Iron Guide 2022 August 04

THE
IRON
GUIDE
A Collection of Strength
4TH REVISION - 2022

Copyright © 2022 The Iron Guide
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or

used in any manner without written permission of the copyri-
ght owner except for the use of quotations in a book review.
Front Cover Image and Design by @EfrenLifts
Weight: Eleiko Olympic 20kg 2nd Gen.
First Edition 2022 4th Revision
www.theironguide.com
2 T H E I R O N G U I D E AUGUST 2022
TO THE SOURCE OF MY STRENGTH --- DIANNA, AMELIE & ELENA
T H E I R O N G U I D E AUGUST 2022 3
FOREWORD 7
C O N T E N T S
THE IRON GAMES 11
IRON HUNTING 13
STRENGTH IMPLEMENTS 17
CRAFTMANSHIP 19
WHAT IS VALUE? 23
CONDITION 27
IRON RATINGS 29
WEIGHT PLATES 35
BELLS & GLOBES 65

WEIGHT COLLARS 79
STRENGTH IMPLEMENTS 103
STRENGTH COMPANIES 115
STRENGTH HISTORY 125
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 167
ABOUT THE AUTHOR 169

(Small Title Here)
Upta et omnime nostrum ipiet
volorum faccabore molores
secepudae consequ iberunt
utemporest as et molestiae
por sinis del ium coremos
apient, cum dolest unt am,
aut alitaerum id magnisciatae
nient quam non nobist qui
vellaciam, si ute.
FOREWORD
I messaged Efren for the first time on March 23rd, 2021 at

5:04 p.m. (3:04 p.m. in Orange County, California). Depending
on his response, I would either drive 1000 miles, or I would
stay home. Yes, someone that I had never spoken to already
had my unflinching trust in the subject at hand. The Friday
following our exchange, I left work and drove eight hours
to Springfield, Missouri. The next morning, I drove back to
Mississippi with a full set of Chrome M-Series Ivanko Plates
weighing down my Tahoe.
I was hooked.
Generally speaking, widespread confidence in Efren’s knowle-

dge was well founded and systematically substantiated with
each social media post, but my respective conviction in his
character developed over time. For the majority of 2021, my
understanding of the Vintage Iron world was marginal at best;
I sought advice frequently and without reservation. Due to
my novice rank, I brought nothing to the table (other than
my charming wit and sidesplitting repertoire). But because
of this experience-based imbalance, I learned quickly that
Efren gave without expectation. He shared insights, research,
struggles and victories. If he lacked the foundation to speak
concretely, he stated as much, and he’d soon return with an
obscure article or a blurry picture to offer fact to theory.
In an astonishingly organic way, Efren has become a repre-

sentative figure in the world of Vintage Iron. As his following
has grown via social media platforms, his altruistic nature has
remained unmarred. He has cultivated and earned a repu-
tation of being a fair deal maker, a hard-working bridge buil-
der and a relentless truth seeker. These attributes are also
the pillars that gave rise to the landmark document you are
reading now.
By compiling The First Edition of The Iron Guide, Efren has

taken our collective passion and built a foundation based on
veracity and impartiality. The Iron Guide lends itself not just
to the lifetime enthusiast, but to the novice I was on March
23rd, 2021, to the amateur aficionado I am today and to every
one of us in between.
Thanks in part to Efren’s incessantly helpful disposition, I have

traveled as far as Morgantown, Pennsylvania and shipped
from Vancouver, British Columbia and Essex, Massachusetts.
My friends have driven items from Santa Barbara, CA and
New York, NY. I’ve won eBay auctions (and lost many more);
I’ve bought from Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace and Next-
door. I have traded with and purchased from some of the
most revered names in our small community. And I have
amassed a collection of which I am proud. I have many people
to thank for the success I’ve had, and Efren will always be one
of those at the top of the list. He is an admirable confidante
in a cutthroat world, and I take great pride in introducing his
first installment of The Iron Guide.
Max David Marsh

Jackson, Mississippi
Marsh's Collection
(Small Title Here)
THE IRON GAMES
The Iron Games have been around for centuries and have
always been simple. For show, health, or sport, the goal has
been to pick up heavy things and put them down.
The implements have evolved from blunt, heavy objects to

calibrated steel weights and everything in between.
The yearning to connect with the strength and soul of legen-

dary men and women has given rise to a new meaning of the
Iron Games: the hunt, preservation, and use of vintage iron in
its many forms.
Over the years, iron enthusiasts have met, mailed, and messa-
ged to break bread, share stories, and trade goods. Recently,
the medium has evolved to include online groups and social
media. Tales are told, and all have learned that discovering
something “in the wild” evokes envy and excitement. And yes,
there’s fierce competition, arguments, and drama.
Lots of drama.
Nothing stirs heated arguments more than discussions of the

historical relevance, worth, and value of vintage iron.
The Iron Guide is the first all-encompassing reference to

provide a framework for the discussion.
Long live the Iron Games.
Efren
(Small Title Here)
IRON HUNTING
Vintage iron is not easy to acquire.
It is part of what makes it worthwhile but also what frustra-

tes many.
Every collector has a recurring dream about scoring the big

one. The one that starts with a random garage sale, a tip from
a friend, or a marketplace ad, and ends with iron gold. Undis-
turbed, in original condition, and complete.
Yes, we all have the dream. The lucky ones among us have
experienced the dream in real life, with few experiences like
it.
Finds “in the wild” are exhilarating, satisfying, and profoun-

dly addicting. It is also one of the best ways to add significant
pieces to a budding collection. Sadly, it is a bit like finding a
winning lotto scratcher in the garbage. It doesn’t happen very
often. Luck plays a part in it. Some say that luck is the only
factor that matters, but there’s more to it.
Here are the best ways to make your own luck.
Play The Numbers Game
It’s boring, tedious, and much work, but one has to put in the
effort. Search your local marketplace ads. The frequency and
search terms don’t matter as much as the consistency. Stop
by garage sales, thrift stores, and antique shops. The more
chances you give yourself, the better your odds.
Know What You Are Looking At
Vintage Iron can be found in many forms and conditions.

Plates can have bad paint jobs. Barbells can be rusted and
missing identifying marks. Strength implements can be incor-
rectly assembled or in pieces. Also, ad pictures are often blurry,
incomplete, or dimly lit. Understanding the subtle differences
across iron of different eras and makers is immensely bene-
ficial.
Ask Questions
Where there is smoke, there is usually rusty iron. If a partial

weight set is found, ask about the other pieces. If there are
collars, ask about the matching barbell. Ask about the story
of where parts came from. Sometimes there’s little to learn.
Sometimes, it leads to treasure. The cardinal rule is always to
ask if there’s anything else available for sale.
Make Friends and Build Bridges
Last and most importantly, give back to the iron commu-

nity. Be helpful to others starting that may have questions.
Conduct yourself with respect and integrity. Build genuine
relationships with others and strive to be fair in all transac-
tions. Aggressively trying to gain the upper hand in a trade
with a fellow collector leads to burnt bridges over time. The
more you give, the more you will receive in the long term.
Paramount Weights at
Gold's
(Small Title Here)
STRENGTH IMPLEMENTS
Strong is strong. It has always been black and white. Be it

through lifting, griping, carrying, or holding. Strength has
always been measurable.
But how does one obtain, maintain and increase strength?
The universal answer has relied on various objects and devi-

ces that evolved over centuries—strength implements of
many types.
These strength implements have taken many forms, closely

following manufacturing advancements at any given time.
Ultimately, the goal has always been to allow men and women
to pick up heavy things and to put them down in a way that is
as safe and convenient as possible.
Current-day loadable weights seem fundamental. However,

these are relatively new advancements in the bigger picture.
Sand-loaded and fixed-weight implements were the norm for

decades.
The evolution of the designs and construction of the tools

available for Physical Culture over the years gives an obser-
ver a window into past, present, and future training methods.
(Small Title Here)
CRAFTMANSHIP
The variation of strength implements encompasses a large

spectrum of shapes, materials, and functions. We’ve seen
Indian clubs, circus globes, shot-loaded bells, and of course,
plate-loaded bars in recent times.
Focusing for a moment on iron plates, it’s essential to discuss

the basics.
The process starts with a design, continues with the casting,

and culminates with the machining and finishing.
All vintage weights are cast iron with gray iron as the founda-
tion.
A plate’s casting quality is significant in assessing and diffe-

rentiating craftsmanship. The crispness of the lettering, the
smoothness of the surface, and the consistency in size and
weight are all byproducts of the casting quality.
Some designs have distinguished themselves, and their crea-

tors’ attention to detail has stood the test of time. The propor-
tions of the twenty-five-pound Marcy Los Angeles plates are
without equal. Jackson’s cross-hub and lead-pocket feature
blend form and function with unrivaled harmony. And, of
course, the muscle man that adorns the Zuver Hall of Fame
plates is iconic.
Another aspect that separates the higher quality plates from

the rest is the machining involved. Some plates have no
machining at all. This is not necessarily a negative; however,
the difference is tangible in the overall fit and finish.
One typical process is to machine the center bore. The fronts,

backs, and even sides are machined to varying degrees.
Earlier in the 20th century, lathes were used, and later plates
were milled. The lathing and milling served dual purposes: to
ensure consistent finishes and calibrate the weights to parti-
cular accuracy grades.
Plates with higher degrees of machining (i.e., Bergs, Jacksons,
Eleikos) typically exhibit precise fits, finishes, and weights.
It turns out that weight is not always weight.
Berg Factory, Jackson
Workshop
(Small Title Here)
WHAT IS VALUE?
What are rusty weights worth?
The value of anything is relative to its desirability and scar-

city—basic supply and demand.
This applies universally to new goods as well as collectibles.
Collectibles are generally defined as objects amassed as part

of a hobby or as a form of investment. Art and cars are strai-
ghtforward examples. Stamps and rusty iron less so.
So how should old iron be valued?
It again boils down to supply and demand.
The supply part is easy to understand, though not always

as easy to quantify. For example, we have learned through
personal records that approximately 700 Jackson 1a weight
sets were produced over the years. Unfortunately, these
types of accurate historical archives seldom exist.
As in any industry and hobby, many factors affect the demand.

These include an item’s historical and cultural impact, scar-
city, and general appeal to collectors.
The Iron Guide establishes a new framework for evaluating

iron across decades, the Iron Rating.
The methodology includes extensive empirical research, data

gathering, anecdotal evidence, collector sentiment, and firs-
t-hand market experience. Additionally, original literature
dating back to the early 1900s was reviewed and analyzed
across publishers and niches.
The culmination of this work was the creation of the five cate-
gories and values that make up the Iron Rating.
All values were awarded in a silo and evaluated compared

to bedrock specimens. For example, it is universally accepted
that the first-generation Jackson plates are extremely rare.
As such, they were awarded the highest value possible in the
Scarcity category, and every other plate was evaluated rela-
tive to that standard.
A similar approach was used in all other categories.
Market transactions were examined to account for outliers

and general volatility. While every effort was taken to remove
subjective factors, it is understood that the values can never
be exact. As such, the ranges and value groupings are quali-
fied guidelines.
Ultimately, this is a product of the collector community at

large. The community’s input over time in the form of engage-
ment, market transactions, and overall sentiment has contri-
buted to this directly or indirectly.
The Iron Guide will evolve over time.
Jackson, York, Gibson
(Small Title Here)
CONDITION
Condition plays a significant role in any industry dealing with

collectibles and antiques. Some universal terms are used to
describe the physical states of objects but convey vastly diffe-
rent meanings. For example, Mint Condition (originally only
used to classify coins) commonly indicates “perfect condition:
a state of being like new.” But a stamp in “perfect condition”
doesn’t have the same qualifications as a 45-pound plate in
“perfect condition.”
It’s also worth noting that only the two ends of the spectrum
play a significant role in vintage iron value. Mint condition
pieces typically demand a premium, while those considered
Poor lose much appeal and value.
Below are four basic terms used to describe conditions

applied to Vintage Iron.
MINT
Shows only slight signs of being used.

Original paint and finish and no rust.
EXCELLENT
Shows typical, although minor, signs of wear.

Original paint or professionally refinished/oiled, minor surface
rust, no pitting, cracks, or breaks
GOOD
Considered very useable but has some surface flaws.

Chips, minor pitting, rust, poor repainting
POOR
Shows significant signs of wear and weather.

Cracks, breaks, significant pitting, apparent welding, or J-B
Weld-like agents used for repairs.
IRON RATINGS
WEIGHT PLATES
CATEGORIES
RATINGS
RATINGS
WEIGHT
PLATES
BERG
OLYMPIC - WIDE HUB 1950s
ACCURACY: HIGH
BERG
OLYMPIC DOUBLE SIDED - WIDE HUB - MACHINED 1960s
ACCURACY: VERY HIGH
BELL FOUNDRY CO.
DEEPDISH OLYMPIC 1960s
ACCURACY: LOW
DAN LURIE
ACCURACY: MEDIUM
ELEIKO
OLYMPIC - WIDE HUB - 2ND GEN. 1950s
ACCURACY: HIGH
ELEIKO
OLYMPIC - WIDE HUB - 3RD GEN. 1960s
ACCURACY: HIGH
GIBSON
DEEPDISH OLYMPIC - CROSSHUB 1960s
ACCURACY: MEDIUM
IRON ISLAND
OLYMPIC MILLED 1990s
ACCURACY: HIGH
INTERNATIONAL
ACCURACY: MEDIUM
IVANKO BARBELL
DEEPDISH OLYMPIC - CHROME PLATED 1980s
ACCURACY: HIGH
IVANO BARBELL UNBRANDED
DEEPDISH OLYMPIC - CHROME PLATED 1970s
ACCURACY: HIGH
IVANKO BARBELL UNBRANDED
ACCURACY: HIGH
JACKSON BARBELL
NUMBER #4 - BORE DIAMETER 1.5" 1940s
ACCURACY: MEDIUM
JACKSON BARBELL
DEEPDISH OLYMPIC - CROSS HUB - 2ND GEN 1940s
ACCURACY: HIGH
JACKSON BARBELL
DEEPDISH OLYMPIC - CROSS HUB - 3RD GEN 1950s
ACCURACY: HIGH
MARCY LOS ANGELES
ACCURACY: LOW
MARS
DEEPDISH OLYMPIC - CROSSHUB 1960s
ACCURACY: MEDIUM
PARAMOUNT
DEEPDISH OLYMPIC - 1ST GEN UNMARKED 1960s
ACCURACY: MEDIUM
PARAMOUNT
DEEPDISH OLYMPIC 2ND GEN MARKED 1960s
ACCURACY: MEDIUM
SCHISLER EAGLE HEAD
ACCURACY: MEDIUM
UNIVERSAL
OLYMPIC - LATHED 1970s
ACCURACY: HIGH
WEIDER
DEEPDISH OLYMPIC - CROSSHUB - LATHED 1950s
ACCURACY: HIGH
YORK BARBELL
DEEPDISH OLYMPIC - 2ND GEN 1940s
ACCURACY: MEDIUM
YORK BARBELL
DEEPDISH OLYMPIC - MARKED 1950s
ACCURACY: MEDIUM
YORK BARBELL
ACCURACY: MEDIUM
YORK BARBELL
OLYMPIC KILOGRAM 1970s
ACCURACY: VERY HIGH
YORK BARBELL
OLYMPIC MILLED 1970s
ACCURACY: HIGH
ZUVER'S
ACCURACY: LOW
BELLS & GLOBES
JACKSON BARBELL
WAXED GLOBES
CAST QUALITY: HIGH
JACKSON BARBELL
WAXED GLOBES
CAST QUALITY: HIGH
TENNESSEE BARBELL
WAXED GLOBES
CAST QUALITY: LOW
YORK BARBELL
ROUND HEAD DUMBBELLS
CAST QUALITY: MEDIUM
YORK BARBELL
YORK BARBELL
YORK BARBELL
YORK BARBELL
BUNS - PART OF GLOBE SET
YORK BARBELL
BUNS - PART OF GLOBE SET
YORK BARBELL
GLOBES
WEIGHT
COLLARS
BERG
ELEIKO
ELEIKO
IVANKO BARBELL
JACKSON BARBELL
MARCY LA
MARS
OLYMPIC
PARAMOUNT
RUSSIAN
SCHNELL
UESAKA
UDDEHOLM
WEIDER
WERKSAN
YORK BARBELL
YORK BARBELL
YORK BARBELL
YORK BARBELL
ZKC
OTHER

STRENGTH
IMPLEMENTS

MILO Co.
TRIPLEX KETTLEBELL 1912

YORK BARBELL
SWING BAR - WARTIME MODEL 1940s
COURTESY OF MPOTTER

JOWETT
ADJUSTABLE SILENT DUMBBELL 1ST GEN 1928

SANDOW
GRIP DUMB-BELLS 1890s

JACKSON BARBELL
LOADABLE EXHIBITION GLOBE 1940s

MILO Co.
SMALL TRIPLEX BARBELL - 7.5" 1916

TITUS
LOADABLE DUMB BELL - PLATED 1910

STRONGFORT
MANY WEIGHTS JR BAR-BELL 1900s

WEIDER
WAXED ADJUSTABLE GO-GO BELLS 1950s

MILO Co.
TRIPLEX BELL FIRST GEN. 1908

STRENGTH
COMPANIES

ADRIAN P. SCHMIDT
NEW YORK, NEW YORK B. 1872
Professor Adrian P. Schmidt, having German heritage, was

born in France in 1872. As a young adult, he moved to New
York City and gained notoriety with feats of strength. Unlike
other strongmen of the era, Schmidt did not possess an intimi-
dating presence. Quite the opposite, he was only five feet and
two inches tall. Nevertheless, he used this as an advantage
with feats that benefited from his slight frame. His one-arm
pinch grip pull-ups were widely admired.
With time, he gained enough of a following to open his training

studio and continued performing to gain clients.
He combined his skills as an artist with his passion for physi-

cal culture to produce training literature, including some of
the first mail-order training guides produced.
Professor Schmidt was also a noted inventor and paten-

ted several exercise machines and strength implements. He
received one of the earliest patents in 1905 for a shot-loaded
dumbbell that was explicitly designed not to have any protru-
ding pieces that may harm or obstruct the user.

BELL FOUNDRY CO.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 1923
Bell Foundry was established as an iron foundry in 1923 by

Henry Bork, and has operated on its current site in the Grea-
ter Los Angeles basin since 1927.
The firm stayed in the family for three generations and in

1953, Henry’s grandson, Jim DeWald, purchased the foundry
to continue the family legacy.
Around the same time in a different part of town, another
member of the Bork family, Jerry Bork, opened his own busi-
ness establishing Jerebar Corporation aluminum foundry.
Through it all, Jim and Jerry remained close friends and always
supported one another’s businesses.
The Bell Foundry branched out to produce exercise equip-

ment for custom orders including those for Zuver’s Gym. Later
they developed their own line of weights that were produced
in Los Angeles until ultimately importing them.
BFCO is still in operation today although it’s business is now

focused primarily on aluminum products.
SOURCE: BFCO History

ELEIKO
HALMSTAD, SWEDEN 1957- PRESENT
Eleiko was founded in the Swedish town of Halmstad in 1928.
Initially their main products were electric appliances such as

waffle irons and toasters but in 1957 the factory supervisor
approached the company’s owner Tyra Johansson with the
idea of producing a barbell. The supervisor, Mr Hellström, was
himself a keen weightlifter and wanted to tackle the problem
of weightlifting bars breaking all the time during competition.
Hellström made a bar of a special, hardened kind of steel

and gave the knurling of the bar a waffle pattern. The Eleiko
bar was introduced in 1963 at the World Weightlifting Cham-
pionships in Stockholm and it immediately revolutionized
the world of weightlifting since the bar could last an entire
competition without bending or cracking which had been the
case prior to the introduction of Eleiko bars.
SOURCE: ELEIKO HISTORY, WIKI

IVANKO BARBELL
SAN PEDRO, CALIFORNIA 1967- PRESENT
In 1967, a young engineer passionate about bodybuilding and

fitness realized that current manufacturers of free weights
and strength equipment just “didn’t get it”.
That man was Tom Lincir, founder of Ivanko Barbell.
Since then he has made it his mission to introduce innovation

to the fitness industry and perfect existing technologies.
Today, Ivanko Barbell has a rich history of producing high

quality and time tested products including urethane weight
plates, dumbbells and barbells, pro-style dumbbells, Olympic
bars and power bars, competition bumper plates and more.
SOURCE: IRON

JACKSON BARBELL
SPRINGFIELD, NEW JERSEY 1932
Andy Jackson produced some of the finest weightlifting equip-

ment in the world from a machine shop outfitted in the base-
ment of his house.
He did this for over three decades.
The extraordinary care and attention to detail that went into

the manufacturing his equipment is one of the reasons Jack-
son Iron is one of the most sought after.
He defined "hand crafted" in a time where weights were

largely mass produced.
To this day, the accuracy that his weights posess compared to

modern day equipment is outstanding.

MARCY CO.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 1946 - PRESENT
Walter Marcyan, born 1913 in Chicago was the founder of

Marcy Co. He was a well-known competitive weightlifter,
bodybuilder, performing Strongman hand-balancing acts.
Marcyan committed himself to a life dedicated to exercise,
physical conditioning, and agility.
At age eighteen, Walt received his first set of dumbbells, and

began competitive weightlifting soon after. He went on to
win the Pacific coast Championship in 1937, and the Califor-
nia State Championship and the Golden Gate International
Exposition Championship in 1939.
He also trained as a contestant in the first Mr. USA contest

where he placed sixth in his division, which marked the
beginning of the bodybuilding profession.
In 1946, Marcyan then opened his famous House of Health,

the first of seven gyms in the Los Angeles area, offering perso-
nal training to assist members with full amenities that inclu-
ded a juice bar, sauna, wet steam, and game room. During
this time, he began to design fitness equipment, which led to
the opening of his production facility for the “Marcy Gymna-
sium Equipment Company” in Glendale CA.
Source: Marcy Co.

YORK BARBELL
YORK, PENNSYLVANIA 1932 - PRESENT
Bob Hoffman, the founder of York Barbell, was named “Father

of World Weightlifting” by the International Weightlifting Fede-
ration.
He bought the Milo Barbell Company and founded York

Barbell in 1932.
Among the company's first employees were weightlifters

Tony Terlazzo and John Terpak.
Hoffman starting creating barbells in 1929, the same year he

began to host meets in the oil burner factory.
During the Second World War, York Barbell supplied barbells

to the United States military. When the war ended, the demand
for barbells increased due to the military personnel returning
home who had been exposed to weightlifting during the war.
From the decades of the 1930s through the 1970s, York Barbell
sponsored over 40 national champions and numerous Olym-
pic gold medalists.
Source: York, Wiki

John Davis

STRENGTH
HISTORY

JACKSON BARBELL
YOUR PHYSIQUE 1942

JACKSON BARBELL
IRON MAN 1946

WEIDER
MUSCLE POWER 1948

MARCY LOS ANGELES
IRON MAN 1948

WEIDER
MUSCLE POWER 1948

DAN LURIE
IRON MAN 1948

WEIDER
MUSCLE POWER 1949

DYMECK CURLING BAR
IRON MAN 1949

MARCY LOS ANGELES
IRON MAN 1949

ROSEMONT BARBELLS
IRON MAN 1949

BODY CULTURE
IRON MAN 1950

LAURENCE HEALTH CO.
IRON MAN 1950

MARCY LOS ANGELES
IRON MAN 1950

PARAMOUNT BARBELLS
IRON MAN 1950

WEIDER
MUSCLE POWER 1952

WEIDER
MUSCLE POWER 1952

A.E. JOHNSON
IRON MAN 1952

IRON MAN BARBELL
IRON MAN 1953

JACKSON BARBELL
IRON MAN 1953

WEIDER
MUSCLE POWER 1954

WEIDER
MUSCLE POWER 1954

MARCY LOS ANGELES
IRON MAN 1956

G. REDPATH
IRON MAN 1960

JUBINVILLE
IRON MAN 1961

PARAMOUNT CO.
IRON MAN 1961

JACKSON BARBELL
IRON MAN 1962

TOMMY KONO
IRON MAN 1962

REKORDNAIA STANGA
IRON MAN 1962

JUBINVILLE
IRON MAN 1964

IRON MAN
IRON MAN 1964

ATLANTA BARBELL
IRON MAN 1964

ELEIKO
IRON MAN 1966

ELEIKO
IRON MAN 1968

IRON MAN
IRON MAN 1969

BFCO - IRON MAN
IRON MAN 1974

JUBINVILLE
IRON MAN 1977

CRAIN POWER
IRON MAN 1981

BICEP BOOSTER
IRON MAN 1982

IVANKO
IRON MAN 1984

(Small Title Here)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This work would not have been possible without the passio-
nate community of the Iron Game.
I want to thank the following who inspired and supported me

to reach this milestone.
I would also like to thank the following who helped fuel my

passion for the Iron.

(Small Title Here)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
The noted Vintage Weight collector and authority, Efren, has
enjoyed a passion for Physical Culture his entire life.
The equipment in his gym was modest for many years until
he decided to dip his toe in the water and build a dedicated
garage gym.
He gained worldwide notoriety as EfrenLifts for creating a

highly customized and sophisticated home gym when custom
gear for private home gyms was nearly nonexistent. He redis-
covered the joy of the Iron along the way.
Born out of a desire to help new and experienced fans of

Vintage Weights and the Iron Game, Efren worked to create a
universal reference to introduce the passion to more people.
Efren lives in Southern California with his wife and two daugh-
ters. He's an avid handyman and enjoys tinkering with the
latest smart home technologies.

–
TH E I R O N GU I D E
The Iron Games have been around for centuries
and have always been simple. For show, health,
or sport, the goal has been to pick up heavy things
and put them down.
The implements have evolved from blunt, heavy
objects to calibrated steel weights and everything
in between.
The yearning to connect with the strength and soul
of legendary men and women has given rise to a
new meaning of the Iron Games: the hunt, preser-
vation, and use of vintage iron in its many forms.
"In an astonishingly organic way, Efren has become a

representative figure in the world of Vintage Iron.
He has cultivated and earned a reputation of being a fair

deal maker, a hard-working bridge builder and a relentless
truth-seeker."
- Max David Marsh

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THE

4TH REVISION - 2022

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or

Front Cover Image and Design by @EfrenLifts

Weight: Eleiko Olympic 20kg 2nd Gen.

First Edition 2022 4th Revision

BELLS & GLOBES 65

STRENGTH IMPLEMENTS 103

STRENGTH COMPANIES 115

STRENGTH HISTORY 125

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 169

I messaged Efren for the first time on March 23rd, 2021 at

Generally speaking, widespread confidence in Efren’s knowle-

In an astonishingly organic way, Efren has become a repre-

By compiling The First Edition of The Iron Guide, Efren has

Thanks in part to Efren’s incessantly helpful disposition, I have

Max David Marsh

The implements have evolved from blunt, heavy objects to

The yearning to connect with the strength and soul of legen-

Nothing stirs heated arguments more than discussions of the

The Iron Guide is the first all-encompassing reference to

Long live the Iron Games.

Vintage iron is not easy to acquire.

It is part of what makes it worthwhile but also what frustra-

Every collector has a recurring dream about scoring the big

Finds “in the wild” are exhilarating, satisfying, and profoun-

Here are the best ways to make your own luck.

Play The Numbers Game

Know What You Are Looking At

Vintage Iron can be found in many forms and conditions.

Where there is smoke, there is usually rusty iron. If a partial

Make Friends and Build Bridges

Last and most importantly, give back to the iron commu-

Strong is strong. It has always been black and white. Be it

But how does one obtain, maintain and increase strength?

The universal answer has relied on various objects and devi-

These strength implements have taken many forms, closely

Current-day loadable weights seem fundamental. However,

Sand-loaded and fixed-weight implements were the norm for

The evolution of the designs and construction of the tools

The variation of strength implements encompasses a large

Focusing for a moment on iron plates, it’s essential to discuss

The process starts with a design, continues with the casting,

A plate’s casting quality is significant in assessing and diffe-

Some designs have distinguished themselves, and their crea-

Another aspect that separates the higher quality plates from

One typical process is to machine the center bore. The fronts,

It turns out that weight is not always weight.

What are rusty weights worth?

The value of anything is relative to its desirability and scar-

This applies universally to new goods as well as collectibles.

Collectibles are generally defined as objects amassed as part

So how should old iron be valued?

It again boils down to supply and demand.

The supply part is easy to understand, though not always

As in any industry and hobby, many factors affect the demand.

The Iron Guide establishes a new framework for evaluating

The methodology includes extensive empirical research, data

All values were awarded in a silo and evaluated compared

A similar approach was used in all other categories.

Market transactions were examined to account for outliers

Ultimately, this is a product of the collector community at

The Iron Guide will evolve over time.

Condition plays a significant role in any industry dealing with