Stretching incredulity, breaking records

Moscow sideshow artist Brad Byers, nicknamed the Human Toolbox, holds 56 world records for an array of feats, from sword swallowing and balancing a running lawn mower on his chin to escaping from a straight jacket while hula hooping.

On Saturday in Deary, he'll attempt his 57th most weight pulled from a hook in the head. He will insert an 18-inch-long stainless steel hook into his left nostril, down his throat and out his mouth. With the shank and eye protruding from his nose and the point of the hook protruding from his mouth, he will attach a rope. At the other end of the rope will be a pedal surrey and trailer with seven or eight people on board waiting for an unusual joy ride. Walking backwards, Byers will attempt to pull them across the length of the outdoor basketball court at Deary City Park. The people will not be pedaling.

Needless to say, do not try this at home. A CT scan in a 2012 episode of TV's "Stan Lee's Superhumans" showed that Byers has atypical straight inner channels and "unusual control over sneezing, coughing and gagging." The Moscow native has set all his world records to promote his world touring act. Videos of him are shown daily in Ripley's Believe it or Not museums around the world.

Currently, a man holds a world record for pulling a small foreign car, 1,598.35 pounds, across a television studio floor with a hook three-eighths of an inch thick, Byers explained via email.

His hook will be much thinner, three-sixteenths of an inch, which will be considered a new record.

"The thicker the hook, the more surface area there is to distribute the weight. The thinner the hook, the more painful it can be."

He's been practicing. The biggest issue was a bent hook that was difficult to remove. He had one hand-forged that he hopes will be strong enough to handle nearly 2,000 pounds.

Byers is 57. If successful, he notes, he'll have a record for every year of his life.

"This may be my last record-breaking attempt. My reasons for breaking records are to promote my acts. With 57 records to put on my resume I don't think people will be significantly impressed with more. Also, I have spent a small fortune on frames for my world record certificates and as my fiancee politely points out, there will not be enough wall space to hang them all after we are married."

However, he continues to add bizarre feats to his act. His latest: swallowing a pair of ceremonial ribbon-cutting scissors more than 2 feet long.