Cleaning Klippermate Clamps and reassembling

[redfist1000]

How do you guys clean your Klipper Clamps, and how can you tell when its fully clean? Also, after cleaning is done, how do you guys know how far to screw back in the screws?

Also, any tips to help out new stringers like me?
I've done about 10 stringjobs, but still can't make it past an hour, if not longer.

Thanks in advance

[bcart1991]

I use the fine-grit sandpaper to clean the clamps, followed by a damp rag with water or alcohol to get any residue or dust off.

I don't take my claps apart, just hold them tight enough to let the sandpaper do its job.

As for re-screwing the screws, just trial-and-error it until they feel tight enough on the strings not to slip.

[aussie]

I disassemble the clamps and sand the teeth surfaces and the center spacer with 120 grit abrasive cloth (buy a sheet from your local hardware store - Bunnings in Australia for example - and cut a manageable size say 2 inches long by 1 inch wide). I don't believe you can really clean the surfaces effectively if you don't disassemble.

After sanding, wipe the surfaces with a dry cloth to get the dust off and reassemble. Screw the 4 little screws in keeping them as even as possible until they meet the screw opposite. That's all there is to it. I clean mine around every 18 stringjobs but I reckon they could be left for a lot longer than that. By the way, if the sanding scratches the surfaces, don't worry as the idea is to rough the surfaces up to increase holding ability.

[max]

I don't disassemble them: too much fuss getting things back together. Instead I usually dose a rag in rubbing alcohol and clamp the rag overnight, let the alcohol soak in, then rub the surfaces dry. On occasion I use the grit cloth, which works exceptionally well.

I've learned that it's good to clean them more often than you might think, even before you overtly notice a poly buildup on the clamp surface.

[jgrushing]

I've seen lots over the years about keeping the clamps clean, etc. However, I've had mine for 20 years, strung several hundred racquets with them, and have, maybe, cleaned them once. Granted, there are some greasy strings, which I don't use but I just don't see the build-up or experience the problems people talk about. No way I would take them apart. Maybe a little alcohol. My two cents...

[bcart1991]

I actually notice more buildup/slipping from the cam on the dropweight than I do on the clamps. It requires cleaning much more frequently.

[max]

Interesting. I rarely clean my cam.

[jgrushing]

Have never cleaned the cam gripper. What kind of strings do all of your use that cause so much problem? For 20 years, I've used mostly syngut, many of the popular multis, and lately, a bit of poly. There's nothing on my clamps or gripper that needs cleaning off.

[bcart1991]

I've strung mostly (>90%) with syn gut and multifilaments.

[mtommer]

When I cleam my clamps and the CAM I just hold a piece of sandpaper and pass it back and forth between the almost closed surfaces of each part. Then I flip (in the case of the clamps four times) and do the other side. I only do it a few times, enough to break up whatever gunks on there and then I take a folded over paper towel or rag with isopropyl alcohol and do the same as I did with the sand paper. It takes less than two minutes for everything.

[redfist1000]

Interesting my clamps get pretty slippery after about 10 jobs, and I use the sandpaper then alcholhol method, but I usually don't clean my cam at all.

[mikeler]

I clean my clamps about once a year. I probably average about 50 string jobs per year. I'm due, so I'll be cleaning mine with an old toothbrush and rubbing alcohol tonight.

[redfist1000]

hmm yeah i've tried using a toothbrush with alchohol too, but it seems like the sandpaper works the best for me.
Thanks for the tips though