from 1994 or more recent. The story I heard was related to powerlifting competitions and one of York's lifters at the time, but the story was told second hand to me.

That is indeed interesting. Thanks for responding.

[AttyGuy]

That is indeed interesting. Thanks for responding.

You're welcome. Don't forget to cross-post in the YBBC thread.

[Sboarder1964]

I read the document and see no explanation for why they changed the diameter of the 45's.
I also don't like your attitude, buster.

...

The rims of the 45s were machined and the 45s were about 1/4 to 3/8" shorter than previous York 45s.

Edit: no one's telling you to go back and read through >450 pages of forum posts; I did however give you the link and told you exactly which page for that specific information.

[nissan11]

I read that paragraph and understand that the plates were machined shorter. That is not the answer to my question.
My question was and still is WHY did they machine them shorter than their previous plates?

[matrix563]

I read that paragraph and understand that the plates were machined shorter. That is not the answer to my question.
My question was and still is WHY did they machine them shorter than their previous plates?

hard to say. i wasnt aware 90s plates were milled. interesting. seems pretty dumb to me to make them smaller. if they would go back to ~17.7 inches id love to have a full set of york.

ps i dont do the older correct size york because i hate the weider like no lip. at least the cap have a lil. i may upgrade to troys but really it isnt a big deal.

[61PWCC]

Nice BERG bumper set used in this meet:

[AttyGuy]

By the late 80's/early 90's York was machining the rims of their 45s. They are beautiful and the rims look much better than the earlier cast rims.

[AttyGuy]

That's covered in the document I just posted dude. It might be advisable to read more and post less. Page 29.

Where did you post the document?

[61PWCC]

Sandow Statuettes For Sale....

[machineduck]

Any idea who makes these? Trying to decide if I should buy some more from the guy.

[CliveWarren]

Any idea who makes these? Trying to decide if I should buy some more from the guy.

They might not be vintage, but if they're nice and the right price why not? If they measure 450mm or ~ 17.75", have flat backs, weigh within half a pound, and nice fit on the bar, then they are as good as any plate.

[machineduck]

They might not be vintage, but if they're nice and the right price why not? If they measure 450mm or ~ 17.75", have flat backs, weigh within half a pound, and nice fit on the bar, then they are as good as any plate.

Thanks. I haven't weighed them but they checked all the other boxes. They'll be replacing my newer cheap Weider plates. Just trying to make sure I'm not replacing junk with junk since I can't find any information on these plates. "Old" would probably be a better category for these, rather than vintage. I'll put a picture of one of the 25s incase somebody recognizes it.

[jjflash45]

I found this plate at a resale shop 20 odd years ago and have been looking for info or more plates ever since. Has anyone here ever seen one, or heard about the company?

[Greybird2]

Jackson Barbell from Springfield, New Jersey was one of the York Barbell's East Coast competitors. The deep dish plates (w/ and w/o fins on the hub) that likely mirrored the production era of York are pretty neat, but does anyone have info on the bored-out standard plates like the 50s or 100s seen in NDMike's and Dexter000's collections?

WOW! That is really impressive!

[Northernmoris]

Those Iron Island plates cleaned up so well. After being in the flooded gym they were so dirty. I'm surprised I didn't find more rust. Out of the thousands of lbs of 45s maybe 6 were really bad.

[Northernmoris]

I found this plate at a resale shop 20 odd years ago and have been looking for info or more plates ever since. Has anyone here ever seen one, or heard about the company?

Those are cool. Definitely collectable not necessarily worth a lot. I'd buy if cheap.

[fat2fitbeast]

I have some plates that need identified

[PriorMike]

I have some plates that need identified

I think your picture is broken.

[AttyGuy]

I have some plates that need identified

They're Royal Doulton, but relatively new manufacture.

[Northernmoris]

Not vintage, HTF RARE.