About Staniewicz Strength Equipment (SSE)

Hi, my name is Zach Staniewicz. I started SSE to get the equipment that I wanted and knew other folks wanted. SSE makes old school American made strength equipment. I have been strength training since I was in high school and have always had a interest in old school strength equipment. Right now we have Thomas Inch dumbbells/circus dumbbells in various sizes, Inch dumbbell training handles, blobs/block weights, and a anvil horn trainer. All of the castings are poured at a foundry in Jacksboro, TN. The inventory of equipment is actively being added to.

Wood Blanks

Dumbbell patterns start as wood blanks before they are turned on a lathe

Dumbbell Patterns

The 75lb , 50 lb, and 25 lb Inch dumbbell wood patterns finished for the foundry

Hand Turned Patterns

The 185 lb Inch dumbbell pattern shown to the left. I turn these Inch dumbbell patterns for the foundry in my garage. The wood for the patterns are made with local red oak from a sawmill in the upstate of South Carolina.

Steel Pipe Handle Insert

As of 12/25/2025 all dumbbell handles will have a steel 2.375" OD steel pipe for your Thomas Inch dumbbell handle. The steel pipe handle offers a more consistent handle with less defects. The steel handle will season very well with chalk and sweat. As cast handles have seam's that can be inconsistent and cause defects that add to operation cost.

SSE Inch Training Handle

The SSE training handle simulates the same fell as a globe Inch Dumbbell. It has the same diameter and length as the original, but is adjustable. They take 1" hole standard plates that are generally $1/lb on used market and and consolidated enough that they are not too bulky when building a dumbbell. The bolts lock the plates into the handle and simulate the same spin/roll as a solid casted dumbbell. If you can lift 172lb on the trainging handle you can lift a 172 lb inch dumbbell.

Georner / Apollon barbell's

Goerner barbell: 2.375" diameter, 52" long, 22 lbs

Inspired by Herman Goerner's globe 331 lb barbell

Apollon barbell: 1.9" diameter, 51" long, 15.5 lbs

Inspired by Luis Uni's/ Apollon's 366 lb railroad axle bar

Weight loading details

Weights are bolted onto barbell with a 1"-8 bolt.

Bar acts as a solid piece, with a tendency to roll more, vs a bar with rotating sleeves, or loose plates

Blobs

the original York "fatman" blob nex to the SSE 53 blob replica, and the 47 lb blob

Seasoned Blobs

the SSE 53 lb blob next to the SSE 47 lb blob. The texture on these blobs holds chalk well, and is very consistent.

The SSE Anvil

The SSE Anvil with the fixed adapter. The anvil horn was casted to replicate a 100 lb anvil horn. The anvil is set up with a fixed adapter to simulate the tilt of a anvil as it is when lifting a actual anvil.

The Jowett Anvil

The 172 lb anvil that George Jowett supposedly cleaned and pressed with one hand. It currently resides at the Stark Center in Autsin, TX. Anvil lifting dates back 100's of years as a test of strength.

Anvil loading options

Fixed Adapter- set up to simulate angle of actual anvil

Swivel D-ring- uses a bearing to prevent torque when lifting

Eye Bolt- uses a SS traditional eye bolt to attach a loading pin

SSE hat. Made with a Richardson 112 hat, black mesh, grey fron panel. The patch is heat pressed and sewn on, made to last.

Coming soon, traditional globe dumbbells with a 1.125" steel handle, 4.5" long. 10lb 15lb and 20 lb bell patterns shown.

Venmo

Zelle

PayPal

a 3% charge will be added to invoice for paypal payments

FAQ’s

What is the ordering process?

Please contact me by email or social media. Dumbbells are made to order at this time. After the dumbbell is paid for the order will go in to the foundry. It takes 2-5 weeks to have the dumbbell made. After the dumbbell is made it will be put on a pallet and a shipping rate will be billed to the customer. After the freight shipping is paid the dumbbell will be sent to the customer.

The Inch training handle, blobs, anvils and t shirts are shipped through ups or usps the same week the order is put in.

Dumbbells are shipped out from the foundry from Jacksboro, TN. Dumbbells can be picked up from the foundry to waive any shipping cost. Dumbbells are shipped by a freight shipping company on a pallet. Dumbbells are typically shipped to the customers closest service center for pickup to waive a $100 plus charge for a truck with a lift gate. Below or actual shipping cost from recent dumbbell orders to give you a idea of the cost to ship dumbbells.

$262 – 172 lb,125 lb dumbbells Jacksboro, TN to Indianapolis, IN

$260- 125 lb dumbbell, Jacksboro, TN to Golden, CO

$200 – 172 lb dumbbell, Jacksboro, TN to Philadelphia, PA

$425- (2) 110 lb, (2) 125 lb (2) 138 lb, Jacksboro, TN to St. Paul, MN

$270 110 lb, 125 lb, 138 lb dumbbells, Jacksboro, TN to San Antonio, TX

How do your blobs compare to original blobs?

The texture of SSE castings have a good texture that hold chalk very well. So the biggest difference between original blobs and SSE blobs is the gritty texture. The width and slopes of SSE blobs were replicated after the original width and slope of the original ½ of the 100 lb dumbbell.

What size bolts do I need for the Inch training handle or the Goerner/Apollon barbell?

I suggest getting your standard 1" hole plates first to figure out how tall they stack up when laying on there flat side. If you are trying to make a 100 lb Inch training handle, I would stack up you (5) 10lb plates flat on the ground that you are going to use, measure how tall/thick they are and add 1/2"

minimum and that is how long of a bolt you will need. You only need about 2 full turns on the bolt to lock the plates in tightly to the handle/barbell.

Staniewicz Strength Equipment

SSE Inventory (updated 1/23/2026)

Thomas Inch Dumbbells

78 lb $240

100 lb $305

110 lb $330

125 lb $375

138 lb $405

153 lb $460

160 lb $480

169 lb $505

172 lb $515

190 lb $570

200 lb $600

210 lb $630

Inch Training handle $70

Goerner barbell $175

Apollon barbell $165

4” bolts pair $12

6” bolts pair $16

8” bolts pair $18

9” bolts pair $20

47 lb blob $150

53 lb blob $165

Anvil “Stanvil” horn $110

Fixed adapter for anvil $50

Swivel D ring for anvil $15

Eye bolt for anvil $5

SSE t-shirt $23

SSE hat $25

Contact information

email: zstan3@aol.com

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