Phone Book Ripping (Read 14606 times)

unclesomebody · March 03, 2006, 02:52:30 pm

In the big spring clean that's happening in my house, I was about to put a phone book in the bin when I thought i'd try to rip in two... How hard can it be i thought? So I tried a couple of times, pretty hard tries too! No luck. Then my girlfriend just told me to turn it around, so you have the spine in your hands, and BOOM!!! One ripped phonebook. It's only the 800 page one, not a yellow pages, but I'm keen to get a yellow pages done soon...

photos attached for those who might doubt my mighty claims

Johnny Brown · March 03, 2006, 02:56:58 pm

My hero :roll:

Gonna bench press a mini next?

jonas · March 03, 2006, 03:16:28 pm

I don't know, I'm not exactly sober, but this cracked me up more than any other thread in ages.

LongMonkey · March 03, 2006, 03:26:25 pm

Top effort! I always thought you kinda tapered the pages to tear something really thick like a yellow pages. I've tried The Universal catalogue before, without success. Maybe this thread could generate some technique tips! GET TEARING! :x

Jim · March 03, 2006, 06:34:18 pm

I've got a few old yellow pages knocking around, I'm pretty pysched.

andy_e · March 03, 2006, 06:45:40 pm

I tried to tear a birthday card up the other day to no avail...

Fiend · March 03, 2006, 08:08:07 pm

Well done but your halves are not very halfy....

unclesomebody · March 16, 2006, 12:59:22 pm

After much hard work, dedication, and strict dieting, I have now taken it to a new personal level... The Yellow Pages.

Note that, once again, I did not manage to rip it clean in two equal halves. Instead I seem to be ripping it straight and then at an angle. Perhaps you could give me some pointers Fiend?

LongMonkey · March 16, 2006, 02:00:31 pm

Waddage! Share your technique.....was that starting from the spine? Did you rough up (bend it about a bit) the spine first?

unclesomebody · March 16, 2006, 02:36:27 pm

to be honest, I just tried very very hard. Grabbed the spine and just tried to break/rip it. I had tried this a few days before and it felt impossible, but I think it always feels nails until you get that first bit of rippage and then it all comes. However, with the yellow pages, i found that I had ripped halfway down and then I kind of stopped. Had to have a rest for 2 minutes and then finish the rip. Seriously, I was pretty wasted afterwards. For me, it was hard. ALso note, your yellow pages could be thicker. Ours was only 1312 pages.

I think that my daily meditation and diet also helped a lot though. 6 hours of deep concentrative meditation and one carrot a day gave me the edge I needed.

dave · March 16, 2006, 06:52:35 pm

so hang on though, maybe all those unsucessful attempts weakened it up a bit? I would like to see what is the biggest thing you can rip on the flash attempt, in one push. No thumbs.

andy_e · March 16, 2006, 07:07:12 pm

did you chalk up?

widdop · March 16, 2006, 10:02:32 pm

dry one in a oven or on a radiater, then try a damp one

andy_e · March 16, 2006, 10:12:40 pm

Ouch, i've got papercuts all over my hands form my five minute man-on-phone book with the March 1994 South Manchester... I ripped it considerably, but not in half... Photos as soon as I can be arsed posting them.

tommytwotone · March 17, 2006, 12:28:06 am

word, my semi-lashed up efforts on the london 2003/2004 have come to nothing more than sore hands and a resolutely whole phone book.

If it's any help to prospective attempts, leverage seems a key factor - is bracing the bastard over one's knee allowed?

Props to uncle, effort.

james · March 17, 2006, 11:35:08 am

phone book down, bring on the big yellow. I have the same problem of sideways ripping, any ideas anyone?

Fiend · March 17, 2006, 11:42:46 am

Phone books are the new Captains Of Crush, lol

Palomides · March 17, 2006, 12:33:26 pm

There's no way I'm going to try any of this stuff, as I fear my stick-man arms might go before the phone book.

But check this stuff out - a quick google reveals that most bigstrongbaldylads seem to be ripping their phonebooks in half lengthways like this

Quote

You are now in position and ready to tear through it. In one fast, forceful, and fluid motion, KEEP QUEEZING THE BOOK TOGETHER WITH YOUR PECS AS HARD AS YOU CAN while rotating your hands so that they go from being palms facing down to palms facing up. This will create a tear in the book. Depending on your strength level, the book with either completely tear in half (if you are very strong) or tear only a little bit (if you are not as strong).

Tip: Make sure your grip is as tight as possible throughout the entire movement. If the book slides in your hands, you will not be able to tear the book in half.

Oh, but apparently doing the spine first is the easy way

Video here, but it only loads half-way for me
http://www.armwrestling-supersite.com/phonebook_hard.htm

And how about decks of playing cards

http://www.heavysports.com/emag/Clay_Edgin/cards.html

Or bottlecaps? A friend met some american at Ceuse who used to crush bottle caps between his fingers, commenting "when you can do that, you'll onsight 5.13 easy"

unclesomebody · March 17, 2006, 12:59:19 pm

SWEET! Let's take it to the next level!

Lengthway ripping is interesting, I might have a go in a minute... just need to find more phonebooks

And where can I get one of those t-shirts? "Real men arm wrestle" Genius

SA Chris · March 17, 2006, 01:33:51 pm

Quote from: "Palomides"

Or bottlecaps? A friend met some american at Ceuse who used to crush bottle caps between his fingers, commenting "when you can do that, you'll onsight 5.13 easy"

Bottlecaps are not that hard, as I can do them in a pinch between thumb and pointer finger (if that's what you mean, not between two fingers?) and I'm weak as a kitten. Just apply constant pressure and increase as it starts to fold. The challenging one is to fold it backwards. Pain threshold needs to be high, as it gouges great holes in your fingers. Recommended only when drunk.

LongMonkey · March 17, 2006, 02:05:38 pm

Brill Googling Palomides! Gonna test that technique out over the weekend (weather's crap anyway!), let you know how I get on.

Jim · March 17, 2006, 02:50:11 pm

if you find them t-shirts uncle, get me one. wadage.

I've done 2 tompson local's approx 400 and 500 pages, these are the trainer
Bt phone book next got 968 pages (no.1) and then yellow pages with 1092 pages (no.2). Just trying to heal a finger at the mo so gonna leave it till next week

unclesomebody · March 17, 2006, 02:52:09 pm

Jim, I've found the shirts, about $20 each including shipping. You need to take it up a notch, this is like when you couldn't close the number 1 all over again! ha ha... and my yellow pages had 1312 pages! You've got a soft one for the grade!

Jim · March 17, 2006, 02:55:17 pm

yeah but I recon our pages are thicker or something.
curse that no.1 I was 0.1 mm of closing it. one day eh

Johnny Brown · March 17, 2006, 05:23:28 pm

Shouldn't uncle's shirt read:

"Real men win at arm wrestling by changing the rules as soon as they start losing"

:?:

Phone Book Ripping (Read 14606 times)

dave