I first talked about the Bessey KliKlamp back in 2013. The day before that post, I ordered a pair of 8″ clamps for my own use.
Since then, I’ve used the clamps a bit, but I’ve been using them a lot more recently. I’m nearly ready to toss out my trigger clamps and buy a couple more of these.
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I used to have a preference for Jorgensen gear clamps (reviewed here), but that preference has been diluted and even reversed in recent years.
Through use, I learned that the Bessey KliKlamps are light, but that doesn’t make them light duty. Thus, my opinion of these clamps kept improving, to where my Jorgensens haven’t seen the light of day for a few months now.
That said, they do have a modest load rating of 260 lbs. But I found that this is sufficient for my needs. On paper, my Jorgensen clamps have higher load ratings. But in practice, I favor the light weight of the Bessey clamps, and the often smoother operation.
I definitely prefer both over trigger clamps, but the comparatively higher costs have kept me from getting many more of them. A 4-pack of Irwin 6″ quick clamps is priced at $20 during holiday seasons, while just one Bessey 8″ clamp is $18.
As shown in the not-too-great photo above, I like using these clamps with portable work tables especially, where the quick operation is especially helpful.
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I bought them from Amazon. I remember initially thinking that the clamps felt too light, and I mentioned this in my Jorgensen gear clamp review. But so far, the Bessey clamps held up nicely, and they still have far greater clamping power than similarly sized squeeze-trigger bar clamps.
Price: $18-20 for 8″ (KLI3.008)
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Buy Now(via Acme Tool)
These clamps are also available in 4″ and 12″ sizes.
Long story short, two thumbs up.
Whiskey and Wood
I have a couple of the 12” and really like them, but they aren’t 1 handed for most applications I use them in (I can use them 1 handed in some orientations, but not others) so I won’t get rid of my quick clamps. I also find I like the bessey/festool ratchet clamps as well, but they are best for t-track/channel/dog hole applications! I guess I’ll just keep buying more clamps! Time to order a few of the rockler aluminum bar clamps while they are on sale (36” for $25, and a couple of the woodcraft ones that are on sale now too!) and I need to expand my Dubuque collection, and have space in my racks for some more Jet parallels, but waiting hoping for another Black Friday Deal this year! I have some bessey parallel jaws, but would happily trade them for jet!
Framer joe
I like Bessy clamps, especially the new Revo ,no slipping down the bar on to your finger….Jet was good but quality has suffered ,my last I bought were bent…
EJ
I have a few of these but I rarely use them. I prefer tools that I dont worry about breaking. Their full metal lever clamp is a lot better but also quite expensive.
ktash
I got 8 of these when Lowe’s closed out their Bessey line. They are my go-to clamps for quick clamping and hold really well. I don’t use them for larger glue-ups, preferring an F-clamp or parallel clamp which are heavier duty, but for many other things use them all the time they have held up dependably. Only gripe is that the end protectors are easily lost, though that’s true of other clamps. Kind of like socks in the washing machine, they mysteriously disappear.
Another ratcheting clamp is The BESSEY RAPID ACTION CLAMP LC12 or LC8, very heavy duty with an amazing amount of torque. Very pricey, $60-80 each, so I only have two, but in some situations they were worth it. You need to protect your work if it’s a finished piece. I’m looking to get the 4 inch version if I ever see a sale. AskWoodman did a review of these.
KokoTheTalkingApe
I’ve been looking at these! I worry though that the plastic pawl will wear out and slip on the ratchet teeth.
Also, in my very limited experience, you can squeeze the thing till it ALMOST catches another tooth, but the tooth it ends up on is not quite tight enough. In other words, the teeth ideally should get smaller as you tighten the clamp, because each additional step means a lot more pressure. That’s probably impossible to build, of course.
Also, that lever gives your hand about a 5 to 1 mechanical advantage, but screws give your hand something like a 10 to 1 advantage.
So regular fast (or “bar” or “F”) clamps with screws allow more pressure, with no steps, and don’t wear out.
Am I wrong about any of that? I will grant that these ratcheting clamps might be faster or lighter than some screw clamps.
Stuart
I haven’t seen wear like that (yet), but I’m also not too worried. C-clamps will last forever. Parallel clamps might last an extremely long time. Screw bar clamps might last a very long time.
If these last a while and wear out, I won’t be too upset, because the user experience makes them worth the while.
Screws can be hard to tighten.
I bought a Bessey set (https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/bessey-clutch-style-6-inch-clamps-deal-062015/%3C/a%3E%29, and there’s a limit as to how much force you can exert on a handle this size.
KokoTheTalkingApe
I have a pile of those little Bessey guys too, and you are right, the screw handle is smooth and not very thick, so you can’t tighten them as tight as some other clamps. But they will be stronger than the KliKlamp guys (600 lb. limit vs. 250 lb.), allow more fine-grained control of pressure, and will last forever. And they are half the price, though they has slightly less jaw capacity. They aren’t heavy either. If I ever need a bigger handle, I might mold some of that rubber putty around it. The handle is wood, and should be easy to modify.
I can see the KliKlamp clamps are easier to apply one-handed.
fred
Over the years I’ve seen all sort of ideas about how to improve your grip on clamp handles. You can find (Amazon and elsewhere) grips to apply over your handles. I’ve seen folks who use electrician’s rubber or friction tape. You can try bicycle handlebar tape. One idea was to dip the handles in some rubber cement and let it dry. I’ve seen ideas to rout shallow longitudinal grooves spaced equally around the circumference of the handle. In another “tip” – someone epoxied a hex nut at the top of the handle – to use a socket or wrench to apply more torque (I wonder how much you torque it would take to break the nut free). Here is a video that I found with one idea:
http://www.woodsmithtips.com/2017/10/26/
KokoTheTalkingApe
Thanks!
Bicycle handlebar tape doesn’t have a strong adhesive. It is meant to be removed easily and often.
But I like the antislip tape idea from Woodsmith. I might add a small carpet tack or two to help keep it from peeling off. There is also thinner antislip tape that you could wrap around the handle in a spiral. The advantages are that it might be harder to peel off, and that you don’t have to cut it to a precise length.
fred
Here’s alternative Woodsmith idea/video:
http://www.woodsmithtips.com/2016/12/22/
I think I like the prior one better
Mark
Guys the bessey handles are German engineered to apply the Max working pressure if you need more pressure add a second clamp.
fred
Mark
That’s probably true for the German pair of hands that did the calibration. If you have older or smaller hands – something to help you get a better grip can be useful.
BTW – a second clamp – if its exactly the same – will not add any additional pressure at the point of application – it will, however, spread the clamping force out over a larger area – which can be a good thing. To get additional clamping force – you often need to use a different style of clamp. For glue up tasks – different species of wood and different grain orientations can require different clamping force for proper squeeze out and adhesion. Flatsawn hard maple is going to need a lot more clamping force than pine.
RKA
You’re not alone. I have a pair of the Festool ratcheting clamps and a pair of the bessey heavy duty ratcheting clamps. I’ll use them when I need light clamping pressure or the actual pressure applied doesn’t matter as long as it holds, but otherwise I prefer the screw style so I can dial in the pressure I want or need. And there are times I need a single handed clamps, so the trigger style clamps win (and they double as spreaders).
Mark Dixion
Koko, brings up a valid aspect I was thinking about as well. While I can only speak for myself, I don’t have time or the money for a clamp that could/will wear down over time. Sure this might not happen for an xyz amount of time, yet if this fails clamping down expensive cabinetry or a welding project, the results could be disastrous. Couldn’t this be potentially adverted with two steel (perhaps aluminum) jaws? Probably would be expensive I presume.
In the decades I’ve been in the trades, I’ve never found any boss, serious tradesman let alone client be okay will be okay with hundreds or thousands of dollars being at jeopardy. Even the nicest people aren’t that forgiving.
Trust me, what is shown on television/movies is not at all representative of what actually occurs in the trades. All the apologies in the world do not matter when large amounts of money are involved. These actors know absolutely nothing about dealing with the high stress environments where time is money and there is often no second chances. Mommy and Daddy aren’t there to protect you when times get tough in the trades.
ktash
Koko and Mark, you make a good point, especially for those just starting out. I’d never use these for situations where more substantial clamps might be needed. They are basically light duty clamps like the one-handed clamps Irwin, Quick-Clamps. This class of clamp is something I often use with jig-making, etc. Or to hold something in place while I quickly glue it. I do a lot of this and the advantage is speed and they often fit in places where the other clamps don’t. I find these more agile than the Quick-Clamps.
The Bessey Rapid Action LC series could be used for things that need to be bomb-proof. But then they cost way more and are too heavy for many of my applications. These are rated for 400-1100 lbs.
ktash
@Koko “Also, in my very limited experience, you can squeeze the thing till it ALMOST catches another tooth, but the tooth it ends up on is not quite tight enough. ”
I noticed that it doesn’t go into the last tooth. That bothered me for a while, thinking it wasn’t tightening all the way. But it’s meant to do that. The reason is that in order to disengage once it’s tightened, you need to pull on the trigger as if to tighten, and this will allow you to disengage the clamp. The trick to making it tighter is to make sure the clamp is tight against the surfaces before you pull back on the trigger to engage it.
fred
I thought to update the post over on the Community Forum site – with a link to this thread:
https://discuss.toolguyd.com/t/clamps-some-different-types/441/8
ktash
What a great resource, Fred!
Nobel
My main question is, are these truly made in Germany as Acme Tools claims (DEU to be precise) or are these actually made in China as most Bessey products are?
By the way, this ISN’T me making false allegations, look at the Acme link as well as what is sold at Home Depot if you have any suspicions.
Stuart
Side of the clamp does say Germany.
Tom
Amen. These are great clamps. Easy to pack in a tool box for use on site. They’re just extremely useful.
I got a pair of the 8″ about 10 years ago (?) and they’ve seen a ton of use.
They just recently wore out and I replaced them immediately.
Pricey, but well worth it.