Olympia clamps from Focus DIY - warning - dangerous

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RogerS

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Warning! Use these clamps at your peril. They are not like the normal quick release clamps. These Olympia clamps rely on a series of teeth down one side of the metal rod.

To release the clamp you have to twist the rod (and so releasing the teeth from the lever mechanism). As you twist the rod, the corners of the teeth start to wear very quickly. When you next clamp something, as you squeeze the trigger to tighten the clamp, the teeth slip and you end up crushing your fingers between the trigger lever and handle. Result bruised crushed fingers.

Also since they are ratchet based, you can never tighten them up properly as you can't quite get to the next ratchet. A horrible, horrible, horrible designed piece of rubbish!
 
Hi Rsinden,

Thanks very much for the warning. This is the good thing about forums such as this, we can let others know about a problem before they waste their money or worse.

Regards

Mike.C
 
I'll echo the warning. I'd picked up a couple of these and came a cropper when tightening one up. I was trying to get the thing really tight when it suddenly released with a loud bang and trapped a finger causing a nice big blood blister as well as a lot of swearing. :x

I'm sticking with screwclamps from now on.

Cheers,
Barry
 
I'll agree with that - some cheap tools are a menace. Clearly these things are dangerous and not fit for their purpose if they release their tension unpredictably like that.

However, you do have a recourse and should at least get your money back.

Complain to the retailer and if you have no sense from them, complain again in writing to the trading standards office in your area who will act on a complaint of a dangerous product.

Just a thought.
 
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