Standard Grippers

Standard Grippers are an American line of torsion-spring hand grippers developed and sold by Matt Cannon through Cannon PowerWorks (CPW). Introduced in April 2021, the line was designed around closely spaced training levels rather than large nominal jumps. Model names are metals, and the corresponding chemical symbol is engraved or stamped on one handle.^[1]

Second-generation production prototype posted by Matt Cannon in April 2023. The visible cross-pins distinguish the revised construction.^[4]

• Owner and designer: Matt Cannon / Cannon PowerWorks
• Country: United States
• Introduced: April 2021
• Construction: Aluminum handles, steel torsion spring
• Status: Active line; availability varies by production batch
• Official collection: Cannon PowerWorks Standard Grippers

Development

Cannon announced the original nine-level line on April 2, 2021 and opened sales on April 21.^[2] CPW described the purpose as filling several RGC ranges in which comparatively few stock grippers were then available, especially around 90–95, 135–140, 160–165 and 190–195 lb.^[1] The intended averages were therefore part of the design, not conversions from another maker's advertised poundage.

The first generation was produced in small batches with significant hand work. Cannon identified a machinist named Tom as the line's principal engineer and credited him with planning, fabrication and maintenance of the Standard products.^[4] Production was interrupted after Tom's unexpected death in December 2022.

During 2023 CPW moved handle manufacture and assembly to another Minnesota shop. The revised process retained the existing springs but introduced machine-engraved markings and pinned handles. Cannon referred to these as production changes intended to preserve the original look and feel while making manufacture more repeatable.^[4]

Construction and identification

Current regular-production examples are described by CPW as having:

• Pinned aluminum handles
• Aggressive knurling and beveled handle ends
• Oil-tempered steel springs with an oxidized finish
• An SG logo on one handle
• The model's chemical symbol on the other handle
• Components made and assembled in the United States by small businesses^[3]

Early examples can differ. First-generation grippers were primarily assembled with glued handles and were made in smaller, more manual batches. Second-generation handles are cross-pinned, and their SG and level markings were physically engraved during machining rather than applied by laser.^[4]

The springs are not painted or polished. Cannon stated that the springs are turned, briefly baked for stress relief, cleaned and protected with oil.^[2] Surface oxidation or changes in the oil film should therefore be considered alongside the construction generation when identifying a used example.

Regular model ladder

The original line contained nine levels. Chromium was added later above Tungsten. The values below are CPW's target or advertised average RGC ratings, not guaranteed measurements for every specimen.^[2][3]

The metal names indicate increasing model difficulty; the handles and springs are not made from the named metals. Chromium is currently described by CPW as averaging 235 lb RGC.^[6]

Rating, spread and assembly

A model's average is a useful placement guide, but an individual gripper may rate above or below it. CPW's system controls several variables during assembly, including spring wire, coil diameter, mounting depth and handle spread. The line uses a slightly larger coil diameter than many comparable torsion-spring grippers, which CPW says shifts some common spring sizes into different RGC ranges.^[1]

At launch, Cannon reported typical spreads of about 2.85–3 inches. He also explained that spring preload angle influences the final spread and therefore the rating.^[2] Later production used mounting depth to compensate for spring-angle variation: a narrower spring could be mounted closer to the coil to increase difficulty, while a wider spring could be mounted farther away to reduce it.^[7]

This is why two Standard grippers with the same model marking can have different measured ratings or spreads. For training comparisons, an actual RGC rating is more specific than the model's advertised average.

Special production runs

Several Standard variants arose from spring batches outside the regular model specifications. Unobtanium was a separate serialized model.

Legacy Tribute

In September 2023, Matt Cannon explained that the Legacy Tribute grippers had been assembled the previous year from Iron springs that were wider than intended. Different mounting depths produced examples ranging from 140 to 167 lb RGC. Remaining springs from that batch subsequently became the basis for Nickel.^[8]

Copper (Cu)

Copper appeared in December 2023 from a batch of Platinum springs whose preload angle produced narrower grippers and lower ratings. Cannon reported an average spread near 65 mm and early ratings from approximately 102 to 110 lb, most commonly 105–107 lb.^[5] He later estimated that 289 were produced and stated in February 2025 that Copper was off the market.^[5]

Copper was not part of the original nine-level lineup. Cannon said he had initially skipped the name because the symbols Co and Cu could be confused; the out-of-spec Platinum spring batch created a practical place for it later.^[5]

Nickel (Ni)

Nickel used Iron springs that were too wide to become regular Iron models. CPW intentionally used three mounting depths to produce a broad range rather than one target average. All Nickel examples were sold pre-rated with their spread listed, and documented batches ranged from roughly 145 to nearly 170 lb RGC.^[7]

Nickel therefore cannot be summarized by a single reliable model average. The rating tag and recorded spread are essential parts of identifying a particular example.

Unobtanium

Unobtanium was a serialized special-production Standard gripper rather than part of the regular metal ladder. Despite the fictional material often being spelled "unobtainium," CPW used the spelling Unobtanium on the gripper and in its announcements.^[8]

The first production group comprised 70 grippers assembled with glued handles. Cannon later announced 30 pinned examples for 2023, bringing the announced first production total to 100. On October 1, 2023, he said he expected the pinned batch to restart numbering at 1. The announcement described the first 100, not a permanent lifetime limit; further production remained possible.^[8] The original production-transition discussion separately recorded that 30 Unobtanium springs remained and that the spring maker had found the order difficult, leaving open whether the batch could readily be repeated.^[4]

Because Unobtanium was serialized and made across the handle-construction transition, photographs of the serial number, handle pins or glued joints, markings, spread and rating tag are particularly useful for documenting an example. A serial number alone does not establish the total production count.

Other Standard products

CPW also experimented with products under the Standard name, including adjustable grippers with interchangeable spring-and-handle parts, choker conversions and the Block-Aid. These should not be confused with the fixed-handle metal-named ladder. In the 2023 production update, Cannon described the adjustable system as expensive to make and noted wear caused by its cup-point set screws; its future was left uncertain.^[4]

Very small special runs and prototypes are sometimes discussed by collectors. A model should not be added to the regular ladder solely because a prototype, private build or one-off engraving exists.

Availability

Standard remains an active CPW brand, but individual levels are produced in batches and may be temporarily unavailable. As of September 2026, the official collection page carried a notice that a broader restock was expected during that month.^[3] Availability notices are time-sensitive and do not establish that a model has been discontinued.

Collecting and documentation

Useful photographs for cataloging a Standard gripper include:

• Both handle-end markings
• The cross-pins or glued handle joints
• The spring, including its surface finish
• The measured spread
• Any CPW rating tag
• Original packaging or order records

Collector databases such as GripperVault preserve photographs and specimen-level ratings. Those entries document individual grippers; they should not be treated as manufacturer averages unless a larger, controlled sample is explicitly analyzed.

External resources

• Standard Grippers collection at Cannon PowerWorks
• CPW's 2021 introduction article
• Original launch discussion on GripBoard
• 2022–2023 production transition
• Copper production discussion
• Nickel production discussion
• Unobtanium production discussion
• CPW ratings data and rating-method explanation
• Wayback Machine captures of the Standard collection

References

1. Cannon PowerWorks, "All about Standard Grippers," April 7, 2021. ↩
2. Matt Cannon, "Standard Grippers NOW AVAILABLE," GripBoard, begun April 2, 2021; launch levels, construction notes, spread discussion and April 21 sales announcement. ↩
3. Cannon PowerWorks, "Standard Grippers," current collection description and model listings, accessed September 2026. ↩
4. Matt Cannon, "Update on our Standard line," GripBoard, December 2022–May 2023; production interruption, first-generation fabrication and second-generation pinned-handle process. ↩
5. Matt Cannon, "Standard Copper!," GripBoard, December 2023–February 2025. ↩
6. Cannon PowerWorks, "Chromium (Cr)," current product description and advertised average. ↩
7. Matt Cannon, "Standard Nickel!," GripBoard, December 2023 onward; mounting strategy, specimen spreads and reported rating range.

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8. Matt Cannon, "Some poetic new Standard levels coming!," GripBoard, September 2023; first-series production count, pinned second batch and scarcity comments. ↩