Vintage Iron Thread

[RDOG21]

Are you cleared to lift weights?

Haha.....no...got all 4 plates for 50$ off craigslist. My wife picked them up and loaded them, I did tag along for moral support. I see the Doc in 3 weeks, hopefully I'll be cleared to lift!!!

[urbanlifter]

Alright, had a little craigslist pickup today! Can anyone ID this vintage looking barbell? Came with some York, BFCO, American Barbell, and old looking generic CAP plates. Plan on flipping the plates I don't want, should end up getting it for next to nothing if all goes well.

[morebarbell]

I don't know the make of the bar. But you're located in Ohio and this Buckeye Barbell catalog appears to show a barbell with a similar end cap. It's just an illustration though.

[urbanlifter]

Funny, the guy appeared to have that 'Kong-bench' for sale so maybe that's it. Although, if I'm reading the ad correctly it say chrome plated, so maybe I'll know more once I start taking this thing apart. Excellent spin though for being rusted over!

[morebarbell]

I think you're right about the description. I wasn't sure if I there are traces of chrome on the bar. It would be fun to see a photo of the sleeve disassembled if you have the time.

[urbanlifter]

Working on that now, but the pin doesn't wanna come out LOL

[Domicron]

Working on that now, but the pin doesn't wanna come out LOL

get a running start when you strike the pin with your hammer

[urbanlifter]

I tried that too, it's a no go

However, I did a quick surface cleaning with WD40 and steel wool and the bar looks great. Nice brown patina, but it looks like I still have some cleaning to do to get the rest of it off. I guess I'll be soaking it in Coke or whatever is the best method these days for cleaning a barbell but not removing the cool patina.

Very nice knurling on this bar!

[morebarbell]

the knurl does look good

get a running start when you strike the pin with your hammer

and a wind up

[SomeIronBoy]

I tried that too, it's a no go

However, I did a quick surface cleaning with WD40 and steel wool and the bar looks great. Nice brown patina, but it looks like I still have some cleaning to do to get the rest of it off. I guess I'll be soaking it in Coke or whatever is the best method these days for cleaning a barbell but not removing the cool patina.

Very nice knurling on this bar!

Sprite, cola, or vinegar. Personally sprite works the best for me.

[urbanlifter]

I'm going to give that a try this weekend. What do you use to wipe it down after it soaks, simple cloth or something more abrasive? With the light steel wool I could see some of the patina coming off the smooth areas, so I lightened up immediately because it looks great the way it is. But this morning in good lighting I could still see the rust spots. My 70's York bar may hit CL once I get this bad boy cleaned, haven't even got the sleeves off to oil and it spins for days.

[urbanlifter]

Oh, and on the topic of Vintage Iron, anyone seen 'American Barbell' plates like this before? The thick center hubs remind me of old York, lathed on the back.

[SkinnySquats]

Oh, and on the topic of Vintage Iron, anyone seen 'American Barbell' plates like this before? The thick center hubs remind me of old York, lathed on the back.

Chinese. (Ironic)

[urbanlifter]

Thanks! They didn't feel all that special, so I kinda wondered if they were from overseas.

[SomeIronBoy]

So my question is my PIAS has standard Robert's and milo barbell for $0.49lb, my question is should I pick these up, knowing I won't use them and they will probably sit in the corner collecting dust. Or should I pass on them?

[AttyGuy]

So my question is my PIAS has standard Robert's and milo barbell for $0.49lb, my question is should I pick these up, knowing I won't use them and they will probably sit in the corner collecting dust. Or should I pass on them?

If you are confident of what they are, and what they are worth, there is a market for vintage iron on eBay.

[Northernmoris]

Thanks to Skinnysquats, I picked up a Russian Barbell that was imported back in the 90s or so. The guy was selling it for his boss. The knurling is aggressive and the collars are beastly. I almost wonder if it's SS because it cleaned up with just a wire wheel and steel wool. I still have a clean the collars.

[Dont Want None]

Thanks to Skinnysquats, I picked up a Russian Barbell that was imported back in the 90s or so. The guy was selling it for his boss. The knurling is aggressive and the collars are beastly. I almost wonder if it's SS because it cleaned up with just a wire wheel and steel wool. I still have a clean the collars.

Is that basically the same idea as Eleiko's new bar, the Powerlock or whatever?

[Northernmoris]

[MonkeyT]

What a bar. Amazing pickup.

Fantastic condition.

Thanks to Skinnysquats, I picked up a Russian Barbell that was imported back in the 90s or so. The guy was selling it for his boss. The knurling is aggressive and the collars are beastly. I almost wonder if it's SS because it cleaned up with just a wire wheel and steel wool. I still have a clean the collars.

[ffrink]

Nice cleanup, NM How is the spin?

I hope President trump does not ban foreign iron collecting!!

[AttyGuy]

Thanks to Skinnysquats, I picked up a Russian Barbell that was imported back in the 90s or so. The guy was selling it for his boss. The knurling is aggressive and the collars are beastly. I almost wonder if it's SS because it cleaned up with just a wire wheel and steel wool. I still have a clean the collars.

This reminds me of an earlier thread, from 2014:

I was told that there were some questions regarding the old Russian Olympic barbells on this site and was somewhat flattered to see photos of myself from the past!
In answer to many of the questions asked, the correct name of these sets was 'Rekordnaia Stanga', Russian for' World Record Barbell'. The plates were steel and nickel plated, quite attractive compared to the iron plates used everywhere else. The bars were unique, in that the sleeves had a number of grooves which accommodated the special collars. These collars had a ratchet mechanism that locked into the grooves and prevented the plates from sliding off. The sets made through the 1970s had 55mm sleeves, so only Russian, ( and Polish), plates could be fitted. The later Russian bars were made of stronger steel and use the standard 50mm sleeve as found on all other Olympic sets. The sets were used in World and European championships throughout the 1970s and thousands of lesser events.
These were very nice barbells and the bars were pretty springy on the 1970s era sets but the earlier models had very stiff bars. Unfortunately, the bars usually bent a bit after some hard use but no more than other bars of the time. These sets were produced in Leningrad, ( now St. Petersburg), and in a variety of other steel plants within the old Soviet Union. Mine came from a factory in Voroshilovgrad and cost a total of $350. in 1972...quite a bargain!
The 1980s series sets had the "Made in USSR" stamped onto the end of the sleeve, as shown in one of the photos. ( Cdelano V CCCP) Usually, the sets were ordered through Chester Teegarden of Sacramento, Calif., who advertised them in the old Iron man magazine. In England, Joe Weider imported them and stenciled the Weider name on the plates! Typical of him to mislead the unwary buyers.
Bars of this pattern are still produced in the Russian Federation by a company by the name of MB, standing for Markov Barbell, which can be contacted via the internet. The modern plates,, however are rubber, not steel.
Please feel free to ask any other questions regarding these wonderful barbells. I'll answer to the best of my knowledge.

And a pick of Geoff Fleming:

[chadsalt]

Thanks to Skinnysquats, I picked up a Russian Barbell that was imported back in the 90s or so. The guy was selling it for his boss. The knurling is aggressive and the collars are beastly. I almost wonder if it's SS because it cleaned up with just a wire wheel and steel wool. I still have a clean the collars.

That's a great find. Is it ~2" and is there enough adjustment with the notches/screw ring on the collar to use 'normal' plates or are there specific plates that go with it?

[urbanlifter]

I think you're right about the description. I wasn't sure if I there are traces of chrome on the bar. It would be fun to see a photo of the sleeve disassembled if you have the time.

Finally broke down and bought a proper punch set, after a few minutes I was able to get the sleeves off and do some maintenance today! Brass bushing at the rear, and the end of the sleeve appears to have a thin steel bushing that's tacked to the bar to keep it in place. After cleaning the spin is even better, now I just need to take a wire brush over the bar to get the rest of the rust off.

[SomeIronBoy]

Finally broke down and bought a proper punch set, after a few minutes I was able to get the sleeves off and do some maintenance today! Brass bushing at the rear, and the end of the sleeve appears to have a thin steel bushing that's tacked to the bar to keep it in place. After cleaning the spin is even better, now I just need to take a wire brush over the bar to get the rest of the rust off.

NICE! I'm guessing ball bearings are suppose to go where the gap is between the collar and the bar rod meet? Seen in Picture 2 where the gunk is at or seen in picture 3.

[urbanlifter]

I don't think so, with the weld there the bearings would have no place to spin smoothly. They just welded the end bushing so that the sleeve doesn't slide into the knurling, and I'm still very surprised that this bar spins better than the 70's York, American Barbell SPB, and CAP OB-86b (even after I broke it down and re-greased). I used 3and1 oil this time on the bar instead of the Red N Tacky, experimenting with different stuff.

[Northernmoris]

Nice cleanup, NM How is the spin?

I hope President trump does not ban foreign iron collecting!!

The spin leaves much to be desired atm. I need to remove the sleeves.

[MonkeyT]

That´s a good question! Some of them were 55mm weren't they....

That's a great find. Is it ~2" and is there enough adjustment with the notches/screw ring on the collar to use 'normal' plates or are there specific plates that go with it?

[MHSeattle]

I just picked these up yesterday and would love to get any input on who made them and approximate age. They seem pretty similar to one Don't Want None posted here but no one mentioned any details:

forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=147360213&p=1399544653&viewfull=1 #post1399544653

[dieselmike]

I just picked these up yesterday and would love to get any input on who made them and approximate age. They seem pretty similar to one Don't Want None posted here but no one mentioned any details:

forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=147360213&p=1399544653&viewfull=1 #post1399544653

Always loved those plates:

61PWCC came to the best conclusion of the "Skinny Script" Olympic Standard Barbell plates. You can read about it HERE