PK Weighs In: Barbell Battle Scars vs Defects

What's happenin' strong people?

PK here.

This week, we're diving into a topic that came up a few months back upon the release of one of our most popular barbells to date: the Midas' Revenge Bar.

This doesn't just apply to that special, shiny bar, though. ALL of our bars, and even the ones not purchased through us, are subject to this matter.

If you're putting your iron excalibur through good use in your garage gym journey, and use it for what it is: a tool to help you get as strong as f***ing possible in all the ways possible with a barbell, you're apt to be subject to this matter.

You might not even notice these things I'll mention as they happen, and if you're one of those, I'm sorry if you see things on your barbell that you didn't before.

(You might need a cleaning kit after reading this)

But, NEVER FEAR! 

Let me start out by saying this.

Nothing is meant to be "perfect" forever, and that includes your barbell.

When you purchase a barbell from us, you're taking an unspoken vow.

You select the bar you want, click add to cart, and check out. Simple.

Little did you know that during the simple act of checking out and ensuring shipment of a beautiful iron excalibur to your door, you were making a vow to love it, to care for it, for now and forever...

Well, you didn't officially take that vow because we're not licensed to make that kind of commitment happen for you, but if we were... ;)

Here's what this means.

Barbells come usually, mostly intact and in pristine, perfect condition.

Sometimes, however, they don't arrive looking absolutely perfect without a scratch in sight.

By nature of their shipment, they made a LONG, tough adventure to get to you and your garage gym to be tossed around and utilized often.

Sometimes, the iron excalibur we commit ourselves to arrives with a few, shall I say, "dings" on its beautiful exterior.

Let me, Peter Keller, CEO at Fringe Sport, garage gym and barbell connoisseur, man of improving lives through strength, tell you, my dear brothers and sisters in strength, that although you've committed yourselves to each other (your barbell, and you, that is) sometimes others outside of the Garage Gym Revolution who just don't get it can commit adultery and treat your precious piece of iron less than desirably than you might during a long, strenuous journey to garage gym bliss at your front door.

Okay, okay, let's wipe our tears and get to the point of this already.

If these "dings" are cosmetic, this is NOT harmful to your barbell in any way, shape, or form.

IF there appears to be more than just cosmetic damage, contact us directly and we'll handle the perpetrator.

If cosmetic, you might think of these "dings" as something that makes your barbell truly yours.

It's unique, true to you, and these things make it special from every other barbell on the planet.

These things I'm talking about are not just "dings," they're battle scars.

Battle scars, like the ones warriors receive in long, arduous battles against their enemies.

In this case, our enemy is couch-potato-ism and lack of gains, but also the long shipment in a cardboard tube that's not always guaranteed to hold up perfectly against the elements, machine, and man-handling.

Here's what I'm saying, Fringe Fam.

Cosmetic damage to an iron excalibur meant to take the brunt of the weight of a long journey to strength, healthiness, and happiness is the least we could ask for.

In fact, we encourage there to be a few knicks, scratches, and "dings" on your barbell over time through use after use.

These are BATTLE SCARS.

Fatal wounds might look like broken shafts or sleeves falling off without notice, which should never happen to your Fringe Sport barbell.

If it does, contact us ASAP and we'll take care of it for you.

Battle scars are a badge of honor earned through hard work, determination, and lifting a shit ton of weight.

Battle scars might look like scuffed collars, or wear on the shaft, but these should be considered badges of honor for a well-used bar.

Defects, on the other hand, while they are rare, they do happen. They're not acceptable and we'll absolutely take care of you if your iron beauty is experiencing a true defect.

Like I mentioned before, a defect might look like broken sleeves, weird knurl impressions, or other things that make your barbell difficult or impossible to use.

Battle scars come with the highest honor in this Garage Gym Revolution.

We know it can be frustrating if your barbell's perfection doesn't last forever, but remember: nothing is meant to be "perfect" forever, including the finish on your barbell.

With regular maintenance, you can extend the life of your barbell exponentially.

Take care of your iron beauty, and it will take care of you.

Our barbells, every single one of 'em, come with a Lifetime Performance Warranty. This means that they're guaranteed to do you right and perform well for the entirety of their lifetime.

So, long story short: barbells are meant to wear with time, and that wear, battle scars, are badges of honor. Use your barbell proudly, take care of it as it deserves, and don't worry about the small stuff.

If you have questions about battle scars vs defects in barbells or any of our other products, don't hesitate to reach out. Send us a message with some photos, your questions, and whatever else you'd like to send over to us at team@fringesport.com.

Thanks for reading this installment of PK Weighs In.

See you next week!

LHLH,

PK