Bessey K's...Show me how you beefed up your handle

[Jon Grider]

I started to ask this in the Stanley thread, but decided it may be thought of as hijacking. Anyone want to show or describe your solution to improving your K's small handle?
I've tried a section of bicycle inner tube but am not real happy with the results.

[Jay Allen]

I haven't...I actually prefer the old style wooden handles over the newer plastic ones.

[jerry cousins]

i wrapped mine with cushioned bike handle-bar tape - secured each end with electrical tape.
jerry

[Joe Scharle]

Drill a hole thru the middle of the handle: Insert Phillips screwdriver and torque!

[glenn bradley]

Mine are stock but I did modify the mini's. I cut little v-grooves in them and then dipped them in Plasti-Dip. There are a variety of wraps for sporting uses if you prefer that but I have had the dip on the business end of my clamps for years and it has never failed. I expected it to crack or come loose after a few uses but was pleasantly surprised.

[Matt Meiser]

I bought the Rockler Clamp Handle Grips (http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=16881). They fit very snugly and I didn't find glue to be necessary as stated in the instructions. Only costs $1.25/clamp and takes about 15s per clamp to install so I felt it was a good deal. The handles feel much better to me now--not as nice as the contoured handles on the Stanley and newer Besseys.

[Jim Tobias]

++1 on the plasti dip


Jim

[Darnell Hagen]

I think it was C. Becksvoort who first suggested routing shallow grooves down the handle of the K body. That's what I plan on doing.

[Mike Heidrick]

+whatever for Plastidip

[Will Blick]

Lee Valley sells a wrap specifically for this...


http://www.leevalley.com/US/images/item/gardening/ea180-dsp.jpg


I have used it, very good.... $14 for 12 ft. So, about $.60 per clamp, not bad at all..... but the best for tackiness IMO is look for close-outs on tennis supply web sites, tennis grips (not over-grips) are superb and I have bought them as cheap as $2 - $3 each on discountinued models....

Just be sure to wrap the angle, in the direction you tighten the clamp....starting from the back handle to the front... I never tried the dip stuff yet.... my thought was, it would not create enough thickness, but maybe a few coats would be just as thick as the tennis grips.

[Brent Smith]

I prefer, and mostly have, the wooden handled older version. I have on occasion wrapped clamp handles with hockey stick tape....works just fine.

[Jim Becker]

I've never felt the need to change/augment the handles on my many Bessey K-Body clamps.

[Rick Fisher]

I have the older wooden handle K-Bodies and a bunch of the newer Revo's with the grippy handles..

Bessey sells the new handle seperately.. They call it a 2K handle..

I much prefer the newer handle and will likely upgrade.. The handles arent cheap, but I don't need that many ..

http://www.truenorthtools.com/bessey-2k-handle-spindle-with-pad.html

[Rod Sheridan]

I have both styles of Bessey clamps and haven't felt the need to increase the clamping pressure delivered by the old handles, and I'm certainly not a gorilla.

With accurate parts, I find the old clamps work just fine.

Regards, Rod.

[Matt Meiser]

For me, it was more about comfort gripping the handle. I had no problem getting them tight enough or even too tight, but they are relatively small diameter and somewhat slippery meaning I had to grip a little tighter. The result was sore hands.

[Callan Campbell]

I bought the Rockler Clamp Handle Grips (http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=16881). They fit very snugly and I didn't find glue to be necessary as stated in the instructions. Only costs $1.25/clamp and takes about 15s per clamp to install so I felt it was a good deal. The handles feel much better to me now--not as nice as the contoured handles on the Stanley and newer Besseys.
Thanks Matt, just when I thought I knew all the stuff Rockler carried..:p
Do the grips slide down the clamp handles easily or does it take some time to work the grip down and get rid of any bunching or wrinkles. I saw your post about the 15 second install time, but wondered if that was just for the Bessey clamps and not some others out there.

[Matt Meiser]

They slip right on since they are fairly thick and stiff but they do stretch a little as they go on. Rockler says glue them, but I put one on to try it and couldn't get it back off or get it to slip. Maybe after some time I'll need to but the glossy paint on the handles probably actually helps the rubber/vinyl stick.

[Jon Grider]

I know my old K's don't need assistance in clamping power, they have worked just fine for nearly a decade....it's my hands that don't work so well anymore. Arthritis has a way of making gripping the narrow diameter K grip more challenging than I like. Thanks to all who contributed, I'm continually thankful for the good bunch of folks on this site willing to share their knowledge and resources. And to show my appreciation, I'm going to become a bona fide contributor this week.

Jon

[glenn bradley]

....it's my hands that don't work so well anymore.

Amen to that. I have also swapped some of my jig knobs from the little round ones to the 'T' or 'star' style for just that reason ;-)

[Michael Heffernan]

I have some old, some new Bessey clamps. I prefer the new Revo clamp handles. Easier on the hands when having to exert a lot of clamp pressure. I find that when using the old wood handle clamps, my hands get sore too. Old age and oncoming arthritis I guess.
I bought some of the Rockler handle grips too. They work well, easy to slip on and easier on the hands. I found that I had to put some glue inside the handles, as they tended to slip when cranking the handles. A little wood glue, slipped them on, and they were good to go (after the glue dried, of course...). My hands never felt better.



I bought the Rockler Clamp Handle Grips (http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=16881). They fit very snugly and I didn't find glue to be necessary as stated in the instructions. Only costs $1.25/clamp and takes about 15s per clamp to install so I felt it was a good deal. The handles feel much better to me now--not as nice as the contoured handles on the Stanley and newer Besseys.

[Alan Schaffter]

I made a little jig from a piece of scrap 2X4 that cradles the handle. It allows me to index the handle to cut evenly spaced, shallow flutes on the router table. I haven't done this to all my clamps but is quick and easy.

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/Bessey_fluting_jig.jpg

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/PC230007.JPG

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/PC230008.JPG

[Harvey Melvin Richards]

When I have lots of clamping to do that will involve my K bodies, I wear cloth gloves with rubberized grips. My hands are much happier. I also prefer my Jorgensen K body clones only because of the fatter grips.