flangeflange

I just wondered if anyone ever had to do this -- I have some North Road bars that I'm putting on a build for my girlfriend and I purchased some brake levers for it without thinking about measuring the diameter (I had previously used them with TT style lever which mounted into the end of the bars, but they were a bit spongy feeling).

Anyway, the levers turned up and their clamp is 22.2 but the bars are 23.8. These are the levers -- http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/z/c4oAAOSwLqFV8tNT/$_57.JPG (I removed the plastic sheath and shifters because they're gonna be bar taped over) -- they have the standard Shimano clamp, with a ring that has two prongs with holes, small 'tug bolt' that fits between them and grabs the holes, and a bolt coming through from the main lever that pulls them towards it to affix.

Anyway, I took the ring off, put it on the bar, then plier'd the ring to close it up a bit, then I put the small bolt in, and pliered underneath it to try to straighten out the two sides of the ring (I can't describe this any better -- but if you've done this you'll know) then I, with a bit of effort, reattached the main brake and used the reattachment process to re-set the shape of the clamp essentially.

I just want to know if anyone has done this and whether it's considered safe? There just aren't a great variety of straight bar style levers for 23.8mm bars.