an exclusive sneak peek of the new MBS flying clamp. it will be a Yonex-ish type of clamp with 5 teeth and wide jaw suitable for cross strings. according to MBS/Winston, it will be more affordable than Yonex.
nice to know that MBS finally has this version. you may take a look the one from AEF as well which has been available since mid of 2009. I knew only 2 vendors which has this version besides Yonex which is HiQua Indonesia and AEF. now interest to know from where this MBS ... if from AEF, then I believe it would be the same quality with AEF. but if from Hiqua or other vendor, then may buy to try it. so, the AEF one is as good as Yonex at least to me.
i should be getting a pair in a few weeks. probably gonna do a comparison with my other clamps. Yonex, Alpha, and previous version MBS one. can never have too many clamps.
I just checked my email archive and I ordered 2x yonex from Watdon for $34 shipped Together they are able to handle all my cross stringing needs I also have 4 of the current HiQua style MBS clamps, and those are great for my mains
i guess you can consider it a copy of the Yonex style grip. but Winston says it will be a more affordable alternative. looks slightly better too. i will do a comparison with the Yonex for sure.
when i receive it in a few weeks. i will take some detail photos. i don't have one right now. the pic above came from Winston.
MBS has put this up on their website: http://www.mybadmintonstore.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=1144
Mind to take a pic of MBS and Yonex side by side? I would like to see who wide they compare to each other. How about the spring strength? Thanks!
jaw thickness: MBS old: 6.78mm Alpha: 6.9mm MBS new: 7.75mm Yonex: 8mm i strung 2 rackets with just the new MBS clamps. the jaw thickness is thin enough for mains and wide enough for cross. the jaw are rounded so it is very easy to fit into position. unlike Yonex which is very angular and thus not easy to insert. the build quality is nicer on the Yonex though. the MBS is a bit rough on the edges. the spring is pretty strong on the MBS new. takes some effort to open it. probably because it is new? the gripping strength is very good. i was using it as a starting clamp at 26lbs and it held up very securely. usually i need 2 Yonex in tandem to hold the same tension. the gripping surface is quite rough so that probably contribute to the gripping strength.
The new MBS flying clamps seem promising. Kwun, can you take a photo of the clamping surface? I know that is quite a difficult task to do since you need another clamp to open up the MBS. However, in the name of curiousity we would like to know the grippy material that is attached to the clamping surface. 26 lbs is impressive for a single flying clamp. I think the Yonex one has dual springs. Just wish MBS would make versions for different width. For example, the Yonex NS, AT and . . . etc get wider cross (especially the last cross above the throat) at certain location of the frame. It would be a good idea to have wider flying clamps in those areas so that there is less disturbance of the cross string above.
PLSD, the surface in the inside is the same as the outside. a rough sand paper like surface. not sure if there are special treatment done or just a result of the sandcasting of the piece. it is quite rough. can be used to file finger nails. both of them have two springs. the main spring is for gripping, the small spring is for centering the center piece. i doubt the small spring provide any meaningful gripping force. more pics with side-by-side comparison with the Yonex one. feels like halloween!
so i think this new MBS clamp is a winner. i have changed my flow to use these for both mains and cross. replacing my old MBS, Alpha and Yonex clamps. the reason is as follows. it works for both main and cross. yes they are thicker than the old MBS and Alpha. but main is not as sensitive to clamp jaw thickness. but at the same time, they are small and lighter than the old MBS and Alpha clamps. which means if i clamp from below, i have more room to work with (my WASE is quite shallow), or if i clamp from top, it is not so heavy it will tip over. also the rounded teeth means inserting is smooth. inserting Yonex ones into main is not smooth. for cross, it only slightly thinner than Yonex and works OK with the wide cross spacings. the fact that the teeth are rounded means that inserting into the string bed is very smooth. clamping power seems to be quite good. no sign of the rough surface grinding off or marking the string coating yet. the only downside is that it take more force to open up the jaws. which may or may not go away after more uses.