Originally Posted by
since6
I have two C-Spanner wrenches to loosen the locking ring on the bottom bracket for vintage bottom brackets. One, Park Tool HCW-5 has a single pin to go into the gaps cut in the lock ring at one of its ends with the other end there are three pins, while the second a Campagnolo tool has five pins to fit into the gaps of the lock ring. So many lock rings look like they have been chewed by a hungry dog, with rounded out gaps or partially broken corners from a C-Spanner twisting out of perfect engagement under pressure and damaging the lock ring, thus my evolution from a single tooth spanner to the five tooth Campagnolo spanner, but then I came across these C-Spanners.
As you can see one has a plate added (Shimano) while the other has an indent stamped into it (Campagnolo). These would seem to be a great improvement, allowing multiple engagement of the lock ring by 5 teeth, while allowing you to press the teeth tight into engagement against the plate/stamped indent so that they do not slip out/off under pressure, eliminating damage to the adjustment ring gaps.
Has anyone used such C-Spanners?
Do they work? Are my presumptions on how they should work better true given your experience?
Again my thanks for your thoughts and advice.
IMHO this ongoing issue speaks to the challenges associated with these wonderful machines we embrace.
The tasks often don't lend themselves to impatience, compound this with spartan tools, hard to come by finesse, lack of a proper stand and many other idiosyncrasies, cobbling and butchery can soon follow.
It is easy to stand back at the outset and say "how hard can it be?", only to find out the answer is "very" after it is too late.
I am a lifelong mechanic/technician, fomoco and ASE Senior Master certified for 30 years, Drag race motorcycles, fixed many things at the track and on the road and still always try to check myself when I work on most things, it's easier to take the time to think it through and get it right before something goes wrong, still not always easy to do, I've screwed up plenty.
So it still comes down to comfort and skill level for the task and resources on hand at the time.
My answer to your question is a Sugino BB tool, the hook end engages the notch and with the correct pressure, compresses and holds the lockring securely like a vise, it has never failed me in 45 years.
