Bessey KRV bending

[Timtool]

About 3 years ago i invested in a set of 12 bessey K-body Revo clamps and recently i noticed some had the handles facing sideways out of alignment. I then noticed that the structure they are attached to was deformed because of the pressure.

I only tighten them by hand, and using one hand only as it's nearly impossible to use two hands so i was fearing they would all end up getting bent sooner or later. But then yesterday i realized the bent ones were different from the others, they are missing the crossed reinforcement.

So is this a production fault, or were these older models and the new ones have been reinforced because this problem turned up?
The plastic color of those two faulty clamps is also closer to bordeaux, while the other ones are more red.
I'm asking this here first before i eventually turn to the seller or Bessey, these clamps will soon become unusable as the handle is bending closer to the bar and will be impossible to operate eventually.

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[GarryMartin]

Just checked mine and although I've never noticed, you are spot on, the older ones don't have the reinforcement. So circa 2011 vintage clamps don't have them, 2014/2015 ones do (can't comment on the intervening years). And I'm talking identical models too - I have two KR60-2K from 2011 and six from 2015 with the latter only having the reinforcement.

Luckily mine aren't showing any distortion at the moment but certainly something to watch.

 

[neeleman]

I also noted the extra reinforcement on the newer Revo clamps.
I have 4 pieces KR 100 and 4 pieces (new) KR 80 and have not noticed any bending like yours.
Now I know why they reinforced them.

I should take them back to Bessey or your reseller.
It's unacceptable.

 

[Timtool]

I was guessing something like that, mine were bought in 2012 i think, so the dealer had both in stock.
Not sure if i have a case here as thats just how they were made then, i obviously use mine intensively but you would think it's not normal that i am able to bend them using hand force. If i had ever used a wrench or anything else then the handle would have been marred, here they are spotless so i may have a case.

 

[GarryMartin]

Not sure about EU legislation or the laws in Belgium, but in the UK, the law says buyers in England and Wales can get a partial refund or full repair up to six years after the purchase was made, with the refund taking into account how much use the customer has already had of a product.

It's often difficult to actually make use of the legislation as the burden of proof relating to design faults / fitness for purpose etc. switches to the buyer after six months rather than the retailer, but in this case, with evidence of a design change on newer, identical products, I'd say a company like Bessey would do the right thing if their clamps were failing in the field.

Certainly worth contacting them - they're pretty responsive on their Twitter account (@BesseyTools) and might be able to put you in touch with someone in-country?

 

[Locks14]

I was guessing something like that, mine were bought in 2012 i think, so the dealer had both in stock.
Not sure if i have a case here as thats just how they were made then, i obviously use mine intensively but you would think it's not normal that i am able to bend them using hand force. If i had ever used a wrench or anything else then the handle would have been marred, here they are spotless so i may have a case.

I guess if you use them particularly often, metal fatigue can set in. Bessey sell a premium product and obviously recognise there was a design weakness, hence the redesign. I would suggest they don't have a legal obligation to help you, but a nice email to their customer services might see them decide there is some goodwill warranted to replace them/heavily discount you replacing them.

 

[Kev]

I'm going to be going home and looking at all of my clamps tonight!

 

[GarryMartin]

I'm going to be going home and looking at all of my clamps tonight!

Do you not do that every night Kev?  [wink]

 

[Kev]

I'm going to be going home and looking at all of my clamps tonight!

Do you not do that every night Kev?  [wink]

You got me ..  [embarassed]

 

[Stephen B]

[size=14pt]PHEW!
[size=12pt]1/6; well 7 actually.  [smile]

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