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Dear Tom:
I read your most recent article. Ive
enclosed a picture of a barbell that I had
an accident with. The weight shifted to
the left from the sleeve loosening up and
sliding off the bar. I lost balance, my left
leg folded under itself, and I ruptured my
quad. Can you tell me anything about this
bar? - Name withheld by request.
Im sorry to hear about your injuries.
From what I can see, the sleeve is held
in with a flat head allen bolt, not a
shoulder bolt. I use to see a lot of the
older bars (sold for cheap) with a pressed
in plug at the end of the sleeve to hold
the bolt. Its not a safe design. If youre
going to make a bar this way, in addition
to pressing in the plug, you have to used
two hardened pins to secure the plug
into the sleeve. And this is the reason
your bar failed. A clearer picture could
possibly determine the manufacturer of
the bar. Thanks, Tom.
Dear Tom:
I read your articles on Olympic bars.
It looks like my bar has the inside collar
attached by a pin through the bar. But you
dont do this Why? EC via e-mail
If the bar has a hole on the inside
collar, thats the way the old York Barbell
used to make them. If you think your
bar is made in China and it has the
pin going all the way the center of the
collar or bar, check on-line for the U.S.
consumer protection recall notice. This
is a classic example of how the Chinese
have screwed themselves out of a lot of
business by using inferior manufacturing
techniques.
The good news is that all of newer
Yorks bars are made in Canada of US
steel, and apparently theyve solved the
problem that was discussed in a previous
article here.
28
hello ivanko people!

any truth to the web blog rumor that
ivanko might re-introduce the OB-84 bar, as
originally produced - with the shoulder bolt
design, aggressive knurling, etc.?
I have had one since 1986 and, quite
frankly, since getting one of these nothing
else works for me - including any of your
current offerings. I especially dont like
the new, softer knurling, or the multiinterrupted knurling pattern, the new snap
ring sleeve design. I routinely (annually)
disassemble my OB-84 to clean and
re-grease the bushings, and I put on some
new lock-tite on the threads, etc. before
re-assembling it.
This ob-84 bar was perfect ... no
wonder it was discontinued! (it seems that
nobody wants to leave anything alone. I
guess no one gets any points unless they
change something.)
IMHO ... the new knurling really stinks. I
want to finish my bench press set with the
same 36 grip I start the set with, without
using any messy chalk. I dont understand
this change to this softer, finer knurling
pattern for powerlifting applications. also,
the center knurling, IMHO, serves no real
purpose except to tear up the back of my
neck in behind-the-neck presses and it
really is not necessary for powerlifting or
especially weightlifting (why even Eleiko
weightlifting bars have this center knurling
Ill never know). Im glad youre still making
some bars without the center knurling.
please bring back the original OB-84. Ill
buy several this time.
thanks for letting me rant (what choice did
you have?) RL via e-mail.
Dear RL:
Thanks for the e-mail. The OB-84
was the first production bar I ever made,
and it remains one of my favorites. As
you know, the sleeves were held in with
shoulder bolts. Unlike other bars with
sleeves fastened the same way, we did
it right. And I still like the design. If a
manufacturer respects tolerances (and

you cant do that on the cheap), the
sleeves rotate about as well as the now
much touted snap ring design.
Well make you an OB-84 (or two or
three), just for old times sake, but
currently were working on a shorter
version of the OB-84. Probably a six
foot (so it still fits on a wide bench
press) shorty bar with smaller sleeves,
still allows you to put enough weight on
for your presses.
As to the knurling, Im with you
on the sharper knurling. There were
enough people who wanted a less sharp
knurl that I changed the design. Now
that Ive changed it, I get complaints
thats its not sharp enough. There are
those of us still around who would rather
bleed than miss
a lift. In some
ways knurlings
a personal
thing, but I
want to talk
about it more
in a future
article.
Dear Tom:
A lot of bar makers these days are
claiming that they use the same steel as
Ivanko. Is this true? Glenn via e-mail.
Dear Glenn:
I never made it a secret of where Ive
NATIONAL FITNESS TRADE JOURNAL
been buying our steel for past 30 years

or so. In fact, I discussed it in depth
in a previous article in this magazine.
Some people thought it wasnt a smart
thing to give away my sources, but I
think it just raised the bar for everyone.
But even if they are buying their
steel from the same source as we are, it
doesnt mean theyre buying the same
steel, or Ivanko steel. For example, a
well known company called me the other
day and said I read your article and
I got the same steel youre using, and
I told them I want the same strength
and hardness as Ivanko bar steel. They
tried to talk me out of it, but I didnt
listen. And can you tell me one thing,
please. How in the hell do knurl this
steel? My machinist says its chewing up
our knurling dies. My answer: Look
I dont mind telling you where I get
my steel or the tensile strength it has
to be where you are not going to have
any bending problems. However, it
took me years to learn the technique
to knurl previously hardened steel, and
I cant give away that information. In
fact, youre not the only person who has
learned this the hard way.
Thats why almost every bar rarely
goes over 150,000 PSI. Thats the

real reason none of our competitors
go over 150,000 PSI. And Ivanko
is over 200,000 PSI. And you have
to remember this is a geometric

progression: so 200,000+ PSI is a
lot stronger and very much harder to
machine and knurl than 150,000 PSI.
Ivanko Introduces a heavy-duty American-made high

quality 4-1/2 foot EZ Curl Bar.
For gyms and clubs who want Ivanko quality in an EZ-Curl bar. Forty years
of experience in both using and design equipment had led us to make what
we believe is the finest EZ Curl bar ever offered. A perfect complement to
those who appreciate the quality and integrity of design and manufacture in
the Ivanko OB-20KG Olympic bar. Our EZ-Curl bar bar deep bends, which
allow the user to relieve stress on his wrists. You will notice the difference
between this bar and all others, at once. Item #OBZ-55
Ivanko Barbell Company was founded by Tom Lincir in 1967 and is the
leading provider of professional and commercial grade barbell and dumbbell
products worldwide. Your comments or questions are welcome. Contact Tom at
tom@ivankobarbell.com or write to P.O. Box 1470, San Pedro, CA 90733 U.S.A.
For product information and pricing, see our website; ivankobarbell.com or call
(310) 514-1155.
NEBULA AD
SPRING 2010 | 29

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hello ivanko people!

manufacturer respects tolerances (and

NATIONAL FITNESS TRADE JOURNAL

been buying our steel for past 30 years

goes over 150,000 PSI. Thats the

to remember this is a geometric

Ivanko Introduces a heavy-duty American-made high

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