Does anyone know how to best preven rust on bars. I just got a new York chrome-plated Olympic bar, & with the hot, humid weather approaching (in SC) I am afraid it will start to rust (my gym is in my basement). I have heard that if you use chalk regularly that that will prevent rust. Anyone have experience with bar maintenance?
Joe,
Good question, reminds me of the old saying “A Mechanic is only as good as his tools” The reason for the chalk is that it helps keep the oils from your hands from getting on the bar which causes it to rust. Chalk or lifting gloves are both helpful measures and a wipe down after every time you used it. However if you start seeing some little rust spots pop up get some steel wool and you can pretty much “wipe” the rust off and you should have no problem if you take care of it regularly, time for another cliche’ “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” know what mean? Hope I helped.
A chrome plated bar should not rust, unless you chip the chrome off the bar. That is why chrome is plated on bumpers and is added to steel to make it stainless steel. I could see the barrel where you put the weight chipping, so you could regularly apply a little WD-40 just on the barrels and that should help reduce possible rusting. This was done at my old gym that was in a basement in Kansas, which gets pretty humid in the summers, and the bars held up for years.
Chrome shouldn’t rust unless its chipped. Would have suggested a stainless bar.