Caveat on B&R Bars

[Robert Britt Freund]

A quick follow-up to my longish post on bars.

Raw bars (B&R, Eleiko, Rogue Burner, some York models) have no coating and are susceptible to rust.

I, personally, think that the grip on a raw bar with good knurling beats ANY kind of coating (chrome, black oxide, zinc oxide, etc...). It feels great and looks great. Somehow, to me at least, raw steel is just a thing of beauty.

However, it DOES require upkeep.

If you use a wire brush and WD-40 religiously, then the bar will never look "rusty." It WILL get some discoloration, even with the best upkeep. Over time, the entire bar gradually discolors until it has what I consider to be a beautiful patina. Look at a 30 year old top-of-the-line York bar that has been kept in pristine condition, and you will see what I mean.

Unfortunately, one person's "beautiful patina" is another person's "ugly discoloration." Think of a copper roof. I find the green discoloration beautiful and indicative of classic materials and a traditional look. Someone else will just see green streaks marring an otherwise beautiful copper roof.

Raw bars are like copper roofs, and they are NOT for everyone.

If you simply cannot clean your bars at least once a week (religiously) - maybe you are a high school or college gym and can't do the upkeep - then a raw bar is probably not for you. The salty sweat WILL cause rust if you don't clean it and keep it oiled.

If you are in a humid environment and can't keep the bar in a conditioned space, then a raw bar is probably NOT for you. I guarantee that a B&R bar kept in an unconditioned Florida garage gym will rust. Even with good TLC and plenty of cleaning, it will still probably rust.

If you plan on using your bar outdoors, even if you normally store it indoors, then I would not recommend a B&R bar. The mud and humidity and sweat will most likely cause rust unless you RELIGIOUSLY clean it immediately after each use. Even then, you might still get some rust.

If you like everything spotless and uniform, then you probably shouldn't get a B&R bar (or any raw bar) just like you shouldn't get a copper roof. The bars will discolor and you will be disappointed.

So, the bottom line is that I love the price/performance/beauty of the B&R bar (and the Eleiko powerlifting bar), but it is NOT for everyone. If you fit in one of the four categories above, please don't purchase a B&R bar and then get mad at me in 3 months when the bar rusts or discolors.

You might argue that you not have heard about similar concerns with the Eleiko bars. However, they are untreated (raw) spring steel and have exactly the same problem as the B&R bar. This is not a function of some "special" steel used by Eleiko. The difference is that no one proposes to use a $1000 bar outdoors or in a garage gym . Those bars are always in nicely conditioned spaces and treated with lots and lots of TLC.

Hope this helps,
brittf

[John S Park]

I don't do any upkeep on my b&r bar. It's starting to rust a little and discolor but I think it looks cool anyway

I just think of it as a good sign that I'm using it a lot

[Robert Britt Freund]

Originally Posted by John S Park

I don't do any upkeep on my b&r bar. It's starting to rust a little and discolor but I think it looks cool anyway

I just think of it as a good sign that I'm using it a lot

Probably means you should put a copper roof on your house one day...

[Thomas J. Cusack]

So I own the B+R bar, and I love the bar, but I have discovered that the basement in the place I recently moved into (and keep all of my equipment in) is quite moist. I put in a dehumidifier to this end.
Also, I do all the things you say not to do. i.e. work out with it outside, sweat profusely all over the damn thing, etc.

What do you recommend for rust removal and upkeep? A wire brush, yes, and then just spraying the whole bar w/ WD-40 and brushing as one would your teeth? Or something a bit more potent for the rust removal?

Another concern I had- and this isn't a problem yet- is the bearings. Will the space between the shaft and the bushings eventually rust and reduce the motility of the ends?

Just asking. Thanks for the info.

[Robert Britt Freund]

Originally Posted by Thomas J. Cusack

So I own the B+R bar, and I love the bar, but I have discovered that the basement in the place I recently moved into (and keep all of my equipment in) is quite moist. I put in a dehumidifier to this end.
Also, I do all the things you say not to do. i.e. work out with it outside, sweat profusely all over the damn thing, etc.

What do you recommend for rust removal and upkeep? A wire brush, yes, and then just spraying the whole bar w/ WD-40 and brushing as one would your teeth? Or something a bit more potent for the rust removal?

Another concern I had- and this isn't a problem yet- is the bearings. Will the space between the shaft and the bushings eventually rust and reduce the motility of the ends?

Just asking. Thanks for the info.

Hi Thomas.

Hmmm... How bad is the rust on your bar? If it is not too bad, I would try the WD-40 overnight then wire brush aggressively (just like brushing your teeth) then wipe it all down with a clean rag and apply a final light coat that you leave on.

By the way, I would always spray WD-40 FIRST and then use the brush. The oil will help capture the knocked off rust particles and keep them from spreading.

If there are some spots that need more work, you might try steel wool. Don't get the really fine steel wool, get medium or even slightly coarse steel wool (maybe #1 or #2). You can really scrub with it in a localized area, after applying WD-40.

Just remember to wipe the bar down carefully after spraying and brushing, in order to get the rust all cleaned off the bar. Oxidized steel (rust) kind of "grows" from a location. Oxygen is a pretty reactive free-radical and once a steel molecule has "rusted" (oxidized), that molecule will try to grab an electron from an adjacent molecule, which causes the adjacent molecule to be susceptible to rust, and so on. Basically, oil coats the steel and forms a barrier between the reactive oxygen molecules and the steel. You want to leave a light coating of oil as a barrier at all times.

I think you are okay with respect to the bushing. It is a bronze bushing and won't oxidize very easily. It would take a lot of rust on the steel parts (shaft OD and sleeve ID) to bridge the gap, so I think that is pretty unlikely unless you are in a VERY moist environment. If you are concerned, you can try the trick that Ahmik Jones from CrossFit SoCal and Rogue suggests - clean the bar thoroughly (as I discussed above), then wipe it down and apply a thin, even layer of oil over the entire bar. Next, put some oil (WD-40 or 3-in-1 oil) into the area where the bushings are pressed onto the bar. You won't need to take the sleeve off, just oil it fairly generously in that area. Then, stand the bar up overnight in a bar stand (the bar will stand vertically) so that gravity will pull the oil down into the bushing. The next day, oil the other side of the bushings and flip the bar over and let sit overnight again. You can spin the sleeves several times each day to loosen up any grit or rust that might be in there.

Hope this helps. If you keep your bar cleaned and oiled, it should last forever. You won't need to do the bushing bit very often - maybe once per month AT MOST, depending on how worried you are and how humid the environment is.

Regards,
brittf

[Thomas J. Cusack]

Thank you so much for your clear and thorough reply. I am sure it will be referenced by many other B+R owners other than myself.

[Nick Woo]

Thanks for the info. I'm likely going to buy one of these bars soon.

[Robert Britt Freund]

Originally Posted by Nick Woo

Thanks for the info. I'm likely going to buy one of these bars soon.

That is a decent deadlift you are doing in your picture. Maybe around 345 lbs or so? Depends on whether the big plates are 45 lbs or 25 kgs. Keep up the hard work - deadlifts rule!!!!

My 1RM is about 460 lbs now, but by God I intend to reach 500 by the end of the year!!!!

[Nick Woo]

Originally Posted by Robert Britt Freund

That is a decent deadlift you are doing in your picture. Maybe around 345 lbs or so? Depends on whether the big plates are 45 lbs or 25 kgs. Keep up the hard work - deadlifts rule!!!!

My 1RM is about 460 lbs now, but by God I intend to reach 500 by the end of the year!!!!

Thanks, Robert! I'm up to 355 right now but I want 400 by the end of the year. I hope we reach it!

[John S Park]

I just wd-40'd and wire brushed my bar. Looking better than ever

Thanks Robert