Mash Monster Level 1, CoC #4, and Left Hand Progress

Mike and I finally got our cert all squared away for the Mash Monster Level 1 gripper. Mike took a ride down to DC on Monday night so we could film our attempts. It was a total debacle: 3 cameras, 2 griptards, 1 gripper. Don't get me started on the $1200 HD video camera...it sure takes a pretty HD picture - just try getting your footage off the damn camera in a usable format. Yeah. Sweet. The bottom line here is we both successfully closed the gripper and were awarded Mash Monster Level 1 status. Once our profiles are completed and uploaded onto the Mash Monster site I'll post the link. I am the 58th man in the world to officially close the MM1 gripper and Mike is the 59th. Here's the vid:



As soon as we got the 'Three Whites' call, I immediately signed us up for the MM2. The roster is shorter, so I'll be looking forward to this sooner rather than later.

A big thanks to Mike's wife Melissa and daughter Lindsey for coming out and running the camera and back-up camera. It would have been much harder without the help!

So...I've been squawking about trying to close this CoC #4 for a while now. I've been following the progress of a few other folks on the Gripboard who are chasing the CoC #4 as well. There are some really strong crushers out there right now! My grippers have been doing really well lately, so I thought I'd give the CoC #4 a try tonight. I actually tried the other day; but, I didn't have enough rest from the MM1, so it wasn't a solid attempt.

I've had a few folks ask me how close I'm getting on the CoC #4; but, I hate to speculate so I always just tell them, "I'm getting closER." I decided to break out the camera for grippers tonight just to get a CoC #4 attempt on video. I think I've been a little closer...but not much. This is about as solid an attempt on this gripper as I've ever had. Every 1/16" is progress on this thing.



I've closed Mike's CoC #3 with my left hand a few times. I've missed my CoC #3 and Eaton's CoC #3 COUNTLESS times. So many times it's silly. So many times it's amazing I still try! HAHA! I picked up Eaton's CoC #3 tonight and finally felt the handles touch lefty! I can't mash it to hell yet; but, they touched. Just tapped. Tap tap taparoo. I'm pretty pumped.

More to come.

Goody