The Long, Lost Ship Wheels
by Thom Van Vleck
The old “Ship Wheel” Collars compared to later types.
Collars for weights are an interesting topic to me. The “spin” type collars have been around for a long time. They have clamps that tighten down with nuts and then they have a “spin” collar that turns into the weight to tighten it down. Since these came into use there seems to have been a hundred new versions come out. Kind of like the mouse trap…everyone invents a new one yet the good, old spring snap traps still seem to work the best.
Over the decades the old spin collars seem to have not changed much. But they have and it’s a change not many would notice and few are left who would remember when they did change. The short version is that the first collars York made had large ends like the above photo but were even larger than in the photo. They were red, had brass wing nuts and were made up until WWII. During, and for a period after, the war there was a shortage of iron. In 1948 York redesigned the collar as the “nubs” tended to snap off and what you see above on the left is a representation of that redesign. They made these to some time in the late 50’s (I’ve heard 1958) and then evidently had a back stock that lasted until 1963 as people bought them up to that time. After that if you ordered collars individually or as part of a set you’d get the version on the right above.
This is a minor issue in the world in general, and even for most of the lifting world. Maybe a topic for collectors and for those of us who just find some things “cooler” that have some character. I’m one of those guys. But here’s the rest of the story.
Way back in the day when my Uncle’s had saved for their first Olympic set they had to drive 180 miles to Kansas City to purchase and pick up the set. It was a big deal. They had saved for some time and that set of weights became the core set of many to follow and used by the Jackson Weightlifting Club (JWC) that created a Teenage National Champion, many state champs, too many contests to name, won two team state championships, and has had over 100 members over the years. That set is in my gym and is still used to this day. Well, almost.
I have the original bar and the original plated, including the “deep dish” York plates. I had every part of that set….except the collars. When I first started lifting in the mid 70s with my Uncle Wayne the JWC had fallen on hard times and the equipment kept in a barn with a dirt floor covered with wooden platforms warped from the damp and the weights being dropped on them. There was no heat, no air conditioning…..it was pretty spartan and the weights rusted. I cleaned them up and painted them.
There was a set of Ship Wheel collars but half the nubs were missing. When they would rust he would bang them loose with another plate and they eventually started to break off. At some point they got thrown away and I assumed lost forever. I recalled them being red and I always assumed they were a part of the original set.
Then I made a trip to visit one of the original members, Wayne Gardner. When he left the club in late 60’s he had taken a York set that he had shared with the club. He was selling some stuff as he is no longer able to lift heavy. I saw those collars and immediately asked for them. He shot me a more than fair price and I was pretty happy to have a set of those collars that was just like the collars that came with that original set.
I was about to get an even bigger surprise.
As I asked Gardner about them he told me the story. When he left the club he took his set but he had bought this set used in 1957 from a doctor in Kansas City who he thought had bought it prior to WWII. That was where those red collars had come from. He said he was mad that the other guys had broken his collars so they let him take the collars from that FIRST SET! And here they were!
I don’t have to tell you how special a moment this was for me. After all these years to have the original collars that belonged on that first York Olympic set. I felt very blessed. They were soon home and I loaded up the old bar with all the old weights and slide those collars on. It had been at least 45 years since that set had been loaded as it was the day they bought it.
Of course, I had to lift it! A fitting end….and you can bet I won’t be using another plate to knock these collars loose if they lock up!
