From Blog
In praise of Raja
The unsung hero who scrubs every piece of our kit each week with a 3M pad and coconut oil — and why, if you'll own equipment for decades, stainless steel pays for itself.
Published
by Adarsh Gopal
One of the unsung heroes of our little gym is Raja. For the last five years, every single week, he shows up and scrubs down every bit of kit with a 3M scrub pad and coconut oil.
He is meticulous. Pads come off. Equipment gets flipped. Every bit of gear gets the treatment. The result: even a ten-year-old squat rack and barbell, and a six-year-old glute-ham machine, still look as good as the day they were made. There’s some mild patina and scuffing — but wine would want to age like this gear does.
This isn’t just an equipment wipe-down. Stainless steel can be cleaned, and its rust resistance leaves a surface that looks even and matte. Even the eighteen-month-old push-pull rig still sparkles, thanks to Raja’s attention.
The upfront cost of stainless steel does make it onerous. But if you plan to own, operate or use equipment for decades, it really does pay for itself.