the issue with the "repair forks" splitting open in the steerer has nothing (much) to do with the little tab on the washer, it's that the steerer has such a long portion threaded, and that portion also has the slot cut along the whole length to accommodate the little tab, that one can put enough pressure on a dangerously weakened steerer with the quill wedge to bust it apart. The "safe" way to use one of these forks is to only use it on short bikes so you cut off most of the threading and your quill's wedge is bearing on an unthreaded part of the steerer....makes it less than "universal", however.